My breaks on my bike are difficult to pull

Question

The breaks are hard to pull. There is definately nothing wrong with the breaks i can move it with my hand, but when try to pull the lever, it feels like the cable will snap before they work. The cable is too long, could that be why?

Answer 1

loosen the brakes with a alan key  

Answer 2

The length of the cable has nothing to do with how hard it is to move them.

Since you have moved the caliper themselves and they are free there are a couple of possibilities:

1) The lever might be too tight. Take the cable out of the lever and squeeze the lever. If it moves freely it is OK.

2) The cable might be bound up. Take the cable off the caliper and pull the lever, if the lever still won't move then it is the cable bound up somewhere in the housing or it might be kinked at a housing stop. If it moves OK then the calipers might be to blame.

3) Do you have a cable detangler (gyro)? If so, the cables aren't attached to it correctly. For instructions visit http://www.parktools.com and look in the repair section.

Brakes are not something to mess with. If you still have problems then take it to a shop.

Answer 3

use an alan key to loosen the breaks and the springs will loosen out you will then need to get a spanner and turn the caps about a quater of the way around on BOTH sides then tightern back up