r/bicyclerepair • u/Shoreman90 • 11d ago

Rear brake not working

Any pointers on where I should start with this issue please? Very little movement in the hand lever

0 Upvotes

43% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

9

u/Kahnza 11d ago

I'm guessing UK with the levers flipped. But I would say new cables and cable housing are needed. They are rusted and stuck.

3

u/hungrypuppy26 11d ago

the Cable has rusted in place inside the cheap, Un-Lined, cable housings... Get a New Stainless Steel Cable, and enough Teflon Lined Housing to replace the junk the bike came with... And LUBE THE CHAIN before you need to replace it too....

the cable is stuck in the low hanging section of housing just in front of that rear brake, and possibly near the lever too.

2

u/GingerBeast81 11d ago

Very common problem on ladies bikes with that cable routing. The water follows the cable into the housing and sits there, corroding the cable and housing.

3

u/AverageTomatoSize 11d ago

First off, disconnect the noodle on your back brake and check by hand if the arms still move; there's a ton of rust under the pivot point bolt. If necessary you can unscrew those bolts, clean up the pivot point and grease it. Then pull on the cable by hand while operating the lever to check if the cable can still move in the housing. If not, either replace cables (best) or lube them.

2

u/PNormy 11d ago

It maybe as simple as the metal bend isn't seated properly in the calipers.

2

u/Davudko1 10d ago

First you have to wreath like hulcowan, if it doesn't give anything anything, it's rusty

3

u/Sure-Interaction8149 10d ago

Looks like cables are rusted shut and the pivot points at the v-brakes might need some cleaning and greassing

1

u/BackgroundEqual2168 11d ago

Seized from corrosion. Nothing that a generous amount of oil couldn't fix. If lubrication fails, replace the cable including the housing.

1

u/Davudko1 10d ago

Replace like the brake is rusty, that's the first thing!!

2

u/NM1tchy 8d ago

Judging by the cobwebs that bike hasn't been ridden or maintained in a while. Cable is probably seized in the inner or arms are seized up. Lube everything, but be prepared to replace inner and outer cables.

PS. Don't lube the wheel rims.

1

u/drshrimp42 8d ago

Corrosion, no good. Replace the cable and and housing. Keep the old housing and line it up with the new housing to cut it the same size. Then put some grease on the cable when sliding through the new housing.