Cable disc brakes. I kept putting it off but it was riding like shit and didn’t feel safe, brake levers nearly contacting the handlebar. I had it in my head that the adjustment was like a 30 minute job. Grabbed Allen wrenches, a couple third hands, screwdrivers. 5 minutes and two Allen bolts later, all done. Topped off the tires with air, quick test ride, meat’s back on the menu. No real point to this post, but maybe you’ve made a quick adjustment or repair that made you happy?
I’m assuming rim brakes from the text, those usually have enough brake pads for several years or even a decade until the rubber just hardens to unusable. The cables stretch and hose shrinks also over time
No.
OP specifies that they are cable disk brakes, first three words in the post body. There are many possible reasons for why the brakes could be loose, but the first step should be making sure it isn’t because the pads are done.
If they are and you adjust them back to tight, you’ll end up wearing through the pads and start wearing away your caliper pistons.
OP may not be aware of the pad wear, as checking how much material is remaining usually means taking the pads (or wheels) out to inspect them, as the they can be fairly obscured by the caliper.
I’m not talking out my ass here, I’ve worked on both hydraulic and cable disk brakes.
Depending on the quality of the pads and how much you ride, they can wear out very quickly, or last many years.
It’s likely that the pads are fine, but I don’t know if OP has worked on their brakes before, and whether being aware of how worn the pads are is a detail they know about.