eepok

Hi all,

If you're like me, you do your best not to replace (rim) brake pads until it's actually time to replace them. Normally, that means slowly unscrewing the barrel adjuster over time to keep one's preferred lever pull and then, eventually, loosening the cable at the brake and pulling more cable through to take up some of the slack.

I really hate doing that. You can only do it so many times before you ruin the cable and then need to replace that as well.

Does anyone know of a sort of barrel adjuster extension that would increase the range of the adjuster so that one needn't mess with the cable just to keep the same brake level pull through the life of the pads?

xenologer

assuming this is V-Brake pads

how about you install them with the small spacers on the inside
then when you run out of barrel adjuster you swap them with the large spacers?


or maybe buy cartridge pads
they're a lot thinner so you replace them before this becomes an issue

wesmamyke

Best bet is just to add another adjuster. You can get any number of inline adjusters that are spliced into the cable housing. Or you could add one at the v-brake noodle, v noodles are available with one built in. Or if it's a cantilever adding one at the cable stop on the frame/fork is possible.

Iride01 

My thought too. As well, inline adjusters normally get fitted where you can easily fiddle with them while riding. Great for derailleurs too. My frames had the old downtube shifters, when I switched the Paramount to 11 speeds on the rear with STI's, the downtube levers came off and cable guides with adjuster went on in their place. The few times something got out of wack right after I built it, I could adjust it while riding and then deal with the bigger issue at home.

eepok

I had never heard of inline adjusters. I'm sold!

I've found the Jagqire ones on Amazon (https://goo.gl/ZCtWio). Would these suffice or would you advise toward another brand?

Troul 

"Makes on-the-fly derailleur adjustments easy for frames without downtube adjuster stops. Includes two 50mm lengths of 4mm capped derailleur housing. Not recommended for use with brake systems."

Troul 

https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Inlin...PQZTQ2KF4AJBVZ

try that

GrainBrain

What brakes are you running, btw?

eepok

Huh... I could've sworn those were the ones that I linked. I even thought to myself while going through the different options, "It would sure be nice if they had whether these were for brake cable/housing or for shift cable/housing".

Thanks regardless.

eepok

They're the stock cantilever brakes on a 2012 Jamis Aurora. I already installed a barrel adjuster on my rear brake since, for whatever reason, it didn't come with one.

I have another bike that I use as a little commuter (Biria Citibike 8-speed) that uses v-brakes. I'll be getting these inline barrels for that as well. Maybe the tandem, too.

As you can tell, I really, really hate pulling brake cable through with every new set of brake pads.

GrainBrain

Oh I see that makes sense. I admit I haven't had to deal with cantilevers, and reading Sheldon Brown I see your problem. Finicky things huh?

Iride01 

Unless you are running some really wide tires on a narrow rim or have your pads adjusted very close to the rim it seems unusual that you are having this issue.

Do your brakes not have a quick release on them that opens the calipers for wheel changes? Many do, though many others do not. It's usually a little lever right by the cable hold down on the caliper. I have seen some that the cable was adjusted with the lever in the wrong position, so when it was moved the brake pads clamped on the rim.

Crankycrank

This place has some adjusters 17.5mm long. (Scroll to near the bottom of the page. Just above the jockey wheels on the right side "M5 Aluminum Alloy Brake Adjustment Bolt") Jockey Wheels, Shimano Derailleur Parts, Derailleur Wheels

eepok

They really are. My canti brakes live in a realm of 70%-90% perfect through the lives of their brakepads and cables. If they drop below 70% perfect *anyone* can fix them (that's the only benefit). But on my next bike, I hope to go mechanical disc or caliper.

eepok

I ride on 32mm tires, but I've put 38mms on the wheels before (which I may be doing again soon). The button for the release is on the brake levers for these canti/lever combos and it's definitely not that.