Adjusting brake lever pull
 

I'm a complete newbie with bike repair so forgive me if I'm not using the right terminology. I just switched to bullhorn bars with a bar-end lever (Tektro 4.1) and I love the set-up. The LBS did the work, and I didn't realize until on my way home that there's too much play in the brake lever before it engages the brake.

I could take it back to the shop, of course, but I'm trying to learn how to fix these things myself. Can anyone direct me to a resource or give me a few hints on how to do this?

Thanks.

If I am not wrong, there is no barrel adjuster on those brake levers, so the easy solution is out. Unless there is a barrel adjuster in the system somewhere, you will need to use a 5mm alen wrench to detatch the cable from the brake, tighten it slightly, and then lock it back down.

To get the tension correct, I will ususlly use one hand to close the brake onto the rim lightly. Then I will tighten the cable. Usually there is enough slop to allow the brakes to back off and clear the rim (i.e. not rub) but it is close enough so the brakes feel tight.

All this is a long way of saying there is too much slack in your brake cable. Tighten it.

Parktool.com and sheldonbrown.com are the best two free online resources. The DIY work should be easy for this.

Good luck.

Depending on the type of brakes (sidepull. cantilever or V-brakes) there will be "barrel adjusters" either on the brake levers themselves or on the brake calipers. Turning them counterclockwise will remove slack from the cable and tighten the lever travel.

If that amount of adjustement isn't enough, you will have to loosen the cable at the fixing bolt and pull out the excess slack as mentioned above.

Think twice before you take all of the play out of the system. If you set them up too tight you'll pay the price every time that you need to remove a wheel.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

Right now I have to pull the lever about half-way before the brake engages at all. On my last bike I'd guess it was more like 1/4 or 1/8 the distance before the brake engages - which I preferred. Is that too tight (I never had to remove the wheel so I'm not sure).

They are cantilever brakes, with Tektro 4.1 bar end levers. As far as I can tell there are no barrel adjusters on the levers.

However, I was able to add tension by loosening the anchor bolt on one side, pulling the cable, and then tightening the bolt. But then the button/yoke was no longer centered directly above the wheel, which meant that one brake pad would hit the rim before the other. I then played around with the spring adjusters and was able to get it so that both pads hit the rim at the same time.

The tension is now how I like it and the pads seem to be hitting the wheel at the same time, but the button/yoke is still off-center and I have a feeling this isn't the right way to do it. I checked out the park tool site an it wasn't that helpful for this adjustment; I also looked at the Sheldon Brown section on this, but I really need a book with pictures or a video or a class or something. I'm a visual, kinesthetic learner.

Take a look at http://bicycletutor.com/ for videos on most bicycle repair and maintenance topics. They are very well done.
This tutorial -- http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-cantilever-brakes/ -- deals specifically with cantilever brake adjustment.

Does your lever bottom against your handlebar?

Sometimes 1 measurement is worth 1,000 guesses. I've got a road bike with 28mm tires. I have to open up everything pretty much all the way to squeeze the tires past the brakes even with the brake quick releases open. The tip of my brake levers is 3 1/2" from the bar normally and decreases to 1 3/4" when I've got them pulled pretty tight.

If I were using smaller tires, I'd probably adjust the brake cables a skosh tighter.

No, the levers don't bottom against the handlebar. I'll have to measure the distance as you did. Are you using bar-end levers like the Tektros?

No. Mine are typical road bars and brake levers (not brifters). Regardless, I'd say that if your levers bottom against the handlebar the cable is too loose. If you can't squeeze your tire past the brake pads, your cable is too tight.

You'll want the maximum available travel accounting for brake mush without having the lever bottom out (as close as possible).

The closer your fist is to a closed position the more control you have over the brake. Obviously if it's so closed that the lever bottoms out then you've ruined it.

I think that should be the least concern when setting up brakes. #1 priority is getting maximum lever travel without bottoming out. People who are new to cycling don't seem to understand that having the brakes on a hair trigger is actually the worst possible setting.

Just because the brake feels tight doesn't mean it's braking to it's potential. In fact it's the opposite.