Bicycle Mechanics - Brake calipers sticking

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bikerdave
03-30-03, 02:16 PM
Got bit of a problem with my rear brake caliper.Campag Chorus(5 years old i think) and they have been fine until recently but now they are not springing back to open position.

Was out the other day and thought I just had dead legs from the first 20 miles then started thinking I had a slow puncture so pulled over to check.Stopped and seen that the rear caliper was rubbing against the rim.Its strange.

Id opened the calipers so that they werent touching the rim and pressed them to see if they would lock....but no:confused:

Inconsitant.After 5 or 6 times pressing them, maybe the 6th time they wouldnt return.Strange.Any ideas

n.b.New cables (inner and outer)

cheers

Phatman
03-30-03, 02:21 PM
maybe the pivots need lubrication
RainmanP
03-31-03, 06:04 AM
Could be caused by the levers themselves, the calipers or the cables/housings. Clean and lube the calipers. If you haven't replaced your cables/housings in a while, do so.

Ed Holland
03-31-03, 08:12 AM
Ditto RainmanP,

I have the opposite problem on the rear calipers - that they become less effective over time this is a combined effect of grot in the cable/housing and dirt plus lack of lube in the caliper. In your position I'd disconnect the cablefrom the caliper and check the calipers and cable lever independantly to see where the stiffness is.

It is pretty easy to strip down a set of calipers (single or dual pivot? either is easy) if they need to be cleaned & lubed. Reassembly to get minimum bearing slop without tightness takes a little fiddling to get it right but it is worth the effort to have free running brakes.

Good luck,

Ed
bikerdave
03-31-03, 08:49 AM
sorted.Good spray got them loose