cudak888 

Title pretty much says all. I have a Japanese-sourced Tektro 800A - badged Arai, but it's definitely an 800A - on the front of my '80 Raleigh Sports. It's been used for less than a month now, and the return spring is already beginning to peter out.

I can grab the lever and it won't retract the last 4mm or so; it wil if I grab the lever arms and pull them apart.

Given that there are more than a few 800A's running around here on Raleigh Sports and 27"-to-700C conversions, I'm curious if this is happening to anyone else. I had considered swapping it with a R599 spring, but the R599 is reversed to the 800A in every respect, spring included.



-Kurt

Moisture

Very unlikely the spring would be causing that.

what is the condition of the shift cable like? Have you tried oiling it?

cudak888 

Cable is new, Teflon lined. I can disconnect it and get the same results. It's the spring - unless something in the caliper is binding (which would be odd, given that it wasn't binding to start with).

-Kurt

oneclick 

I'd bet on the binding, absent a known history of that type of spring failing.

Plus it's easier to check/fix.

canklecat

It could be the spring. I have an inexpensive Tektro linear pull brake set on one bike and need to re-tension the brake springs every few months. I've seen the same thing on entry level bikes ridden by friends in group rides, especially with linear pull brakes.

Seems like a small thing to save money on but a lot of corners must be cut to meet a low price point. One corner often cut is properly heat treated springs of suitable wire.

I'm not sure how that Tektro 800A sidepull brakeset is designed but if the spring is readily accessible you might try removing it, retensioning and reinstalling to see if it helps. If so, plan on doing it again every few months, depending on how often you ride that bike.

noglider 

Do the brake levers have return springs? A lot of modern brakes are designed with that in mind.