It happened again

John B said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.
Mum had said it was OK to ride, and "anyway I've brought my helmet".

I despair.

John B

I met a young teenager on my ride this morning who was struggling a bit
on a full suspension mountain bike on a flat tarmac path. He tried in a
way to race me but couldn't keep up. I fell in beside him and suggested
he'd do a whole lot better if he raised his saddle significantly.
"No-one ever told me that", he said. Yet another parent / grandparent /
whatever who's bought a youngster a bike and abandoned him to perhaps a
few weeks of unsatisfactory riding experience before the bike gets
abandoned somewhere behind the toolshed.

The good news is that I left him with his saddle adjusted and I hope the
next time I see him he whizzes past me.

--
Brian G
www.wetwo.co.uk

In article <[email hidden]>, John B
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.
Mum had said it was OK to ride, and "anyway I've brought my helmet".

So what happened?

Rob Morley said:

In article <[email hidden]>, John B
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.
Mum had said it was OK to ride, and "anyway I've brought my helmet".

So what happened?

She was taken into the school who called the parent who, I beleive, agreed to
collect her.
I had to make it clear that under no circumstances should she ride home.

John B

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

Islabikes don't suffer the same problem.

Tom Crispin said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

That's partly what had happened in this case, except the clip had been so
distorted as to make a bodge repair nigh on impossible, and certainly not
safe.
The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

As an aside, so far this year I had two sets of bars upside down and two
sets of forks reversed :-(
No need to guess where the bikes came from.

John B

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:08:50 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Crispin said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

That's partly what had happened in this case, except the clip had been so
distorted as to make a bodge repair nigh on impossible, and certainly not
safe.
The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

Do you think it would be worth me calling trading standards about the
Raleigh bikes?

Quoted message said:

As an aside, so far this year I had two sets of bars upside down and two
sets of forks reversed :-(

Good grief!

Quoted message said:

No need to guess where the bikes came from.

John B

John B said:

The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

I second that. I was nearly going to make the point in the recent
thread on V-brakes, but it's more a kids' bike issue:

V-brakes on kids' bikes can be seriously [censored].

I keep having to replace noodles that rust through and bend, or get
bent by someone trying to turn the handlebars through 360 degrees,
or the collar on the noodle breaking off so it slips through the
retaining clip, or the retaining clip getting bent, or the noodle
for some unexplained reason leaving the clip (kid next door: "my
front brake doesn't work but it's okay cause the back one still
works"😉.

Admittedly lots of things on kids' bikes will get abused, but
V-brakes seem to be a particular vulnerability.

Brendan
--
Brendan Halpin, Department of Sociology, University of Limerick, Ireland
Tel: w +353-61-213147 f +353-61-202569 h +353-61-338562; Room F2-025 x 3147
[email hidden] http://www.ul.ie/sociology/brendan.halpin.html

Quoted message said:

or the noodle for some unexplained reason leaving the clip

My lad has a Raleigh Striker, the rear noodle on that keeps coming out
of the clip. I've never actually seen it happen though, it just appears
back in the garage needing attention. It's now got a small cable tie
round it, hopefully that will keep it where it should be. So far it's
only ever happened to the rear brake but if this is a regular fault,
well.. I'll have a thorough check later. The possible outcomes of him
having a front brake come undone are not pleasant.

Daughter also has a Raleigh, we never have any issues with that.

Tony B

in message <[email hidden]>, Tom Crispin

(') said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:08:50 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

That's partly what had happened in this case, except the clip had been so
distorted as to make a bodge repair nigh on impossible, and certainly not
safe.
The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

Do you think it would be worth me calling trading standards about the
Raleigh bikes?

Raleigh seem to be trying to re-establish some brand value these days, and
a serious call from a Trading Standards Officer might very well be a
useful wakeup call for them. Getting this right at the factory will cost a
fraction of a penny per bike, if it is only the little strap that the
noodle clips into that is faulty.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

See one nuclear war, you've seen them all.

Tom Crispin said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:08:50 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Crispin said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>
wrote:

Quoted message said:

That's partly what had happened in this case, except the clip had been so
distorted as to make a bodge repair nigh on impossible, and certainly not
safe.
The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

Do you think it would be worth me calling trading standards about the
Raleigh bikes?

I do. IMO this is starting to become a very serious problem, and with so many
parents being seduced by the glittering full suspension bike shaped lumps of
cheese, its not going to be too long before one fails catastrophically.

Standards for cycles seem to be abysmal - both in the quality of componets and
staff service and knowledge.
That shops like Tescos, JJB Sports and Woollies can simply sell a box of bike
bits with a brief diagram in a foreign language is incredible.
Raleigh may take some note if they receive a call from TS - that is if they
care about their reputation.

Meanwhile I will continue to carry the pair of pliers and check all v-brake
'noodle clips' and advise *all* users of such brakes to very regularly check
them.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As an aside, so far this year I had two sets of bars upside down and two
sets of forks reversed :-(

Good grief!

Its frightening.

John B

"John B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

I think my bike frames have always has a sticker on them saying they're
built to meet some British Standard. I've taken that to just mean the frame
is structurally sound - are there no British/European standards which apply
to other vital components such as brakes?

--
peter

Cheap train tickets database
http://www.petereverett.co.uk/tickets/

Email sent to this address is generally deleted upon arrival
Visit website if you want to contact me

On Mar 3, 5:47 pm, Tom Crispin <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front brake
disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place completely
knackered and unusable.

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

Islabikes don't suffer the same problem.

What is the "noodle"?

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

"John Kane" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

What is the "noodle"?

On LX style brakes it's the steel tube that forms a rigid guide, often 90
degrees, for the brake cable.

http://www.icyclesusa.com/catalog/avid/avid-mountain-bike-v-brake-noodle.htm

Top item.

Tim

--
Sent from Birmingham, UK... Check out www.nervouscyclist.org
'I find sometimes it's easy to be myself, but sometimes I find it's
better to be somebody else.' - Dave Matthews 'So Much To Say'
My 'reply to' address is valid, mail to the posting address is dumped

In article <[email hidden]>, naked_draughtsman
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"John B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The quality of these brake parts are becoming a matter of major concern.

I think my bike frames have always has a sticker on them saying they're
built to meet some British Standard. I've taken that to just mean the frame
is structurally sound - are there no British/European standards which apply
to other vital components such as brakes?

There are British and European standards which address the structural
integrity and functional efficacy of most bits of a bike - BS6102 Part 1
covers things like brake performance, and it's (mostly) illegal to sell
bikes that don't conform to it. I wonder if Consumers' Association
could be persuaded to investigate.

in message <[email hidden]>, John

Kane (') said:

On Mar 3, 5:47 pm, Tom Crispin <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Today another youngster arrived at a training session with a front
brake disconnected and the part that holds the cable in place
completely knackered and unusable.

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

Islabikes don't suffer the same problem.

What is the "noodle"?

The short piece of thin pipe which turns the cable through about 90
degrees. Typically it fits into a pressed steel stirrup attached to one of
the brake arms.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Diplomacy, American: see Intelligence, Military

On Mar 3, 10:47 pm, Tom Crispin

Quoted message said:

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal
clip which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends,
releasing the noodle and making the brake ineffective. I
repair it by using pliars to twist the metal clip back into
shape, but really I should be replacing the component.

If it bends again, or even snaps, and the child crashes, could you be
laying yourself open to a claim of some sort? The real question of
course is: why on earth is it legal to sell a new bike with obviously
faulty brake components?

--
Dave...

in message <[email hidden]>,

dkahn400 (') said:

On Mar 3, 10:47 pm, Tom Crispin

Quoted message said:

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal
clip which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends,
releasing the noodle and making the brake ineffective. I
repair it by using pliars to twist the metal clip back into
shape, but really I should be replacing the component.

If it bends again, or even snaps, and the child crashes, could you be
laying yourself open to a claim of some sort? The real question of
course is: why on earth is it legal to sell a new bike with obviously
faulty brake components?

Take it to trading standards, or even that god-awful 'You and Yours' pogrom
on Radio 4.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; If Python is executable pseudocode,
;; then Perl is executable line noise
-- seen on Slashdot.

On 3 Mar, 22:47, Tom Crispin <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:13:45 +0000, John B <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I have a particular problem with Raleigh Hot Rods. The metal clip
which holds the noodle in place on V brakes often bends, releasing the
noodle and making the brake ineffective. I repair it by using pliars
to twist the metal clip back into shape, but really I should be
replacing the component.

Islabikes don't suffer the same problem.

I have had exactly the same problem with the front brakes on my son's
bike and have to keep repairing them at regular intervals. I was
surprised to hear that this seems to be a common fault. We are being
encouraged to let our children cycle to school and safety is paramount
for most parents - unreliable brakes are a problem we could do
without.

JB