Replacing Brakes... need help.
05-23-20, 12:18 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Replacing Brakes... need help.
I’ve done this a couple of times before.... so not sure why I’m having so much trouble this time around. Working on a Fuji Tiara I can’t get the brake tension right. It has something to do with the housing length and causing the levers to not stay under proper tension.
Should the housing go into the levers or stop short?
Should I attach the plastic ferules Which came with the Jagwire kit to the ends of the cable even though originally it didn’t have them or no?
Wish I could post photos but I am still a newbie. Also, I apologize if my description is vague or my wording is incorrect. I am really frustrated with this issue and need help... not really trying to have LBS do it because I’d like to learn to do it correctly myself and they are swamped anyway.
Should the housing go into the levers or stop short?
Should I attach the plastic ferules Which came with the Jagwire kit to the ends of the cable even though originally it didn’t have them or no?
Wish I could post photos but I am still a newbie. Also, I apologize if my description is vague or my wording is incorrect. I am really frustrated with this issue and need help... not really trying to have LBS do it because I’d like to learn to do it correctly myself and they are swamped anyway.
05-23-20, 12:43 PM
#3
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Plenty of videos on youtube. RJ the bike guy, Parktool.com also.
05-23-20, 12:47 PM
#4
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Ha yeah you have to specify “road bike” to see photos of the Tiara. Cool paint job and mid-tier for Fuji at the time I believe.
As far as the videos go I have been watching them (like all of them) but they all seem to gloss over whether or not the housing actually goes into the levers or not. This is where my issue lies.... the housing on the bar end is keeping the levers from keeping the correct tension and they just end up springing all the way back to the bar.
Anyway. I figured I’d give it a try on here to see if anyone knew what I was talking about. Made the rookie mistake of cutting the old ones off/trashing them without noting length.
As far as the videos go I have been watching them (like all of them) but they all seem to gloss over whether or not the housing actually goes into the levers or not. This is where my issue lies.... the housing on the bar end is keeping the levers from keeping the correct tension and they just end up springing all the way back to the bar.
Anyway. I figured I’d give it a try on here to see if anyone knew what I was talking about. Made the rookie mistake of cutting the old ones off/trashing them without noting length.
05-23-20, 01:09 PM
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We needs some pics as a reference or we a just playing a guessing game. Use a image host site like imgur.com, click 'new post' then 'choose photo'. After it uploads, copy and paste the url from the browser bar on here but remove the 'https://'
like
https://imgur.com/ac375Ad4
to
imgur.com/ac375Ad4
like
https://imgur.com/ac375Ad4
to
imgur.com/ac375Ad4
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05-23-20, 01:15 PM
#6
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The housing or ferrule (if fitted) needs to be firmly seated in the socket of both the brake lever and the brake itself. The housing also needs to make the same firm contact with any cable stops along it path. The housing gets pushed by the lever/pushed the brake body and the inner cable pulled to actuate the brakes. Any gap or play in either will interfere with the firm brake actuation. In addition the housing needs to be cut or filed smooth and square without any protruding strands. I would suggest consulting Sheldon Brown's pages for information, I find many videos confusing or inaccurate. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cables.html#cutting https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cables.html
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05-23-20, 01:20 PM
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Make sure when you move the handlebars in the extremes that the housing does not pinch or get caught up in anything. If it is too short of ig you don't pull out the slack in the cable itself you will have problems.
05-23-20, 01:26 PM
#8
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Thanks everyone for the help. I too find videos confusing at times and also bike specific when there are many types of bikes/brake systems etc. that being said it does make sense that the housing should fit all the way into the lever in order to maintain the proper tension. I tried to post some photos but it seems I am a couple posts short of 10. Maybe this will put me over the threshold.... would rather do it this way then go through the trouble with imgur and all of that.
Also, I did remember to leave enough slack for the handlebars to turn.... thanks for that bit of advice as I can see someone easily overlooking that
Also, I did remember to leave enough slack for the handlebars to turn.... thanks for that bit of advice as I can see someone easily overlooking that
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05-23-20, 01:36 PM
#9
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Also I apologize again as it’s still not letting me upload urls
05-23-20, 03:52 PM
#10
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I suspect that your bike isn’t named for a small crown. It’s probably a Tiagra. That’s one of Shimano’s component lines.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
05-23-20, 04:04 PM
#11
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Ha man I don’t know what I need to do to get these 10 posts!!! Had it up to here with trying to get you guys good, captioned photos just to have it tell me I can’t upload them. That being said it is definitely a Tiara.... Fuji has it catalogued in their 87-88 lineup (I believe those years are correct). It is done up in the nice cherry web paint job.
05-23-20, 05:04 PM
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So go to the Introductions subforum, say "welcome" to ten people, bada-boom, you're there. Less than ten actually since you've already posted.
05-23-20, 07:46 PM
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Hi there. I just did a Google Image Search with Fuji Tiara Road Bicycle and see that it has aero brake levers.
SO, you want to be absolutely sure that the ferule going into the brake levers (some brake levers don't use ferrules) are completely seated. I do all my brake housing cutting and seating and attaching to the brake caliper BEFORE I tape the handlebar. I'll use tape to hold the housing to the bar in places. Doing that also lets you take the bike for a test ride to make sure the brake levers are where you really need/want them.
Oh, and be sure that the ends of your cable housings are cut square and are free of any slight "hook" that might drag on the inner cable and compromise braking.
Cheers
SO, you want to be absolutely sure that the ferule going into the brake levers (some brake levers don't use ferrules) are completely seated. I do all my brake housing cutting and seating and attaching to the brake caliper BEFORE I tape the handlebar. I'll use tape to hold the housing to the bar in places. Doing that also lets you take the bike for a test ride to make sure the brake levers are where you really need/want them.
Oh, and be sure that the ends of your cable housings are cut square and are free of any slight "hook" that might drag on the inner cable and compromise braking.
Cheers
