A brake apparatus includes a brake arm, a brake pad coupling component disposed on the brake arm for receiving a brake resistive force from contact between the brake pad and a wheel rim, and a control element coupling component coupled to the brake arm for receiving a brake control force from a control element. A brake force control mechanism is coupled between the brake pad coupling component and the control element coupling component for allowing relative movement between the brake pad coupling component and the control element coupling component when both the brake resistive force and the brake control force exceed particular nonzero values.