Replacing a brake cable – when & why?
Brake cables and housings, also called Bowden cables, are bicycle parts that wear out: The cable stretch with time and are exposed to weather influences despite protective housings. If the brakes are no longer working it’s time to change the brake cable.
How do you know that the brake cable and housing on your bike are no longer working well?
- When it’s hard to pull the brake lever.
- If the brake is rubbing after pulling it.
- If the brake lever wobbles in the brake lever body.
Step 1 – Disengaging the brake cable
The most common bicycle rim brakes, for example from Contec, Shimano or SRAM, areV-brakes or cantilever brakes. V-brakes have two brake arms, with one brake arm having the cable stop and the other with the cable clamp bolt.
Step 2 – Removing the brake cable from the brake lever
- Turn the barrel adjust brake lever until the slots to disengage the brake cable are aligned with the brake lever.
- Slightly pull the brake lever to remove the cable with the anchor from the brake lever.
- Pull the released brake cable out of the housing.
Step 3 – Replacing the housing
- If the housing of the brake cable is dirty or damaged, replace it as well.
- Cut the new housing with the diagonal cutter to the length of the old housing.
Step 4 – Thread the new brake cable
- Apply grease to the new brake cable first.
- Thread the cable into the old or new housing.
Step 5 – Installing the new brake cable
- Starting at the brake lever, attach the new brake cable with the anchor.
- Route the cable and housing to the brake. Make sure that the brake cable runs correctly and will not become entangled with the shifter cable.
- Before the brake cable is attached to the brake again, the cable guide and brake noodle need to be added.
- Now attach the brake cable to the brake: Engage the cable guide and compress the brake so that the cable can be tensioned.
- The correct tension: A distance of approximately 1.5 mm should be maintained between the brake pads and the rims on both sides.
- Use the diagonal cutter or pliers to shorten the brake cable to the correct length – the cable should still have about 7 cm left.
- Add the end cap to the brake cable. Use the flat-nose pliers to secure the end caps by lightly pressing them together.
Step 6 – Checking contact point
The point at which the rider first feels resistance with braking is known as the contact point.
- Adjust the contact point on the brake lever and / or on the brake.
- The braking resistance should be reached approximately after half of the lever travel.
Step 7 – Finishing and checking the brakes
- Test how the brakes work.
- Adjust the barrel adjusters if the distance between the brake pads and the rim is still too large.
- In the case of Shimano brakes, the distance can be adjusted by means of a barrel adjuster close to the brake mount.
- Test handlebar mobility: The Bowden cable and the shifter cable must be positioned so that steering and shifting function fully.
If the bike brake is set correctly after replacing the brake cable and tested for full functionality, you can get on going again safely!
Tools
- Diagonal cutter or cable cutter
- Universal pliers or flat-nose pliers
- Allen key
Materials
- Brake cable
- End caps
- Housing (optional)
- Grease (optional)
Replacing a brake cable - this is how it works!
Is your bike brake rubbing or hard to pull? To ensure that your mechanical brake works safely and reliably at all times, it is sometimes necessary to change the brake cable and the housing. To find out how you can successfully replace the brake cable on V-brakes and cantilever brakes by relevant brands like Contec, click here:
In another how-to, we explain how you can change your brake pads yourself.
Disengaging V-brakes
- Disconnect the brake cable at the cable stop.
- Disconnect the cable from the brake caliper. To do this. loosen the bolt on the other brake arm with the Allen key and remove the brake cable.
- Use the diagonal cutter or cable cutter to cut the ends of the cable off including the end caps.
With cantilever brakes, the two brake arms are connected via a transverse cable that sits above the tyre. This transverse cable is connected to the Bowden cable via the yoke.
Disengaging cantilever brakes:
- Disconnect the brake cable from one of the brake arms.
- Loosen the clamp bolt on the yoke. Loosen the brake cable and pull it out of the bolt.
- Remove the end caps.