Originally Posted by
Robert C
I have been using my Novara Gotham as my primary transportation for the last three years. I was rolling up to a stop light and pulled the break handles. I heard a odd "sprang!" sound and had no front break effect (I had already shed enough speed that it wasn't a problem).
The cable broke right where it clamps to the caliper . . . not the end of the world.
It is generic caliper, I might use this as a reason to upgrade to hydraulic.
Pretty normal for it to happen early on maintenance-neglected bikes, especially commuters. On a long enough timeline it will happen on every bike. Ever heard of the term "strain relief"? Cables of all kinds (headphones, power, etc.) will break at the point where they bend or rub - where strain is applied. I had to replace a rear derailleur cable last year on my commuter because I noticed that it was fraying, right at the point of attachment to the derailleur.