Okay, our friend drove over to meet us for a ride. She is just getting into riding and needs help with things like removing and installing her wheels, changing flats etc.

She did a ride with us in early June, and we took off the wheels as usual and watched her put the bike in her trunk, and the wheels on top of the frame. No probs there so far.

She came over the other morning, about a month and a week later, and we removed her Bianchi steel mtb from her car's trunk, and proceeded to put her wheels on. (she hadn't removed or ridden her bike since)

I installed the wheels and attached the brake cable on her front cantilever brake.

I attempted to attach the rear cable - but it wouldn't reach!

It's almost as if the cable was suddenly too short!

I checked to make sure the wheel was installed properly - it was. The bike pedals and shifts normally. The last time she rode it it was fine.

any ideas what the heck could have happened in the trunk since her last ride? She had some stuff in the trunk - a few fairly light cartons...maybe something shifted and hit her brakes?

The brake arm with the attached cable is not able to swing outward (away from the tire) - could that be it?