Brakes seizing up
I've been having brake issues ever since it's been cold. I'll be riding along, and I brake, but the lever stays depressed, and the brakes themselves stay closed. It's more of a problem with the front brakes. The problem starts occurring after 10 to 15 minutes of riding.
It's hard to tell if it's directly related to the cold, because it's winter and there is nowhere warm to ride. Plus, my living arrangement requires me to store my bike outside. I do have a cover for it, and everything stays pretty protected from the elements when I'm not riding.
From what I can tell, it's not a problem with the brake itself. It seems like the cable is getting stuck somewhere. The reason I think that is because if I disconnect the noodle, I can work the brake arms with my hands without any extra resistance, so I'm pretty sure it's not that joint that's freezing.
What is causing this problem and what do I need to do to avoid it? I was thinking maybe I just need to clean out my cable housings and put some oil in there, but I don't know of an easy way of cleaning it.
EDIT: I wasn't sure if this should go in mechanics or not, but it seems like a direct consequence of winter riding. Mods, feel free to move the thread.