Originally Posted by cyccommute

“Linear” brakes are called that because the cable pulls linearly across the brake arms instead of vertically

Originally Posted by sjanzeir

the reason why V-brakes are called "linear pull" brakes [is] the physical orientation of the cable down at the actual V-brake arms.

Originally Posted by Jeff Neese

it has nothing to do with the physical orientation of the cable with regard to the the brakes

Originally Posted by Jeff Neese

It has to do with how much cable the lever pulls

Originally Posted by cyccommute

they pull more cable but that has nothing to do with why they are call “linear pull”