How to fix bike brakes?

[olmue]

So...any bike repair experts around? We've all had to move up a size in bikes this year, and after MUCH looking, I finally found a used bike for my 13YO. Everything looks good on it (only three of the five gears appear to work, but the thing runs smoothly)--but the back brake is stiff, and doesn't actually stop the bike. You depress it, and the brake pads contract, but not tight enough to actually stop. Questions:

1. Is this the sort of thing a normal person can just fix? Or is it a bike repair shop sort of thing? (I don't want the bike repairs to cost more than the actual bike did.)

2. Do you just buy a whole new brake set? Or is it something like replacing the cable? (And no, I really don't know what I'm talking about by that.)

3. Or is it something where if I just spray enough WD-40 on the bike, everything will work smoothly?

4. Or do cables loosen up somehow? Should I be tightening it or something? 

I just feel like I don't know enough to know what questions I should be asking or what I should be even googling. (Yes, I'm aware Google exists. That's where I find videos of bike repair enthusiasts from Sussex, England throwing around jargon that I don't think even exists over here--it would sound mighty odd, let's say--and waving around bike parts that don't look like what's on this bike at all.)

I realize you can't fix my bike for me. But um, if anyone knows what questions I should be asking, I'm all ears.

Comments

Greatwood

[(Anonymous)]

The length of the cable affects how tightly the bike brakes squeeze the tire, so if you get pliers, loosen the bolt that connects the bike wire to the handle, and pull the wire tighter with the pliers while re-tightening the bolt (you may need an extra set of hands), that might do the trick.
http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Brakes-on-a-Bike
calipers squeeze the tire
brake pads are the rubber parts on the calipers that squeeze the tire
the cables are the wires housed in a sheath, and if they rust inside the sheath, they won't move.
the brake handles move the cables.

I think the part you tighten is down by the calipers. Take hold of it with pliers, and don't let it slip out when you loosen the bolt, so you don't have to put it back together.

I hope your cold isn't a precursor of hay fever!! Currently hating allergies...

Re: Greatwood

[olmue.livejournal.com]

No...you need pollen to have hay fever.

I think I'll try the cheapest and easiest thing first, and gradually move up the scale until something works. It could just be loose. But the wire could be going, as well.

Fixing Bikes

[(Anonymous)]

WD-40 is pretty good. The cables sometimes freeze up in the cable housing (the long tube they slide within)or the calipers need lubrication, just squirt WD40 in the housing and work the brakes a little. The previous comment about adjusting the cable length is good too. DH has ridden bikes and should be able to do that, enlist his help. 3 of 5 gears work? What king of gears - derailers, front and back? I've repaired many bikes, email me a picture of gears and brakes. There's generally no bike repairs that an ordinary person can't do.
13YO's California Grandfather.

Re: Fixing Bikes

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Well, several applications of WD-40 have helped some. And new brake pads. And tightening the brake cable. The gears are going to take some thinking about, though.

[robinellen.livejournal.com]

DH says you can tighten the cable (there are adjustors where the cables come onto the handles). Or, you can tighten it down at the brake. If you use the barrel adjustor (where the cable comes into the brake lever) -- pull it out a little bit and turn it (like unscrewing it), it will make the cable longer (which stretches it and is like tightening the cable). He says they usually have those on handbrakes (and shifters, so you might be able to play with the missing speeds).

He says that you're actually pulling out the cable and turning it (which tightens it) or you can loosen it by turning it the other way.

[olmue.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We played around with tightening the cable down by the brake, and also replacing the brake pads. That seems to have helped the brake. Now on to the gear shifts...the shift thing you turn seems a lot tighter at one end than at the other, so maybe there's a cable that needs to be loosened up some in there. (Or maybe I just need to dunk the whole thing in WD-40!)