Toby, is it the cable or the caliper not returning properly? If its the cable probably best to replace, if its tha caliper arms not returning properly with cables removed, ( my guess its the calipers), remove h/brake cable from caliper and squirt WD40 or similar all over the arm that the cable goes into, and move the arm back and forth until the arms return by themselves against the stops, then reassemble as described before. Did you manage to sort out front brakes? Roger.