Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

DMd you.

Another thing which can often help with seized bolts is impact from a rattle gun.

Obviously not a beefy 1/2" number in this case, but a 1/4" screw gun would be the ticket, IMO... As long as it has nice torque modulation so you can avoid overdoing it.

It's surprising how effective those little whacks can be at getting stuff moving - the torque reaction you feel is often tiny compared to what you'd need without the impacts.

That a hex? you do get special spiral hex extractors that "might" do it. Hot, cold, penetrant all good tips.

Is it normal to snap a flat bar brake lever when braking? Have snapped a brake lever while braking! Is this normal?

The actual lever, not the base.

Is it normal to snap a flat bar brake lever when braking?

Yes, that's usually when they go🙂
You typically need to have done some significant but not terminal damage to them first, often by crashing.

Sarcastic response would probably be fair, if we weren’t talking about someone from Redshift.

To be clear, I was referring to the Redshift employee who responded.

Oh shizzle, what a whoosh moment lol. Who's the employee?

You said:

I asked Redshift for some tips and this is what they* told me…

Then some of what they told you, IMO, were totally not appropriate given what the inside of a Redshift stem looks like.

*I assumed “they” were a Redshift employee

Yeah, I finally got you after I re-read that. I thought you were being witty with your initial response - my bad.

From my very tender experience, usually brake a lever when falling over, crashing etc the lever broke clean, the break looked all the same colour.

Will see if I can find the broken lever, as I can't find the photos.

usually brake a lever when falling over, crashing etc the lever broke clean, the break looked all the same colour

If it breaks clean in its first crash, it's safe because you're not going to use it again. The ones you have to worry about are where it doesn't break in the crash but is weakened in some way so it breaks when the service load exceeds the remaining strength, which usually means an emergency braking situation.

I am currently looking for mini v-brakes for my cyclocross bike and I have been offered KCNC VB2 brakes. I couldn't find any documentation on these, except that it says compatible with Giant Propel. The Propel seems to be some kind of time trial bike. I am unsure if the KCNC would even fit a normal v-brake frame.
Does anyone here know?

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Don’t get it, buy Shimano BR-R353 mini-v, compressionless cableset and barrier adjuster.

That’s all you need to get a great feeling brakes that’s sharp and almost as strong as hydraulic.

It’s what we fitted on customer’s bicycles that have cantilevers in our workshop.

I used to have a Propel. I don't think they are compatible with a normal canti/V-brake stud, but I'm not certain

Thanks guys! I will buy something else

I will buy something else

Ed's right, the Shimano 90mm V-brakes are the ones. BR-R353 with XT shoes instead of the stock moulded pads, or BR-R463/BR-R573 which come with proper shoes and pads.

These levers came on the bike, so who knows what happened in the past.

The issue with this break, is that this levers break was clean and the break is clean and the same colour all the way through so in my thoughts the break happened when I used the lever.

I've never been able to get good braking on my MTB. Finally gave in when I saw some cheap wiggle deals and bought new front and rear brakes. Gave the rotors a really good clean with isopropyl alcohol. Rear brake is still exactly the same, really weak, can't lock the rear . Is there anything else I can try or do I need to get new pads and rotors next?

Cable or hydraulic brakes - might help others answer? (I am not a proper disc brake person yet)

I'd clean the rotors with sandpaper, then more IPA, then make sure you bed the pads in properly, then new rotors and pads and try again with proper bedding in.

Tried brake cleaner then IPA?

I can't see how beer is going to help

Have you ever really tried?

Really hard, several times. I should try again though, now you mention. hic

Yeah Sandpaper is necessary ime!

My go to with not fucking around with contaminated discs was angle grinder + flap disc, new pads and flush calliper out with disc brake cleaner before reinstalling everything. Only fails when there’s a leak somewhere.