Lullapalooza

I noticed something really weird about my bike this morning.

Okay, so last night I went for a ride around town to run some errands. All the components were working perfectly, everything was great.

This morning I started riding my bike, and I noticed that the right brake lever was kind of "weak". I had to grip it really hard to make the bike slow down (almost touching the lever to the handlebar).

Now, I didn't touch my bike at all between last night and this morning. I didn't screw around with any components or anything. And also, I never use my brakes really hard (I never skid or anyting).

Does anybody know what the problem could be? How could this just happen overnight? There is definitely a difference in the amount of pressure required for my bike to slow down, I know I'm not just imagining this.

I checked the quick release, and it's pretty tight. I also noticed that the gap between the brake pad and the wheel is much farther apart in the back than it is in the front. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the problem.

This stinks, especially because I didn't do anything to the bike! I use to be able to come to a complete stop by using just the rear brakes alone. Now it takes me forever just to slow down!
Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks.

HillRider

Did you get any oil or grease on the rear rim?

Lullapalooza

Nope. I also wiped down the rear rim with a dry paper towel. Nothing changed when I tried riding it again.

Retro Grouch 

What kind of bike? What kind of brakes?

Road bikes with Shimano brakes, for example, have a quick release lever on the caliper to allow for easier wheel changes. If one of those levers were accidentally opened, your brakes would operate in the way that you have described.

Lullapalooza

I have a Vintage California Trek Road Bike, with Reynolds 501 tubing. I have Dia Compe side pull brakes and AC 500 brake levers.

I have recently only used the quick release once on my bike. Then I once again checked today to see if the quick release lever was tight, and it was as close to the frame as possible.

I'm not bicycle expert by any means, but it seems that the quick release is located at the center of the wheel and that's it. There does not seem to be any quick release on the brake caliper.

abby normal

You should start using your front brakes . . . that's 90% of your stopping power. If you're always using rear they just may be wearing out on ya'. As for the sudden change and the widening gap between rim and brake . . . sounds like your cable may have slipped a little.

@bby somebody

McDave

There should be a small quick release lever on the brake caliper too. It's right where the brake housing stops and bare cable starts. There's often a barrel adjuster there too. Any chance you can take a photo of your caliper?

My only other thought is you have a cable that has broken a few strands and is about to break completely. You'll need to remove the cable to find the break as it's usually hidden under the housing.

Lullapalooza

Oh! I actually found a quick release lever on the caliper. When I think of caliper, I think of the metal piece that holds the brake pads in a U-like shape over the wheel. I just saw one screw attaching the caliper to the frame.

But now I checked on the cable running above the caliper to the front of the bike, and I found a little lever. And it was in fact loose!

Thanks a lot for your help, guys!

dannl

Well, it sounds like you got it solved but if you show us some pics, that would be great. I have seen some sidepull type brakes with a release right in back of the seat tube, but not your type which is allowing for slack in the brake cable. Several of the previous posters have described common dual pivot type brakes with a rotating quick release on the caliper. This release just gives slack in the cable line, it doesn't actually pop the caliper off the frame.

Lullapalooza

Yes, I think that is the kind of quick release lever I have on my bike. It doesn't pop the caliper off the frame, but it merely opens it wider to allow for easier removal of the wheel.

Wordbiker

This thread just blows my mind.

Lullapalooza

And why is that?

Wordbiker

If someone told me that they operated a computer, navigating to a specific technical website, formatted a query, and then clarified the original query after more than one response instead of looking at the brake in the first place and realizing that it has a quick release on it....I'm not sure I'd have believed them.

Lullapalooza

Okay, clearly by my inquiry it should have been apparent to you that I'm a complete novice. I don't even know what a quick release lever should look like, especially one that is on the caliper (it looks different from the quick release on the wheel). I just got this bike, I'm not one to go around pulling different things to see what they do. Besides, it didn't make that much sense to me why the quick release would be above the caliper closer to the seat post as oppose to on the brake caliper itself.

Relax, pal. It's not that big of a deal.

McDave

Below is a photo of the style Dia-compe brake I believe the OP has. Note the lever on the right is in the UP position which is OPEN, and was the OP's problem.

Air

Meh - sometimes us self learned types miss some what may seem like obvious things. I found I had qr on my old levers but still never figured out how to use them; I swapped them out for newer ones. I always let the air out of the tires to get the wheel off before I got the new levers.

McDave

Being able to operate a computer has absolutely nothing to do with ones mechanical aptitude. That is why this sub-forum exists, to help those that don't know how to fix their bikes.

What blows my mind is the number of posters here that act like jerks to those seeking help. I'm guessing they have to bite their lip when dealing with their bike shop customers and come to this forum to take it out on the "customers" here instead!

edzo

there are people who know how to fix their bikes and know every detail, and some of these people are noobs, and some of them are world champions


and also

there are some people who don't know a damn thing about the bike or the mechanical aspects, and some of these people are also world champions


the point is, if you are a bike rider of any type it doesn't mean you know how to tune one.
it just means you ride one or like to ride them. how they actually go together and work is second
to riding one.

so lay off the OP will ya ? His is a valid question in this forum