How bicycle brakes stop a wheel.
How does a hand stop a bicycle?
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How does a hand stop a bicycle?
An open cable or zero squeeze gives no braking force.
The lever pulls a cable, which presses brake pads against the wheel rim. Friction opposes the wheel’s motion and turns kinetic energy into heat. A cable that is not connected cannot transmit the hand force.
Lever ratio 3; each of two pads presses with 3× hand force. Constant dry sliding friction; 80 kg bike+rider. No tyre slip or reaction-time model. Lost kinetic energy becomes heat.
Stop the bicycle through an intact cable and two brake pads.
Stop the bicycle through an intact brake cable.