Brakes and small hands.

[Kathi]

[QUOTE=DebW]In addition to having a lever that's more suited to your hand and a bar that minimizes the reach, brakes can be adjusted so that the point at which you are applying force is close to the grip length at which your hand can comfortably apply its max force. In other words, you may feel like it's a stretch to grab the lever, but once you pull it a certain distance, then if feels comfortable in your hand and you can apply your maximum braking force. But if it grabbed the rim sooner (further from the bar) you would have trouble applying force. Adjusting the caliper to be as close as possible to the rim is not always optimal (though a new bike should always be adjusted this way because the cables will stretch).

QUOTE]


You just described the problem I'm having right now. I compared the actual distance between the lever and the bar on both bikes and it is identical. I can reach the levers just fine its just that they feel so tight compared to the old bike.

From what your saying it sounds like the cables will loosen up and I shouldn't worry at this point?

[EBD]

I have the same problem, and after I got my first road bike my fingers would feel so stiff and cramped after a ride from the effort of stretching out to grab the brakes and yank them in. I didn't want to spend money on new brakes just yet, but one thing that helped me immensely was to have the bike shop "loosen" (I'm sure there's a technical term) my brakes, so that they require a lot less force to apply. Not only is it easier to brake, but they are now loose enough that I can ride with the levers depressed slightly by my fingertips, thus basically holding them in closer range.

If that makes sense. Anyway, this is one of those things the bike shop will probably adjust for free (although whenever I go to get a "free" service I end up dropping more dough on some accesory or other - funny how that happens!)

[DebW]

You just described the problem I'm having right now. I compared the actual distance between the lever and the bar on both bikes and it is identical. I can reach the levers just fine its just that they feel so tight compared to the old bike.

From what your saying it sounds like the cables will loosen up and I shouldn't worry at this point?

If the bike is new or the cables have just been replaced, then they will stretch. But if you are uncomfortable with the brakes to the point where you don't want to ride, go back to the LBS now and get the brakes adjusted looser. The LBS is afraid that when the cables stretch, the brakes might get so loose that you can't stop the bike, and then you will sue them. Promise to bring the bike back for adjustment as soon as the cables stretch. Better yet, buy a 3rd hand and an allen wrench (<$15) and have the LBS show you how to adjust the brakes yourself. Then you can always have the right cable tension for yourself.

[Kathi]

I took my bike to the shop and there's a barrel on the cable that does the adjustment. Much better now!