Something is wrong with my breaks--help please!

[Ana]

I accidentally unscrewed my cable attachment to my front brake (I didn't realize the nifty thing on the other side that is like an easy release...) and now it takes a lot of pressing my left lever to suppress the break! I have NO idea what's wrong and I've already tried tightening the cable where the bolt attaches near the brake pad...

Any idea what's going on here? :(

[kenshinvt]

You can fix it easily, don't worry. What probably happened is that when you reconnected the cable you set it too loosely. Do you see a little notch on the cable a little higher up where it used to be pinched by the bolt? That's where you want to get it back to.

Whether or not you see that little notch, this is what you are going to want to do -
1. unscrew and release the cable
2. pinch the brakes together with one hand against the rim
3. pull the cable through and tighten the bolt with your free hand (while holding the brakes against the rim with the other hand)

The next step is fine tuning it, but you need to do the above first.

[Ana]

I did that already.....and went back to tighten it again to pull more cable through the bolt....maybe I'll do it more? Maybe I stretched the cable.... I have no idea :(

[kenshinvt]

Ok since you have it connected, now you need to use the "barrel adjuster" to tighten it and draw the pads in closer to the rim. The barrel adjuster is located at the part above where the bolt pinches the cable.

If you turn this clockwise, it will make the brake line looser (pads move away from rim). If you turn it counter-clockwise it will make the line tighter (pads move closer). You want to do the counter-clockwise turn.

Just so you know what is below it, there may also be a little rotating piece located right under this adjuster. This is a little device to stop the adjustment knob from moving after you have changed it. You may need to turn this clockwise to get it out the way so you can turn this knob. It will generally get in the way if you are trying to turn the barrel adjuster clockwise (loosing the cable/moving pads away).

EDIT: here is a picture that points to the little rotating piece i'm talking about. It may be a nut like in this picture or it may also be a circular disc. The "barrel adjuster" is the round thing above it.
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/29/images/dgm372.JPG

If turning the knob all the way counter clockwise doesn't get the pads tight enough, then let me know and we do something else to reset that adjuster.

[Ana]

I will try that--thanks!!!