Dahon Speed D7 brakes

[beatlejuice]

Overall I am happy with this bike except for the rather poor brakes, particularly the front. They have little feel and are quite ineffective. Is this due to the old technology that wasn’t implemented particularly well or like its owner, past its sell by date? Would a change of inner & outer cable plus brake pads make a noticeable difference?

 

[a.twiddler]

Are they Vee brakes? Calipers? Whatever they are, cleaning and lubricating the pivots of the brakes themselves as well as lubricating the cables could help in the first instance. Cleaning pads with brake cleaner might make a difference, or fit new pads. Then if not a sufficient improvement, change the cable inners and outers too. Small wheeled bikes are usually very responsive to braking as the rims are so close to the hubs, so there is relatively more leverage, and it's easy to overdo it and lock the wheel.

How old is the bike? Maybe the brakes are worn, and might benefit from fitting a new twin pivot caliper, at least on the front. Then nice new ergonomic levers, though it's getting into the realms of bling now. Just have to evaluate the results at each stage, before splurging more money. Quite often, a little bit of input gives an unexpected amount of improvement.

 

[Cycleops]

V brakes are usually very effective so something needs attention here.
If the bike is secondhand and a few years old it could certainly benefit from new cable inner and outers (grease cables if not SS). Pads could probably do with changing too. You could also remove the Vs and grease the bosses. Once adjusted they should be fine. If doing it yourself aim to adjust the blocks as close to the rim as possible so lever travel is minimal. The front will always be sharper than the back.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Overall I am happy with this bike except for the rather poor brakes, particularly the front. They have little feel and are quite ineffective. Is this due to the old technology that wasn’t implemented particularly well or like its owner, past its sell by date? Would a change of inner & outer cable plus brake pads make a noticeable difference?

I have a Dahon iCiao and find the front brake to be almost too sharp; when things felt spongy and ineffective in spring I just tweaked (or rather, paid someone to tweak) the cables and replace the pads.
Problem solved.

 

[beatlejuice]

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions. So its new cable, inter & outer, new pads and remove the V's and grease the bosses. Making sure the pads are alined to the wheel correctly.

 

[beatlejuice]

Job finally done. After doing the above to the front brakes I replaced the rear cable but left the original brake blocks. I then tested them. It appears I had 'special low friction' brake blocks! I then replaced them with a cheapo pair from my LBS and the difference was very noticeable.

 

[Cycleops]

Well done. If you didn't know already to align the blocks to the rim loosen off the retaining nuts, hold the brake on whilst you tighten them up.