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| Brake Levers/Cables: Brakes can be tightened in a number of ways. The first is to increase tension on the cables. To do this you locate where the cable exits the brake lever. There will be a barrel and a locknut. Unscrew the locknut and tighten the cable by twisting the barrel anti-clockwise. Tighten up the locknut again. If that doesn't work it means the cable is very slack. Reset the barrel to its slackest position (tight against the lever) and, using a spanner or allen wrench, loosen the nut holding the cable at the brake blocks. Pull the cable through and tighten. Adjust using the barrel so that the brakes grab immediatly when applied. Another way to 'personalise' your brakes is to adjust the lever setscrew to move it closer to your hands but be careful not tighten it too much because the brakes may not apply properly. Brake Squeal Shimano V-Brakes If you're using V-brakes, there are two common culprits when it comes to squealing. The most common is dirty rims. Clean all the mud and brake residue off your rims. You can use rubbing alcohol, but I usually find a dry towel works very well. Don't use any soaps that might add a slick residue to the rims surface. If your rims are clean and their still squealing, it could be that you are using one of the original sets of Shimano V-Brakes. Shimano released an upgrade kit for these that tightened their tolerances because of a squealing problem. Check with your local bike shop to see if you're a candidate for the upgrade. If all else fails with V-brakes and you just can't stop the squeal, try toeing them just a touch. Shimano suggests against this, but as a last resort, it does help. If the problem only appears when the rims are wet/cold, a different brake pad compound might eliminate the problem. |
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