Avid Mechanical problems

[Flat Broke]

I was out at the Oaks yesterday evening when I noticed my rear brake lever was starting to get a little stiff. Then about 5 or 6 pulls later, the lever wasn't returning and the brake was staying locked up. I was able to mannually return the lever to it's normal position, but needless to say, comming down with only a front brake was a little tedious to say the least.

The cables/housings are new with maybe 4 rides on them, they've been adjusted once after they stretched and at this point I'm a little perplexed. Basically it's like when you pull the cable, it's grabbing on the housing then not returning on the way back. If I cycle the caliper without the cable, it feels smooth and returns fine. The lever moves freely without the cable installed, and the cable seems smooth in the housing with no resistance against it. But put em all together and they deffinitely aren't working right. I haven't taken any large bails that would have stuffed dirt etc down the cables, and the front that got quite a workout last night is running the same cable/housing and is working fine. I checked for kinks or creases from the cable management clips and everything is fine.

Before I go throw down for some straight jackets or something, does anyone see anything obvious that I missed or know of similar problems?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[TurboJared]

The only time I had that happen I took out the cable and found that it had broke, and a single wire was causing the friction. Aside from that if there are too many turns or one tight turn it will create a drag on the line, but I've only had that problem on V-brakes.

 

[CalEpic]

Any possible binding when the suspension is cycled?

 

[TurboJared]

I think he's got an HT

 

[Flat Broke]

Yeah I ride a Transition Vagrant, so no linkage to worry about there The routing is pretty straight forward with no extreme angles or bends.

Jared, I'll just pull the cable and hopefully find something like you described. I guess I probably better just make up a new housing to be sure there isn't something snagged or messed up inside there too.

Did you ever get that fork issue worked out?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[jruiz]

avids mechs usually have a spring tension adjustment on the caliper...it'll affect how your caliper retracts...try messing with that

 

[Collette]

Also make sure the housing is sitting inside the barrel adjuster on the brake lever

 

[TurboJared]

I'm pulling it off the bike this weekend and sending it into FOX on monday. I'm pretty sure it ran out of oil, but I am praying it didn't damage the X valve or i'll be spending my half of the christmas bonus on getting up to speed instead of advancing.

 

[Flat Broke]

Yes folks, the cable housing was in the adjuster barrel I can appreciate troubleshooting the simple stuff first though.

I pulled the cable and housing off and it didn't have much more drag than the brand new cable and housing laying on the bench. Even with the tension adjuster on the caliper arm dialed all the way down, the old cable still wasn't retracting. I pulled the cable out of the housing, and it wasn't frayed/broken anywhere. The only thing I noticed is that right at the tip of the housing where it would be under the ferrule, a small amount of the braid was showing. My only thought is that maybe the angle the the caliper pulls the cable was putting the cable into the edge of the housing and slowly wearing it to the point where it was then grabbing against the cable slowing things down. I'm running a different composition housing now, so we'll see.

The main reason I asked is because I didn't want to fix it and have it go bad on the trail again, if it was some known problem. It sucks to have to walk down sections because you know you can't clear em with just a front brake on a hardtail, and I'm sure it sucked just as much, if not more for the rest of the group who had to wait up for me to scamper down each section.

Chris

 

[dirttorpeedo]

you dont use brakes on the downhills................do you?

 

[Flat Broke]

you dont use brakes on the downhills................do you?

I do... At least at night

Chris

 

[dirttorpeedo]

the faster you go,the easier you skweez throo.