Hi. I took my trek 7.5 fx wsd out this morning to run an errand. The ride was only 15 miles, rt. on the way back my front brakes (oem Avid SingleDigit) started to stick on one side (left).

I tried to adjust the cable and also tried to adjust the caliper itself to no avail. Looks like the spring is messed up since it will close when I squeeze the handle but does not release. The left pad just stays stuck against the rim.

What a pain in the ass to have to ride making that noise and with so much drag. I finally just loosened the cable completely so it didn't rub and relied only on the rear brake. Who needs brakes?

Since this is no longer my primary bike, I didn't want to spend a ton on replacement brakes. So I searched and found recommendations for nashbar jail brake road bike calipers (front and rear set), which I ordered.

I am wondering, when they come in, if it will be something I can tackle on my own (I have my own tools) or if I would be best to take it to an LBS and pay to have installed. Still a newbie but really am interested in eventually being able to fix my own bike.

I also did a you tube search and didn't really find anything useful. I may have been too specific in my search. Any pointers? Thanks.

There isnt much that can go wrong with a return spring on that brake. Maybe it fell off its stop? Or maybe it needed more tension. Can you post a pic?

You ordered the wrong brakes. In any case you only need one set, not two. Can you cancel the order?

Thanks. I was able to cancel it. I figured if the front was being a pain it wouldn't be long before the rear would cause trouble but I guess it was overkill.

Here are the pics

There's no spring tension on that arm?

If not, loosen the attachment bolt and make sure the return spring is seated to the fork retention holes.

If there is insufficient tension, screw in the little screw that increases tension. It may help to decrease tension on the other arm. If you cannot get enough tension, unseat and grab the spring and give it a pull outwards about 2 to 3 inches. reseat and try again.

Your cable is kinked and needs to be replaced, but this shouldn't be causing your issue

I am not much of a bike mechanic, but I do know those are V Brakes. It shouldn't cost much to replace, and frankly, I would pay a bike shop to do it. My son once broke his front V Brake and if I remember correctly, the bike shop replaced the assembly while we waited, and it didn't cost much, maybe $20 including labor.

Edit:
Maybe the v brakes on your Trek are better quality than the ones I put on my son's Trek, but I doubt it. I just Googled the standard V Brake for your Trek and it appears to be a Tektro V Brake that you can get for, maybe $12.

The thing just won't stop clamping on the left, sort of like it is off balance. So... I made an appointment for a tune up in two weeks, first available at the LBS. I figured they would adjust it at that time and if it is worse than that I'm happy to pay to have it taken care of. Darn, I'll be forced to ride my new road bike while this one awaits the mechanic.

Maybe I'll have learning opportunities in the future

Thanks for the suggestions.

LBS won't do emergency repairs? I would, and have asked before.

OP,
Avids are decent (v) brakes; it's unlikely to be the brake mechanism in/of itself.

Glancing at your pictures, I'd say your front brake pads are certainly well-worn, so a question: do your rims have those wear-indicator groove thingies on them? If they do, look at your brake pads -- especially the left: is there a raised ridge in the centre?

If yes, what is likely happening is that the ridge is sticking in the wear indicator groove and so the pad won't release freely. It's a common problem; v-brakes work best (can be balanced best) with low spring tension. The solution is simply new brake pads (it looks like you need those anyway; new cables would be a good idea as well).

Have you tried prying the spring loose from the arm and just bending it back a little? I've done that plenty of times and it worked perfectly. There should also be a screw facing outward from the brake that will let you adjust the spring tension. Google V-Brake adjustment and there are more than a handful of videos showing how to do this.

I , too, cure V brake return spring imbalance, by putting a back bend in the weaker spring..

You may like the slippery nature of brake cables that are die drawn ,

the pulling the cable through a die, flattens off the outer surface , there by smoothing the outside surface..

Something is not right with that cable:


It also looks like the noodle is bent,but that could just be the angle of the photo.

Could you post some better pics of the cable,the back of the right arm,and the pads?

Hope you get the brake issue sorted out soon!

Now an off-topic question. Which LBS do you go to? I see that you live near Seattle.

Here are more. Also I haven't bent the spring on the offending side (left brake). I also noticed the pad on the left sits way lower than the pad on the right and there is no ridge on the rim.

Left pad / problem side


Right pad, plenty of clearance


Right rear arm


Left rear arm (Note the kink near the caliper is from where I loosened the cable so the pad would stop sticking and I could make it back without the brake engaged.)


Right rear. Close up


Front cables


Photos are from the ipad mini, not sure why they are flipping sideways when I post.

I purchased this bike from Gregg's Alderwood and that's where I am taking it for the tuneup. It has very low miles (<200) and I am not heavy on brakes . They are hit and miss sometimes.

I also use Gerks in Redmond since it is right near work and the customer service there is great. I usually order specialty items from them since its easier for me to get there often times.

I think I answered all the questions.

Didn't ask. It hasn't been maintained at all, I am just learning how important it is and my new roadie will not suffer the same fate. I never took it in for any adjustments and it looks like that is catching up to me. I have the other bike so I don't need to rush it in for service, just want to have it ready for a big trip down to Cali (Monterey, San Luis, and Santa Barbara). Would prefer my cannondale synapse down there but think I am gonna take this trek instead so I can have my panniers.

Update. I just pulled the bike out and did a couple of things:

1. With the cable I loosened on the ride to stop the left pad from clamping, I put that back into place and tightened.
2. I bent the left spring to no avail. I then bent the right spring and I seem to be back in business. Now both sides seem to be clamping and releasing as expected!

Still going to drop it at the LBS for a tune up, but at least the brakes are back in functioning order and I can ride as needed without the drag and without foregoing front brakes.

Thanks for all of the advice on here. With your help, I was able to fix it!

Yeah,from the new pics it def looked like something was up with the right spring. Pro tip:your front and rear are both V brakes. If something is wrong with one,compare it to the other to see what doesn't match.

Did you check the condition of your brake pads ? Sometimes when the pad is worn till it forms a ridge that catches the bottom of the rims. Remove the brake pad and if it is not flat, use a file or sandpaper to remove the ridge. Fit the pads back and see if it is still sticking onto the rims.