It is a fundamental flaw to that type of brake cable - to - lever interface design, that was inherited from BMX bikes. If that interface between the head of the cable and the brake lever is sufficiently slippy, then it just pivots nicely as the brake lever pulls in. If that interface between the head of the cable and the brake lever is exceedingly grippy, then the cable head stays put as the lever travels and we flex the cable as we pull in the brake lever. If it's in between grippy and slippy then you get what you are seeing. The better design, in my opinion, is to have the thing that holds the head of the cable be on a pivot, not requiring the head of the cable to itself BE a pivot. All drop bar brake levers have the cable head holder object on a nice pivot. Some flat bar brake levers (including all the shimano models that Riv sells) have that feature.
The model that has that pivoting feature out in the open and really easy to see is the Tektro CR750: [image: Tektro FL750 City Brake Lever – Velo Orange] If it bugs you, I guess the thing to try to do is make the interface between the head of the cable and the brake lever more slippery. Have a look at that leading edge of the cylindrical head of the cable. Is there flashing from when that cable head was cast in place? Can you clean that up with a jewelers file and make that leading surface smoother? Maybe a drop of chain lube would help also, but lube is not a substitute for smooth surfaces. Bill Lindsay El Cerrito, CA On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 7:04:09 AM UTC-8 Bryan H wrote: > Thanks for the responses, it’s def MTB, the bigger round ones. Am I not > giving enough tension when installing the cable? Or maybe I didn’t set up > the Paul motolites with enough tension? I actually had a similar problem > with my Brompton so it’s making me think I’m doing something wrong…. > > On Wed, Nov 5, 2025 at 06:41 Josh C <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I agree with Garth. Looks like the ball end of the brake cable is moving >> in the lever quite a bit. Is it the correct shape ball end for that lever? >> >> On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 8:59:35 AM UTC-5 Garth wrote: >> >>> The sound appears to be coming from where the cable end is seated on the >>> lever. That's where the movement is when you pull all the way. There's an >>> abrupt movement. I assume you used the mtb end of the brake cable and these >>> take those ? Many have both types. Take a look underneath the lever where >>> the cable end is seated and pull on the lever, for some reason it's moving. >>> On Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 8:15:30 AM UTC-5 Bryan H wrote: >>> >>>> I am getting a crunching sound at the lever side of a V brake install. >>>> I am using simworks nissen housing/cables, when cutting the housing I >>>> inserted a old a brake cable and cut it with park tool cutters. Overall >>>> the >>>> cut seemed sufficient where the cables move in and out smoothly. Not sure >>>> why i keep getting this sound, i have tried a few attempts at the front >>>> brake and keep getting a similar sound. I am fairly new to working on >>>> rivendell bikes, would love any advice, thank you much! >>>> >>>> Bryan >>>> >>>> https://imgur.com/a/brake-c5qq22b >>>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/bed980fb-5715-4b57-a9ff-d48e4991227en%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/bed980fb-5715-4b57-a9ff-d48e4991227en%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a6df25e2-ccf4-49b0-b9cd-a1a9c21cbc36n%40googlegroups.com.
