Adjusting V-type brakes, unable to get balance

[Banibrata Dutta]

Hi,

Recently I did my first bike maintenance, of my new bike where I washed/shampooed the bike, degreased/cleaned, oiled/lubed etc.
However, post that I am having some trouble with my front brakes. These are V-brakes (the (in-)famous 2-finger braking brakes).
In the first ride after this scrub-down I noticed that the front brakes weren't half as effective, and making excessive squealing/squaking sounds.
On closer inspection I notice that on applying the front-brake levers, the brakes have unbalanced action. The left side brake-pads are about 3-5mm away from the rim, and right side brake-pads are 1mm away. Also on application of the brake levers, the left side pads travel all the way, while the the right side pads don't seem to move. If I try to position the brake arm to seem balanced, they stay that way until I apply brakes, when it is back to the unbalanced position. I've tried playing with the spring-tension screws. They seem to help me move the right side pads move away, and things seem balanced, but the overall break application seems more ineffective than before. Any ideas or time to hit the LBS again ?

thanks,
BD

[Amarnath]

Hi

Even I have a query on these line. I have a Trek 7100 which has V brakes. When I have to apply brakes suddenly ( I mean, when I have to stop suddenly ) due someone cutting my way or so, my rear tire skids. But, it does not skid the direction I am moving, but skids at an angle towards my right. This causes me to go a bit off balance right in the middle of traffic. And it happens consistently. Is it because of some issue with have my brakes are setup, or something else?

[Ravi]

hi

check this

i think u hv to adjust the bottom screw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=RPOS9b1yIYE

Ravi

On Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:08:57 UTC+5:30, bdutta wrote:

[Banibrata Dutta]

Thanks Ravi. That was a nice, informative video. However, I think I am already using those bottom screws and have increased the tension, however, doing so seems to increase the gap, between right arm and rim, there-by making it's gap similar to one on left, but the the force needed to apply brakes has increased significantly... and doesn't quite feel like it was before the scrub-down.

[bdutta]

On Tuesday, May 1, 2012 1:55:13 PM UTC+5:30, Amarnath wrote:

Hi

Even I have a query on these line. I have a Trek 7100 which has V brakes. When I have to apply brakes suddenly ( I mean, when I have to stop suddenly ) due someone cutting my way or so, my rear tire skids. But, it does not skid the direction I am moving, but skids at an angle towards my right. This causes me to go a bit off balance right in the middle of traffic. And it happens consistently. Is it because of some issue with have my brakes are setup, or something else?

Something like that happened to me only twice... both times, with stray dogs leap out of nowhere, very early morning, and I panicked and used front brakes exclusively. As a kid, I remember being told that one can topple over when the centre-of-gravity is higher and you apply front brakes. However given my current (over-)weight, I think toppling over isn't an option, so the skid-action is more natural. I think my instinct / reflex-action at the dogs leaping out, has been rather consistent, and as a result the skid has been similar too :-)

No idea if this has anything to do with V-brakes. AFAIK, even car tires lock-up and skid, when ABS is not there.