Does anyone know if it is possible to buy just a replacement spring for Shimano V-brakes, or am I going to have to replace the entire assembly? One of the springs in my rear brake broke off halfway home yesterday (the one on the side where the brake cable anchors). It looks like simple metal fatigue.

Good thing I was already planning to pick up my "new" backup commuting bike (1984 Raleigh tourer) today... didn't expect to need it so soon though!

Thanks!
Kim

Kim, I have a whole passle of brake springs. If you post a photo of your spring, maybe I can match something up and send it your way.

Thanks, I'll see what I can do with the digital camera tonight!

You're welcome.

Are you sure the spring is actually broken?

Inside each post of a typical v-brake, there is a coiled spring. If you ride a lot under dirty conditions, and especially in Winter, the arm and spring assembly gets very dirty and doesn't spring back easily. The cure:

- Unhook the brake cable.

- Remove the bolt which acts as a pivot for each arm.

- Pull the arm out.

- Clean the pivot, spring and the cavity in the v-brake where the pivot sits (WD-40 does a good job).

- Grease and re-assemble.

I typically have to do that every 2 years on my single bike which travels about 8000 km per year, including lots of winter mileage.

Looking again at the OP Michel, I'd say yes the spring is broken.

Something that started out in one piece, and is now in two pieces, qualifies as broken in my book... however, thanks for the maintenance tips. I will keep those in mind.

Just for grins, what if Bug' wanted to purchase just the spring? Where could she go? LBS? On-line?

LBS probably has a box full.

Usually yes indeed!

It's just that I had the "brake arm sticking as if the spring were broken when it was not broken" a few times. It's one of the consequences of riding in the snow. Good luck in your search of the proper spring.

Update: LBS didn't have any springs (and I couldn't get the brake apart to get the spring out anyway) but they did have a spare pair of the same brakes from someone doing an upgrade, and sold them to me for $10. I was pretty happy with that compared to a new-in-box pair for $30! So I attached those yesterday and all is well.

Thanks again for the offer, Stacey! I appreciate it