hurla

Edited due to complaints.

fietsbob

Maybe someone can show you how in person? [Trek] Bike Shop or Co Op.


Maybe other's can do your web search for you, ... I gotta Go..






....

le mans

make sure your wheels run true, plus when fitting the wheel back on, turn the bike upside down so they're properly hard up against the dropouts, then tighten

Wanderer

Make sure the brake pivot points are clean and lightly lubricated.

2cam16

Start from the beginning. Turn the barrel adjusters by the levers out. Clamp the brake pads against the wheel. Tighten cable. Back off barrel adjuster until you get the right clearance. If that doesn't work, then you have some other issues with the brakes. V-brakes, to me, are the easiest to adjust compared to my numerous cantilever equipped bikes.

Andrew R Stewart 

This bike has, along with far too many, come with a spring loaded cable noodle. The spring's compression takes up a bunch of the lever's travel. If your bike has this I suggest replacing it with a standard noodle. As mentioned make sure the rims are relatively true and that the axle is fully in the drop outs (a common mistake is placing a QR centering spring on the axle backwards so that the large coil overlaps the axle). Any toe in or out of the pads will also increase lever travel needs if the brake is set up w/ no rub.

Spring loaded noodles are, IMO, a stupid idea. Let's make the brakes so strong that we need to then also weaken them so people don't end up having a header. I know we'll say both are improvements and cost more. Andy

Crankycrank

You may be able to change the noodle yourself.Tutorials are also available for this. What he was referring to are the springs that sit at each end of the quick release skewer that goes inside the axle. They are conical shaped and the small end goes toward the wheel. If you install them backwards it interferes with the axle fitting in the dropout and can ruin the spring.

dabac

Leisesturm

Yep, spring loaded noodles are an answer to a question no one asked. Our new Trek tandem came with them. Tandems cannot endo. WTF? I noticed them on the test ride and asked that they be removed. They wanted two weeks but a $1000 sale was on the line so they did it while we waited. I still had to finish adjust the braking when we got home because clearly my standards as to what constitutes adequate braking differed from theirs. Anyway, riffing off of post #10 . The first thing I do when adjusting v-brakes is to unhook the return springs from the top of the caliper leg. Without any spring tension to fight, the rest of the adjustment can be made without needing a 3rd hand. Undo the pinch bolt on the brake cable and take up or let out cable as necessary to allow a SMALL amount of movement of the brake arms. Wheels must be straight and true for this to work. Once this is done re-hook the return springs and see what you've got. Chances are good that further adjustment will be necessary. It is a trial and error from here on out. Chances are good that one arm or the other is doing all the movement. There are tiny adjustment screws down by the brake pivots. They actually do something. Just a 1/2 turn can make a visible change in the way the brakes behave. If just one arm of the brake is moving, back out its adjustment screw (counterclockwise) and see what changes. Sometimes you have to go the other way and tighten the adjuster. Just be logical about it and only change one side at a time. Take the bike to a CO-OP (not a LBS) and watch someone with experience do it if you cannot work it out yourself. I used to hate v-brakes until I learned to understand them.