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I just bought a giordano libero 2.0, and the left brake lever has no resistance when pulled, and the front brakes don't squeeze when I push them.

The right brake lever is fine and the back brakes work well, but I don't know what to do about the left brake.

What should I do so that it works?

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  • Please consider adding one or two clear and well-lit photos showing the problem - it might be a simple assembly problem. If you'd bought it from a traditional bike shop (a LBS) then all those minor things would be fixed before you rolled out the door. This is one of the downsides of an online bike purchase. – Criggie♦ Dec 22 '16 at 21:48
  • Also, refrain from riding the bike without a working front brake. Many jurisdictions require two independent and working brakes to be road-legal. I know my insurer would throw out any claim, if I was riding a non-compliant bike. – Criggie♦ Dec 23 '16 at 5:35
  • If you can't figure it out, take it to a bike shop. You're going to need to deal with the shop eventually, as there will be other things needing maintenance. – Daniel R Hicks Dec 23 '16 at 13:23
  • I would start by making sure the brake cable is actually connected, if so i would then check that it is tight. My assumption is that it is not. – Nate W Dec 23 '16 at 22:14
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When you pull your brake lever, it in turn pulls a cable that ultimately squeezes your brake pads - forcing them to make contact with your rim (see image below). You should first ensure the cable exists and is properly attached. Sometimes, the attachment bolt comes loose and the cable slides freely (your symptoms indicate such)

When you release your brake lever, springs on the brake itself pulls back on the cable, causing your lever to return to its position.

If you disconnect the cable shown in the image and squeeze your brake by hand (at the pads), it should return to its open position when released. If you pull on the cable with one hand and squeeze the brake lever with the other, you should feel the cable being pulled out of your hand holding it. Pulling on the cable should return the brake lever to its original (non squeezed) position.

You can disconnect the working break to verify what 'good' feels like. Armed with this knowledge and a little bit of curiosity, you should be able to get to the root of your problem.

Bike brake

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  • I would add, check that the release is in the closed position as shown in the photo – mikes Dec 22 '16 at 22:33
  • There are plenty of videos on the Net that show how to work on brakes. – Carel Dec 23 '16 at 9:00

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