Tektro 559 snappiness

[b-lilja]

Hi all, 

I recently put these on my Gitane TdF 531 650b conversion, replacing some old Shimano Tourney centerpulls.  Generally, much better.  

However, in fairly short order, they lost the "snap to return" we all know and love (that nice snap on the lever when releasing the brake quickly).  The springs don't strike me as the beefiest, and weren't that snappy at install.  But they are worse now.  

I did pull the cable off the front (Jagwire housing) to see if maybe I had something going on...maybe a poorly cut housing?  All looked well.  I greased the cable well and put it back together - and just as non-snappy as before.  

Has anyone taken these apart to adjust?  They seem a bit complicated.  Seems a little weird to have to do this right away, but they are cheap...so maybe not assembled the best.  

Shame these aren't cold forged, a bit chunkier, and stiffer.  They're pretty nice otherwise.  

[Jeff Bertolet in Raleigh, NC]

The caliper design is very similar to decades of Shimano calipers, so finding overhaul instructions shouldn't be too difficult. In my experience the first pivot to get gummed up is the secondary pivot, not the one with the mounting bolt, but the pivot off to the side. Sometime a little lube there, or at the end of the return spring where it anchors on the arm does the trick.

But I would exhaust other options before overhauling the calipers. Try replacing the cable, see if there are any points of friction when feeding the cable through the brake lever/housing, etc.

[Will Boericke]

Friction somewhere.  I'd do all new housing and cable and pay attention to routing.

[b-lilja]

I should have mentioned I did new cables and jagwire housing when I did the switchover.  Snappiness was ok initially, then within a few commutes got less snappy.  

[Will Boericke]

I don't expect much from the 559s.  They are sufficient, but if you want performance, you need the TRPs or VO.

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[njh...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, 5 March 2026 at 12:12:33 am UTC+11 wboe...@gmail.com wrote:

I don't expect much from the 559s.  They are sufficient, but if you want performance, you need the TRPs or VO.

Neither the TRP nor VO have sufficient reach to be used on any of the 650B bikes I have. The reach on those maxes out at 57mm, and all my 650B bikes need a reach of around 63-65mm. I've been using 556 and 559 calipers on 650B machines for over 20 years and have not had any problems with the brakes. So far as I'm concerned both the feel and stopping power are fine. I have them mated with (depending on the bike) either Shimano R400 levers, Campagnolo Record levers, or SRAM Force doubletap brifters, and they work fine with all of those.

Nick Payne

[Will Boericke]

I solved the TRP reach with pad extenders, now happily available for short $ on AliExpress.

Will

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