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I have Shimano 105 Dual Pivot brakes on my bike. They are pretty old (~7 years), and, although I ride the bike very regularly, I do not use the rear brake much and it has become stiff. (By stiff, I mean that the brake does not fully spring back open when I release the lever.)

Previously when this happened, I took the brake off, cleaned it, and then oiled and adjusted the pivots. I used bike chain oil (wet lube). This worked well, but the brake went stiff again pretty quickly so I'm reluctant to do it again.

Does anyone have any tips for a long lasting repair? Should I be using bike oil? Is it worth fully dismantling them (is this possible/advisable?).

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    You should include cleaning/lubing your brake cable housing and wire when doing maintenance. Check for rusted and/or frayed wires.
    – sessyargc.jp
    May 28, 2014 at 23:39
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    What you did certainly did no harm. It is preferred to use a spray lube containing silicone or Teflon on such parts since those don't tend to gum up as much. But as @sessyargc.jp suggests you really need to lube the cables (with the same spray lube), and the cables may be due for replacement if they've been exposed to much weather. (Teflon lube is especially good with the sort of sliding parts you get in dual pivot brakes.)
    – Daniel R Hicks
    May 29, 2014 at 1:11

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This is a rear case that I would use WD40 or even engine degreaser on a bike part. Remove the pads, drown the brake in one of these and work it till its free. Might be worth removing from bike and soaking in a bath.

I would no dismatle it unless the above did not work.

Once the part is moving freely it will have no lube on it. Clean it with hot soapy water, dry it out and use a dry lube rather than a wet lube - it won't attract the dirt. Alternately use a wet lube but regularly re lube it.

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  • I'm going to try this when I get a chance - thanks!
    – tom flannaghan
    May 30, 2014 at 19:52
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By stiff, I mean that the brake does not fully spring back open when I release the lever

Spring back could be several things
1 - brake stiff
2 - brake spring worn (weak)
3 - resistance in the cable
4 - resistance in the brake lever
5 - bad spring in the brake lever

With the cable removed from the brake depress brake with your hand and see if it springs back

With cable removed from the brake depress the brake lever then pull the cable back.
If you feel resistance then look upstream.
A dry cable with a little rust will have a lot of resistance.
A frayed cable needs to be replaced.
Avoid removing the cable from the housing (unless you are replacing it).
If you just remove the housing from the bike you should have room to move the housing around to lubricate the cable.
I like triflo for cables.

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  • Although this is excellent advice, I confirmed that in my case it is not the cable - my brake is still stiff with the cable disconnected.
    – tom flannaghan
    May 30, 2014 at 19:51
  • Then figure out what is wrong with the brake. Disconnect the spring. See if you have a stiff brake or weak spring.
    – paparazzo
    Jun 1, 2014 at 21:33

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