Diggy18

My rear brake is "squishy" when I squeeze the lever, and it doesn't really apply much stopping power. I started having this problem in February, I think, and then after the winter I tightened the brake cable and that seemed to have helped for a couple months, but the problem is back again.

The bike has probably about 8,000 to 9,000 miles on it, and I do ride in the rain and also rode through a Northeast winter with lots of salt on the roads.

So I'm wondering if maybe the brake cable has just gotten springy. That can happen, right? Is it time to replace the cable? I mean, it feels like the brake pads themselves are just compressing and absorbing the force I apply at the brake lever, without transferring that power to the rim, know what I mean?

The pads themselves look okay, and they're Koolstops with about 2,000 miles on them.

phantomcow2

I dont think cables spring. Those things are steel, not elastic. I would just do a brake tuneup, overhaul.

jeff williams

Worn pads I'd think, mushy as you're fighting the resistence of the spring =the calipers are moving too far inward.
If your pads are wearing, yes -tightening the lever spring will bring the pads closer to the rim -but it has moved the caliper as well, as the caliper moves toward the rim, the spring increases resistance...
I like my calipers wider, find I have move leverage -I would have more post or the pads moved further from the caliper arm towards the rim than the opposite.

I suggest pads and might as well do the cable too.
Cartridge pads just take an insert, if you remove the wheel, new pads can be inserted
into the holder without adjusting the pad angle -simply relax the lever screw to make up for the x-tra pad rubber.

To an extreme -seat stay booster to stop the frame flex if any. What type of caliper\rim brakes are they?

https://www.jagwire.com.tw/ Good pads, cartridge systems.

FarHorizon

Make sure you don't have too much housing length. Even an inch or two of surplus housing length seems to make the system SERIOUSLY squishy! Of course, if the brakes used to work fine with the housing you've got but no longer do, then this suggestion is void - housings don't grow in length on the bike!

If the housing is the right length, I vote for looking at the cable.

operator

Contrary to popular belief. Springy is actually good.

phantomcow2

i never notice springy when im on the trail. Dont know if its different on the road though

tecsbrain

If it's an issue, make sure you keep your rear rim clean (more susceptible to build-up) - if not, your brake shoes are rubbing on dirt and not on the rim

Learned it the hard way...

Bikewer

"Squishiness" means something, somewhere, is flexing when it shoudn't. A well-set up brake unit should be pretty rigid. The cable housing, as one poster notes, may be too long, or it may have a bad "end" that's not seating properly. Or it could be kinked somewhere.

catatonic

hmm, so if i feel a cable move when I'm braking that's bad?

luke.harrison

provided there's no significant wear etc.. springy is good, if you set up your brakes for a strong, rigid feel, it means you have less leverage and stopping power.