HOW TO

01

Remove the relevant Remove rele elevant w wheel heel and brake bra pads, put them safely awa y from any any brake uid d to prevent ent contamin minati away contamination. Insert the bleed bl block ock (supp upplied dw with bleed eed kit) bet ween the pistons. (supplied between

Bleed Avid Elixir brakes

If your brakes are getting spongy, it may be time to drain and refill them

WARNING
Dot uid is pretty evil do yourself a favour and wear gloves and eye protection when working with it

NEED TO KNOW
OTIME TAKEN 20-40min per brake OSKILL LEVEL Medium OMONEY SAVED Around 20 per brake OGOT INTO TROUBLE? Follow the guide and you should be ne, but if in doubt head to the LBS brakes are an important safety feature!

ydraulic disc brakes depend on the incompressible nature of brake uid to function properly. Over time though, air can creep into the braking system to cause excessive lever travel, and a spongy feel. Bleeding the brake is the answer. Brakes lled with Dot brake uid should be bled annually as this removes any contaminants, which can cause loss of performance and corrosion. This will help them to last longer and work better. Heres a great tip for detecting the need for a bleed on an Elixir brake. Firstly, get the bike up on the back wheel with the front wheel straight up in the air and then bounce the bike up and down on the back wheel gently while pulling both brakes on and off. If theres air in the system it is encouraged to congregate at the highest point (the levers). After 20 seconds or so the need for a bleed will be apparent if there is a marked increase in lever travel. If youve bled your brakes recently you may get away with just a lever bleed attach a half-lled syringe to the bleed port in the lever and follow step 12. Remember to always use the correct uid for bleeding; Avids Elixir brakes all use Dot 5.1. Avids bleed kit is essential for this procedure and will set you back 40-45. We would recommend the more expensive Pro version.

Turn the bite point adjuster fully clockwise if your brake has this feature. Set the reach adjuster to a middle setting so not all the way in or out.

02

TOP TIP
Dot uid has a shelf life check its use-by date and always use an unopened container. Old uid will have absorbed water from the atmosphere and have a much lower boiling point

GET MORE
Watch a video tutorial by scanning this code, or by visiting bit.ly/13feXxB

YOUR EXPERT
AL VINES A shop mechanic for 13 years, Al has been there and xed that. He owns 10 bikes and says his least favourite job is sorting out internally routed cables.

TOOLS FOR THE JOB

OAvid bleed kit and Dot 5.1 brake uid

03

Half ll one syringe with Dot 5.1 uid.

Expel all visible air from the syringe until a small amount of uid is expelled as shown. Lock the hose clamp.

04

98 PEU SEPTEMBER 2013

te a Pull on the plunger to create vacuum and tap the syringe with ee an Allen key or similar. Youll see he the uid de-gas as bubbles collect at the top. Do this for 20-30 seconds and then open the hose clamp and repeat step 4.

05

Rem the bleed blee leed port Remove the scr from the caliper screw from as shown. Screw the half-lled syringe into the port and open the hose clamp.

06

10

Open the hose Ope hos clam n the calipe r syringe nge and p clamp on caliper push uid from the caliper syringe to the lever syringe until il most of t he uid h as been bee transferred as shown. Lock the the has lev lever-end ho clamp hose mp rs rst, then the he caliper. calipe

TOP TIP
Dot uid is hygroscopic so can be cleaned up with a thorough dousing of water

Remove the caliper syringe and ret bleed port screw. Douse the caliper with water and wipe off with a clean rag.

11

07

Secure the brake lever to the bar using an elastic band/toe strap/zip-tie.

Create a vacuum by pulling the plunger out, hold it in the position shown while tapping the caliper with a non-marring object to release any trapped bubbles. Gently push the plunger back down and repeat until the caliper is free from air. Lock the hose clamp.

08

Remove the bleed port screw from the lever, attach the empty syringe, unclamp the lever and ensure the hose clamp is open.

09

TOP TIP
If the uid expelled from your brakes is especially dirty its a good idea to bleed them a couple of times to ush out all the gunk

Create a vacuum in the lever syringe by opening the hose clamp and pulling the plunger out. Flick the lever gently to encourage bubbles out of the system. Remove the lever syringe and ret the bleed port screw. Douse with water and wipe off with a clean rag.

12

Remove the bleed block and ret the pads. Push the pad spacer (other end of bleed block) between the pads to ensure proper clearance. Ret your wheel and youre all done.

13

SEPTEMBER 2013

PEU 99