rear bike brake doesnt spring back when released

ryan753753753753
ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
edited June 2016 in Road general
I tried to change my brake pad yesterday and I released the cable to make things easier. After that my rear brake doesnt spring back when I apply the brake. However it does spring back normally when I press on the caliper itself. So where the problem is and how do i fix it??

THANKS

Comments

  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Have you re-anchored the cable correctly?
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    Simon Masterson wrote:
    Have you re-anchored the cable correctly?
    im pretty sure i have
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    It can be a variety of things. Worn or unlubricated cable or a badly routed cable. Sticky pivot on the calliper which can't overcome cable friction.
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    frisbee wrote:
    It can be a variety of things. Worn or unlubricated cable or a badly routed cable. Sticky pivot on the calliper which can't overcome cable friction.
    but it does work when i press on the pivot manually, so it can't be the problem of the pivot right?
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    ryan753753753753 wrote:
    frisbee wrote:
    It can be a variety of things. Worn or unlubricated cable or a badly routed cable. Sticky pivot on the calliper which can't overcome cable friction.
    but it does work when i press on the pivot manually, so it can't be the problem of the pivot right?

    If you do it that way the spring isn't having to work against the friction in the cable, you are just creating a little local loop.
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    frisbee wrote:
    ryan753753753753 wrote:
    frisbee wrote:
    It can be a variety of things. Worn or unlubricated cable or a badly routed cable. Sticky pivot on the calliper which can't overcome cable friction.
    but it does work when i press on the pivot manually, so it can't be the problem of the pivot right?

    If you do it that way the spring isn't having to work against the friction in the cable, you are just creating a little local loop.
    so you mean thats the problem with the cable?
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I would disconnect the brake cable and then take the rear loop (outer) out of its mount so that you can slide it up and down the brake cable. See what it feels like. If it is a little sticky then some light lube like 3in1 works really well so apply that and move the outer up and down to ensure the inside of it and the cable are nicely lubed. Then, whilst ensuring that you don't contaminate the blocks or the tyre, apply some more light lube to the pivot points on the brakes and squeeze together several times to get that worked in. Without the cable applied it should all feel very springy. Then, reassemble.

    If a brake caliper does not spring back then it means that the spring is not overcoming the resistance of the cable so either the spring is goosed (which you should have been able to eliminate when you lubed/sprung the calipers) or the cable is not moving freely. I guess the other last alternative is as per the first response, that the rear outer loop has not been engaged properly.
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    When I was having problems with mine, it was a worn cable, too sharp a bend on the little loop of outer between the top tube and calliper and both pivots were sticky on the calliper.

    I also flipped the little black plastic rectangle on the end of the spring around to increase the spring force.
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    I would disconnect the brake cable and then take the rear loop (outer) out of its mount so that you can slide it up and down the brake cable. See what it feels like. If it is a little sticky then some light lube like 3in1 works really well so apply that and move the outer up and down to ensure the inside of it and the cable are nicely lubed. Then, whilst ensuring that you don't contaminate the blocks or the tyre, apply some more light lube to the pivot points on the brakes and squeeze together several times to get that worked in. Without the cable applied it should all feel very springy. Then, reassemble.

    If a brake caliper does not spring back then it means that the spring is not overcoming the resistance of the cable so either the spring is goosed (which you should have been able to eliminate when you lubed/sprung the calipers) or the cable is not moving freely. I guess the other last alternative is as per the first response, that the rear outer loop has not been engaged properly.
    without the brake cable, when i press on the caliper itself, it does spring back normally. So does it mean the cable is not smooth and I should lubricate the cable?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    What bike is this on? (please say it's a 753...)
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    Imposter wrote:
    What bike is this on? (please say it's a 753...)
    what do you mean? what 753
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Reynolds 753 steel tubing - but it doesn't sound like it is...the joke failed, so carry on..
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    ryan753753753753 wrote:
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    I would disconnect the brake cable and then take the rear loop (outer) out of its mount so that you can slide it up and down the brake cable. See what it feels like. If it is a little sticky then some light lube like 3in1 works really well so apply that and move the outer up and down to ensure the inside of it and the cable are nicely lubed. Then, whilst ensuring that you don't contaminate the blocks or the tyre, apply some more light lube to the pivot points on the brakes and squeeze together several times to get that worked in. Without the cable applied it should all feel very springy. Then, reassemble.

    If a brake caliper does not spring back then it means that the spring is not overcoming the resistance of the cable so either the spring is goosed (which you should have been able to eliminate when you lubed/sprung the calipers) or the cable is not moving freely. I guess the other last alternative is as per the first response, that the rear outer loop has not been engaged properly.
    without the brake cable, when i press on the caliper itself, it does spring back normally. So does it mean the cable is not smooth and I should lubricate the cable?
    Read my post again, then follow the instructions (all of them including lubing the calipers) and after careful reassemble, the problem should be fixed. If not you will need to check upstream as another has posted.
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    ryan753753753753 wrote:
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    I would disconnect the brake cable and then take the rear loop (outer) out of its mount so that you can slide it up and down the brake cable. See what it feels like. If it is a little sticky then some light lube like 3in1 works really well so apply that and move the outer up and down to ensure the inside of it and the cable are nicely lubed. Then, whilst ensuring that you don't contaminate the blocks or the tyre, apply some more light lube to the pivot points on the brakes and squeeze together several times to get that worked in. Without the cable applied it should all feel very springy. Then, reassemble.

    If a brake caliper does not spring back then it means that the spring is not overcoming the resistance of the cable so either the spring is goosed (which you should have been able to eliminate when you lubed/sprung the calipers) or the cable is not moving freely. I guess the other last alternative is as per the first response, that the rear outer loop has not been engaged properly.
    without the brake cable, when i press on the caliper itself, it does spring back normally. So does it mean the cable is not smooth and I should lubricate the cable?
    Read my post again, then follow the instructions (all of them including lubing the calipers) and after careful reassemble, the problem should be fixed. If not you will need to check upstream as another has posted.
    this might be a silly question... but what do you mean by the rear loop (outer). which part is that?? thanks
  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Have your re-aligned the new brake pads with the rims ?
  • ryan753753753753
    ryan753753753753 Posts: 9
    trailflow wrote:
    Have your re-aligned the new brake pads with the rims ?
    yes it just doesnt spring back after applying the brake, so even aligning it or not doesnt make a difference
  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Do you have internal cables ? Check the cable is not snagging on the junction where it enters the frame or any of the cable stops or ferrules. The cable could also have frayed somewhere or have a kink in it.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    ryan753753753753 wrote:
    this might be a silly question... but what do you mean by the rear loop (outer). which part is that?? thanks

    Hi Ryan, no such thing as a silly question, only smartarse answers :wink:

    The rear outer loop I refer to is the small piece of outer cable that loops from a small stopper on the top tube near the seat post and then goes into the top of the brake. It is one of the common areas to become a little sticky so is one of the first things to be suspicious of. My point about also taking time to do the calipers is because it is all about not enough tension so they may spring but it is hard to determine if the force is sufficient to pull the cable, thereby returning the brakes to the correct position. The most likely solution will be just this simple lube/replace maintenance but it could well be something higher up the cable (such as the shifter, cable fraying near the shifter, etc.) but eliminate the easy/most common things first.
  • SME
    SME Posts: 348
    trailflow wrote:
    Do you have internal cables ? Check the cable is not snagging on the junction where it enters the frame or any of the cable stops or ferrules. The cable could also have frayed somewhere or have a kink in it.

    My thoughts too. I had a frayed cable where a strand had broken right at the ferrule. First brake operation jammed the cable and the brake on.
  • fat_tail
    fat_tail Posts: 786
    new inner cable at a minimum.
    Ridley Fenix SL
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    but I had and am having similar problems after I changed a front brake pad, disconnected the cable to make it easier to work on the bike, reconnected it back after changing the pads but then all the springiness return has gone, and for all the well you need to lube this bit and check for binding cables in this bit etc etc, well none of those parts changed on the bike just because I disconnected the cable momentarily, unscrewing one cable grab screw doesnt mean you have to re-engineer the whole thing does it ? it worked before ok so I dont see theres anything wrong in the general setup, it must be more specific than that
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Very true, we should add user error to the list of possibilities ;-)
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    When you pull the lever do you notice any difference in feel? If you do it's possible that when you released the cable clamp bolt you inadvertently pushed the cable slightly back into the housing, which means the end stopper thingy on the end inside the shifter is no longer snuggly in place and this might be stopping the spring in the lever from pulling the cable back properly. Have you tried un-clamping it again and giving it a slight tug to make sure?
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,823
    If the caliper sans cable springs back nice and strongly when operated by hand then the issue is the cable - as suggested try lubing the inner with light oil - that might help but if there are any sharp bands in the wire or it runs pretty roughly in the outer casing then a new inner cable is probably a good idea.
    If the caliper itself is not really springy then it might need you to remove that from the bike and give it a proper clean or even a rebuild.
    This can be a little tricky - you can sometimes get away with a good dousing in WD-40 but I've found that sometimes the pivot-points need a proper cleanup.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    My rear caliper started sticking like that and it was because one strand of the inner wire had snapped at the cable clamp and was gradually unwinding, stopping it sliding smoothly in the short loop of outer. So I took the cable off and snipped off the errant strand before it entered the outer. Which was OK for a while, but the unravelling continued and eventually it was sticking out sideways and stabbed me in the leg. New inner cable time.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    dee4life2005 wrote:
    When you pull the lever do you notice any difference in feel? If you do it's possible that when you released the cable clamp bolt you inadvertently pushed the cable slightly back into the housing, which means the end stopper thingy on the end inside the shifter is no longer snuggly in place and this might be stopping the spring in the lever from pulling the cable back properly. Have you tried un-clamping it again and giving it a slight tug to make sure?

    The return spring in the lever has nothing to do with opening the caliper; cables don't work by pushing them. That's the job of the bloody great spring in the caliper.
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    keef66 wrote:
    The return spring in the lever has nothing to do with opening the caliper; cables don't work by pushing them. That's the job of the bloody great spring in the caliper.

    Yes, I know that :lol:
    But, I've had a sticky ultegra caliper in the past and the small return spring in the brake lever was enough to tug on the cable slightly and override that stickyness and open the caliper again after applying the brakes ... without the cable attached the caliper would stick. Hence why I was asking if the small noodle on the end of the cable was seated correctly in the shifter end :wink: Sounds like the OP has a bigger issue here though.
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297

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