brake lever tension

[Doyleyburger]

Recently seen a post regarding a braking issue and it pushed me to ask this question....

Although my brakes work fine, I have to pull the levers back a fair distance before the pads engage the rim. This is odd to me as the pads are extremely close to the rim anyway.....probably not even 2mm away. Cables seem all tight and right so don't really want to tension them any more for the risk of the pads rubbing.
Have I just got crap calipers ?

They are the standard, very cheap looking defy calipers.

 

[Roadrider48]

It does sound like cable tension mate. Just a thought also....are the quick release levers on the caliper in the up or down position? They should be down.

 

[Doyleyburger]

Yeah there down fella. Seems that if i tighten them anymore the pads will definitely rub and if i slacken then i won't have any tension in the levers..........think that's right ha ha

 

[jack smith]

sounds like an excuse for a brand new bike to me but in all seriousness, check for play in your brake levers first, on my old roadie you could pull the levers a fair distance before it even pulled on the brakes