the bike is a '95 cannondale t400 with drop bars. i just got a new set of IRD cantilever brakes, and new bar & stem. the brakes are installed with the tension spring set in the middle of the 3 holes on the frame, newly greased mounts. the levers are the original dia-compe ones, and the problem is that when i put on the new cables, no matter how i mount it on the bar, there's a ton of drag on the cable, so much that when i do hook up the calipers, there's not enough tension to completely disengage the brake. it seems like the alignment isn't right where the ferrule on the outer cable goes in against the cable stop, and the ferrule is too wide to fit in the hollow spot on the cable stop. there's not enough room in there to really adjust the alignment of the outer cable. has the ferrule size changed since the mid 90's? the cables are lubed and move freely when not installed or when the ferrule is not up against the cable stop. i've tried routing the cables under and on the front of the handlebars, but that didn't have an effect on the resistance.
i guess i could just start upping the tensions screws on the calipers and move the spring into the higher tension hole, but it seems like the cable is giving more resistance than it should to returning.
i guess i could just start upping the tensions screws on the calipers and move the spring into the higher tension hole, but it seems like the cable is giving more resistance than it should to returning.