Really struggling with my xo brakes. Started a few threads now on how to try and sort out the free play in the lever. So far not had any luck. Some have suggested advancing the pads, all this does is make them rub on the rotor. I’ve tried pad contact adjust wound in and wound out, no difference. Next ill try with reach adjust wound out so levers are away from bars. If that don’t work, I think I’ll loose my head and smash them before I get the chance to sell them.
Can anyone help!!!???
Very frustrated with these brakes, I’ve come from hope m4s which didn’t have this problem. But then agaIn with the hopes I was forever having issues with caliper allignment!

Welcome to the world of avids ! I’ve had free play and floppy levers ( replace lever internals myself) spongy brakes which have been bled numerous times and even lost my front brake completely( on the way down the from Vallnord 😕 )

I’ve just carried on using them regardless and have got used to them

Likewise just got used to the free play for 2 years.

Now new Formula RX setup. Do wish I’d changed sooner…

The pad contact point adjustment on the Avid lever seems pointless to me. It is a mis-nomer really as it doesn’t change the pad position at all, it just changes the amount of dead-stroke in the lever. Screwing this contact point adjuster in to the barrel clockwise, against the arrow (I’m doing this from memory!), reduces the amount of dead stroke in the lever.

This is because the way Taperbore works is that the lever is pushing the piston into the cylinder blocking off the reservoir behind, and pushing fluid down the hose. What the contact point adjustment does is move the cylinder closer / away from the starting point of the piston, so changing the length of lever stroke before it is actually pushing fluid down the hose.

Therefore try this, wind the contact point adjuster clockwise all the way into the barrel, (there’s about 2.5 turns available I think end to end), this should reduce the dead stroke as much as possible. Then use the reach adjuster to bring the lever into a position where it is comfortable to use, preferable close to the bar with about 10mm of gap between the lever and the bar when full power is applied to the brakes.

Avid is a typo, there’s an ‘o’ missing after the v.

Had nothing but regular trouble from mine. I’ll be changing soon and not coming back. Too many good brakes on the market to be stressing about shit products.

While I can’t say other brands are trouble free, ALL those of my riding mates who have Avids have had major problems and have replaced them with different makes.

I’m on a 50/50 split with them now. Bought a brand new set from evans for a stupid some of money (think they were 7’s) and they never worked properly. Regardless of buying multiple bleed kits, I could never get them to have consistent braking. However, the one’s that came on my Five have been faultless, although not had a huge amount of use. I’d be wary about taking them to the Alps for a week.

Go Formula, they really are that good

both my sets of avid elixirs working perfectly, one just getting sloppy in lever from so much use. could all you haters please put yours for sale i need a 3rd set for new bike 🙂 cheers.

Got 3 sets (Juicy 5, 7, and Ultimate) and they’re all great.

pitcherpro – Member

I’ve just carried on using them regardless and have got used to them

This. When my elixirs are in the mood to work properly they’re pretty good (until you ride on mates bikes with gnarr / non-avid brakes that is) but the rest of the time, meh, you get used to them.

Never got on with them (7’s). Took them off and replaced with Hope.

Are you bleeding them or just fiddling with the various adjustments?

If you are bleeding them then my tip is;

Before removing the lever syringe wind the Pad Contact Adjuster all the way ‘In’ so that the resevoir is at it’s largest. This should allow the most amount of fluid into the system.

Once the system is closed then winding the PCA ‘Out’ will firm up the lever / reduce the initial throw.

I’m another lover, although I don’t deny that they don’t all work as well as mine have. I’ve had most versions and currently have XX and X0 – both of which have been pretty faultless.

weren’t old X0s the ones that were crap? they didn’t recommend using them with sintered pads – not sure, there was some dodgy ones. old Rs and current 5/7 are best imho. totally reliable for me. i’ve said before, look at any issue of Dirt in last 2 years, they’re all on elixirs, and no reviews complain..

My Juicy 5’s have been fine in the 7 years I’ve had them.

I have no idea why people would spend money on high end avid brakes. They’re basically all the same inside.

XX vs Elixir R? Marginal.

RX vs R0? Enormous. Oh, and RX > XX.

In our experience Avid’s are notoriously temperamental when it comes to bleeding and often you have to bleed them numerous times to get them working perfectly. My advice would be to try the bleed process several times and to the letter.

I’m sure you’re familiar with the Aid bleed procedure but if not here’s the link:

Got Elixr 3’s on mine and they have been hit and miss.

I find I get a lot of noise and vibration through the frame with the standard pads so replaced them with superstar and they seem fine.

Had one caliper burst when I was replacing the pads. I loosened the torx screw on the lever to allow a tiny bit of fluid out and pushed the pistons back ( as told to when I bought the bike ) and it popped the seal in the caliper.

Turns out the lever was faulty so It was sent to Fishers for a warranty and in the meantime, the bike shop lent me a Elixr 3 brake so I was’nt bike less ( which was nice of them )

Thats when the fun started with that “loan” brake. It went straight to the bars on a downhill section and I luckily was’nt bombing it and managed to stop on the front brake.

It seemed to need bleeding because it sometimes worked and sometimes did’nt so I took it back to the shop and they bled it and tried to locate my original brake that had been sent off ( turns out it got lost somewhere so I ended up with a brand new replacment )

That loan brake went again on the first ride and my replacment brake arrived the day after so I took the bike in and told them the loan brake was dodgy and he said ” oh i will chuck it in’t bin “

Not very confidence inspiring, the new brake has been fine so far so I will have to see what happens when I have to change the pads……

Bleed EXACTLY as per the Avid video. I did & they are rock solid.