[jojotherider]

Hi folks,

I'm currently in the process of installing some Hayes mx2 mechanical disc brakes that I picked up used for a good price. I've got the rear disc installed and it stops me just fine. I still need to buy some cable housing though.

But the problem I'm having is with the front brake and disc. I've got it mounted on a Marzochhi fork (the model escapes me, but got it used for another good price ). I thought I had it all set up and ready to go, but when I took it out for a shake down run down the street, I had no front brake what-so-ever. thankfully the rear brake worked. so go back to my garage to find out what's going on.

Here's what is happening. If the bike is just standing there on the garage floor, I get brake pressure when i pull the lever. However, I noticed, if I really pull on the lever hard, the fork begins to compress pulling the handle bars down. When I let go of the lever, it pops right back up. I also noticed if I pull on the lever to apply the brakes and press down on the fork (compressing the suspension), I lose all tension on the brake cable and thus losing all braking power.

Obviously I've done something wrong. I'm pretty sure I'm not routing the cable correctly (straight down :lol, but I've tried a few different things and all with the same result. I also need to buy the cable housing still, but not sure I understand how/if that will make a difference.

Can someone help get me pointed in the right direction? I tried searching but didn't find anything. Searched on Google as well with no luck.

Oh, this is on a Giant Warp DS3 if that makes a difference.

thanks in advance for your help.

-joel

 

[sanjuro]

Hi folks,

I'm currently in the process of installing some Hayes mx2 mechanical disc brakes that I picked up used for a good price. I've got the rear disc installed and it stops me just fine. I still need to buy some cable housing though.

But the problem I'm having is with the front brake and disc. I've got it mounted on a Marzochhi fork (the model escapes me, but got it used for another good price ). I thought I had it all set up and ready to go, but when I took it out for a shake down run down the street, I had no front brake what-so-ever. thankfully the rear brake worked. so go back to my garage to find out what's going on.

Here's what is happening. If the bike is just standing there on the garage floor, I get brake pressure when i pull the lever. However, I noticed, if I really pull on the lever hard, the fork begins to compress pulling the handle bars down. When I let go of the lever, it pops right back up. I also noticed if I pull on the lever to apply the brakes and press down on the fork (compressing the suspension), I lose all tension on the brake cable and thus losing all braking power.

Obviously I've done something wrong. I'm pretty sure I'm not routing the cable correctly (straight down :lol, but I've tried a few different things and all with the same result. I also need to buy the cable housing still, but not sure I understand how/if that will make a difference.

Can someone help get me pointed in the right direction? I tried searching but didn't find anything. Searched on Google as well with no luck.

Oh, this is on a Giant Warp DS3 if that makes a difference.

thanks in advance for your help.

-joel

The housing is incorrectly done. From your description, it sounds like you have no housing.

The housing is designed to not compress. The cable pulls inside the housing, but the housing stays a fixed length from the brake lever to the brake. If you are running the cable from the lever to the front brake without housing, when you pull the lever, it compresses the frame. Even if you are running one piece of housing but it does not reach the caliper, then the cable will compress the fork.

I am not sure how you got the rear brake to work if you had no housing, except that if you used the housing guides on the frame to route the cable, it would potentially work without any flex (until you got it dirty or bounced it a bit).

Just buy a piece of housing long enough to run from your brake lever to the brakes. For the front, make sure to get it long enough so that the bars can turn freely around in case of a crash.

I would run it full length for the rear brake as well, and just zip tie the housing to the frame.

P.S. The reason why you couldn't find the answer thru google because running no housing is so rookie, it would be like googling why you can't walk thru water without drowning.

 

[jojotherider]

that's the perfect answer. I knew it was because of the housing and knew that I needed it. Just didn't understand why it would be different.. Rookie indeed. Rest assured, though, that I wasn't going to go for any rides until I picked up the housing.

I'll pick up some housing tomorrow. I'll run full length front and back.

One more question though, does it matter how I route the front brakeline?

thanks again!

-joel

 

[Willy Vanilly]

This might be sort of hard to describe verbally but one end of the housing should go into the brake lever and the other end (both ends should have metal ferrules installed) should go into the brake caliper. I usually route the housing (with cable inside of it) along the front of the fork arch and then along the inside of the fork leg (between the wheel's spokes and the fork leg). Make sure you zip tie the housing to the fork leg so that it doesn't flop around and get caught up in your spinning tire/spokes. You want the housing to come out of the front brake lever in an arc (don't pull it so tight that it kinks).

There are pictures and more instructions here:

 

[sanjuro]

that's the perfect answer. I knew it was because of the housing and knew that I needed it. Just didn't understand why it would be different.. Rookie indeed. Rest assured, though, that I wasn't going to go for any rides until I picked up the housing.

I'll pick up some housing tomorrow. I'll run full length front and back.

One more question though, does it matter how I route the front brakeline?

thanks again!

-joel

As long as the housing doesn't hit the tire at any point during the fork travel, it is fine.

I've done it inside the fork leg, outside the leg, over the crown, under the crown.

Be absolutely sure it is not too short, because you could damage your bike if your bars turn in crash. Also too long looks stupid.

 

[jojotherider]

perfect. thanks for the responses and the link. I will get this done tomorrow and report back!

-joel

 

[Willy Vanilly]

Oh. And make sure you don't zip tie the cable housing to the crown of the fork, just the lower legs. Good luck

 

[jojotherider]

totally forgot to update you guys, but I installed the housing and everything worked like a charm. Not that I expected anything else.

thanks for your help!

-joel