How to close brake blocks!



DawesLemond

New Member
Jun 2, 2007
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I have the most frustrating problem! Recently bought a Lemond but unfortunately had a puncture. Took the wheel off, repaired the puncture, wheel back on, quick release locked up but the brake blocks are wide and the brake lever itself is limp. I have had a look at the manual and nothing of any use apart from 'pushing the brake release button until it is flush with the lever body'. Have tried this...but nothing.

Any ideas how i can solve this most frustrating of problems - otherwise i am just going to have to ride the bike shop an hour away with no rear brakes to get it sorted!! I have Campagnolo levers if that is any help.

Many thanks.
 
DawesLemond said:
I have the most frustrating problem! Recently bought a Lemond but unfortunately had a puncture. Took the wheel off, repaired the puncture, wheel back on, quick release locked up but the brake blocks are wide and the brake lever itself is limp. I have had a look at the manual and nothing of any use apart from 'pushing the brake release button until it is flush with the lever body'. Have tried this...but nothing.

Any ideas how i can solve this most frustrating of problems - otherwise i am just going to have to ride the bike shop an hour away with no rear brakes to get it sorted!! I have Campagnolo levers if that is any help.

Many thanks.
Could be that your brake cable broke or more likely is binding somewhere along its path.

I suggest going to the park tool website and going through the process of new brake cable installation and adjustment, which will allow you to inspect each place along the brake cable that something could be wrong.

www.parktool.com/repair
 
DawesLemond said:
I have the most frustrating problem! Recently bought a Lemond but unfortunately had a puncture. Took the wheel off, repaired the puncture, wheel back on, quick release locked up but the brake blocks are wide and the brake lever itself is limp. I have had a look at the manual and nothing of any use apart from 'pushing the brake release button until it is flush with the lever body'. Have tried this...but nothing.

Any ideas how i can solve this most frustrating of problems - otherwise i am just going to have to ride the bike shop an hour away with no rear brakes to get it sorted!! I have Campagnolo levers if that is any help.

Many thanks.
What brand of brakes are you using: Campy, Tecktro, etc...? Sounds like you have a quick release for the brakes. Sometimes the cable gets loose where it connect to the caliper, especially when the bike is new. Try squeazing the brakes tight to the wheel, loosen the cable housing with an allen wrench and gentley pull the cable thru until it stops. Re-tighten the cable (tight!) and let go of the brakes. It may require you to do this a few times, letting a little more cable slack until the spacing is a few mm's wide between the wheel rim and shoe. Then try your release lever a few times to make sure nothing moves out of place. Check your brake levers on your handle bars again also to see that nothing is binding. They should stop you with just the finest of pressure. I'm a brake nut. For me they have to work flawlessy or I' don't feel safe on the road.:eek: Maybe this helps.:)
 
DawesLemond said:
I have the most frustrating problem! Recently bought a Lemond but unfortunately had a puncture. Took the wheel off, repaired the puncture, wheel back on, quick release locked up but the brake blocks are wide and the brake lever itself is limp. I have had a look at the manual and nothing of any use apart from 'pushing the brake release button until it is flush with the lever body'. Have tried this...but nothing.

Any ideas how i can solve this most frustrating of problems - otherwise i am just going to have to ride the bike shop an hour away with no rear brakes to get it sorted!! I have Campagnolo levers if that is any help.
Are you sure the Campagnolo lever's "quick release" pin (above the brake lever's pivot pin) is in the proper position to prevent the lever from opening too far?

If the pin is "flush" on the inner side of the lever, then the release is open ...

The "excess" portion of the quick-release pin should be visible on the inner side of the brake lever's body when the "quick release" is "closed" whereby the pin is nested in the notch on the inner face of the brake handle's body ... and so, the pin is thereby "flush" with the outer portion of the brake's lever.

BTW. To state what will become obvious, the "notch" on the outer side of the lever body is "deeper" than on the inner side of the lever body.
 

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