Brake system on front bicycle wheel, front view. These brakes are side-pull caliper brakes, which have two pivoted arms (silver) holding the brake pads either side of the wheel rim. When a lever on the handlebar is squeezed, the force is transmitted via a cable to the arms, pulling them together, and closing the brake pads around the rim. This slows the bike down. This brake system is suitable for narrow wheels but does not work well on wider ones.