I have a Ridgeback Speed 2014. I was cycling and then my rear brakes went out of alignment and were braking on one side harder than the other. So I adjusted the brakes but now the hand lever is loose. It moves and is completely loose for about 1cm before it actually does any braking action.

I noticed this: https://i61.tinypic.com/34qae7t.jpg

The cable has split and it looks like it's not just the insulation but a little bit of the inner thread as well. Is that the likely cause?

What are my options here? Bearing in mind I don't know much more than punctures, adjusting brakes and general maintenance.

Thanks.

The cable ferrule really needs to be replaced, Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Housing Length if you can't do this yourself, find a good LBS, get a quote and it acceptable, get them to fix it.

Would guess the cause of the issue is your cable is too short, which has put too much pressure on the plastic ferrule.

The cable does seem too short, there isn't enough slack for it to just come out straight without trying to bend away from the ferrule.

It's under warranty (internet though) - do you think it's a good enough reason for claiming?

if you bought it online, it would be upto you to make sure that the bike was setup correctly, i.e. a pre delivery inspection.

The cable that is damaged is a gear cable. not the brake cable. Your picture does not show enough of the bike to tell why this happened, but it could be incorrect cable routing. The best investment you could make on your bike is to take it in for a tuneup. Assembling a bike you receive in a box is a bit more involved than you might think, most bikes require a fair bit of adjustment during assembly

Both of those cables have routing or length issues. take it to LBS and have them look it over .

Right LBS it is. Thanks all.