V-Brakes, Front=excellent, Rear=very bad



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Jeff

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My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap by
my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that they did
me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were worn.
Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since replaced both
front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the rears might not
as well be there...

HELP!
 
[email protected] (Jeff) wrote:

>My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap by
>my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that they
>did me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were worn.
>Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since replaced
>both front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the rears might
>not as well be there...

My guess is that one of the cable housings is trimmed badly (not square). That allows it to compress
(which is a bad thing since that compression is subtracted from the cable pull). You should be able
to see if this is the case by pinching the cable outer and the cable stop between your thumb and
finger, and having someone squeeze the brake lever hard. If you feel the cable outer "crawl into the
cable stop" a bit, you've found the problem.

Or - there could be a simple crimp somewhere in the cable. Check for friction by disconnecting the
inner cable at the brake, pull the lever to the bar and see how much force is required to pull the
inner cable back out all the way (shouldn't take much force at all - if something's really wrong it
will be obvious). From there you can narrow it down by pulling the inner wire back and forth through
each cable section until you find the one that's "hanging up".

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame
 
Jeff <[email protected]> spoke thusly...
> My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap
> by my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that
> they did me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were
> worn. Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since
> replaced both front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the
> rears might not as well be there...
>
> HELP!
>

I am guessing frame flex. as you squeeze the brakes, it clamps on and then spreads the seatstays
(correct term?) apart causing kind of a squishy feel.

i think my frame has the same issue. i know they make an arch that fits on somehow and prevents the
frame spreading, but i haven't really looked into it.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net http://www.megalink.net/~farmers/
 
"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap
> by my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that
> they did me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were
> worn. Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since
> replaced both front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the
> rears might not as well be there...
>
> HELP!

Cables, in one way or another. Too short a housing, too long a housing, lousy finishing job, lousy
cable, crimped cable....

Jon Bond
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap
> by my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that
> they did me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were
> worn. Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since
> replaced both front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the
> rears might not as well be there...
>
> HELP!
>

Did they route your brake cable through 15 different right angles and a mile of housing by
any chance?
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com
 
Sounds to me like an issue dealing with lack of sufficient cable pull. I suppose it could be too
much housing, but I have seen people with enough housing to jump rope with that could still get
decent brake response. It almost sounds like there could also be an issue with non-v brake
compatible lever. It will be interesting to see what the cause is.

Ken Juneau, Alaska www.takusmokeries.com "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Sugar 2 has Avid 3's front and rear and originally worked equally as well. After a frame swap
> by my local shop (Sugar 3 broke, replaced with a Sugar 2) the rear brakes suck. I noticed that
> they did me the favor of replacing the rear pads with a set of Richie's claiming that they were
> worn. Figuring this was the problem I swapped front and rear with little success. I've since
> replaced both front and rear pads with MTB Cool Pads. The fronts stop dangersouly effective, the
> rears might not as well be there...
>
> HELP!
 
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