brakes feeling weak

Ive recently had the brakes serviced by our good yc but although they work when I jump on the brakes there is a real lack of bite and I have to squeeze quite hard to bring myself to a stop quickly. Now ive never been enamoured with them but they seem to be quite poor so much so that I have to use the rear brake to stop quicker and mainly use engine braking when on my commute. Now the thing is I can pump them up just a little when im stopped (well the leaver firms up by a mm or 2 but noticeable) but once moving you cant do this.

Sooo this weekend im going to bleed them through properly and hopefully they will improve but im open to suggestions as to what it could be.

[dizzyblonde]

possibly your hoses are knackered. I had braided lines on Suzy and always have been able to stop on a pin. I did have rubber hoses on the black one until recently. I always thought the brakes 'could do better' not only that but when I pulled on the brakes you could physically see the hoses flex like your elbows SO I got a good set of Hel braided lines put on a couple of weeks back....ooooo now they work....have to be careful, i can stop with one finger

I'm not saying that this would solve things, but I'm sure OEM rubber hoses have a shelf life of a couple of yrs or three, I think mine must have been on since new and were deffo fuubarred

[Dave20046]

YC told me he splashed acf50 on yer pads





Might be worth bleeding the system mate

[punyXpress]

If you need to pump the lever, could be warped discs or loose wheel bearings.
Summat's causing the free play

Originally Posted by punyXpress

If you need to pump the lever, could be warped discs or loose wheel bearings.
Summat's causing the free play

possably. i thourght i heard a nise the other week from the front (thinking bearing) but ive given it a good hard wiggle and i cant feel anything.

[mister c]

If you are riding through the winter, it could be that the pistons are starting to sieze in the calipers. I've had the same problem with mine. I stripped the calipers, cleaned & greased the pistons & it feels a lot better now. Could be worth a look

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

I'm not saying that this would solve things, but I'm sure OEM rubber hoses have a shelf life of a couple of yrs or three, I think mine must have been on since new and were deffo fuubarred

Two year service life on the OEM hoses IIRC, and they're more expensive than braided lines!!!

I have a similar issue... i regreased my caliper pistons seals and found that the front brake was unbeleivabley responsive, however this was with no dust seals. I got a new kit and regreased all new piston and dust seals and i do not have anywhere near the same kind of response. If i pull the lever hard enough, then it stops, but the onset of braking is nowhere near how it was without the dust seals.

Do we think that the added resistance of the dust seals have caused this? the pads are the same...

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by AndyBrad

possably. i thourght i heard a nise the other week from the front (thinking bearing) but ive given it a good hard wiggle and i cant feel anything.

I've done the same, Andy! Must be an age thing & nowt to do with brakes.

Originally Posted by mister c

if you are riding through the winter, it could be that the pistons are starting to sieze in the calipers. I've had the same problem with mine. I stripped the calipers, cleaned & greased the pistons & it feels a lot better now. Could be worth a look

i got yc to give em a clean up a few weeks ago so thats cool.