Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Avid Elixir 2012 – Reliabilty?
  • wurzelcube
    Free Member

    I’m considering a set of 2012 Avid Elixir 7s an want to know how people are getting on with them? Are the proving to be reliable ?

    I’m not interested in another buy shimano or formula or hope thread… I would just like feedback on the latest model of Elixirs.

    mattjevans
    Free Member

    Mine have been fine but LBS told me they have had to send back a number of sets for pistons sticking

    b45her
    Free Member

    elixer brakes are pretty much bullet proof, most of the problems you hear of are from garden shed “mechanics” that can’t bleed them properly.

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    mattjevans
    Free Member

    They will certainly need bleeding out of the box, pretty much all Avid owners will tell you that

    curiousyellow
    Free Member

    Got some on my bike, but they came with some really shite OEM type levers. Managed to bang them into a tree stump and replaced them with the “proper” ones which feel way better.

    Cannot fault the braking though. Have used them in all conditions and they have been great.

    wurzelcube
    Free Member

    So once bled they stay good? I had a set of 2010 Elixir Rs which tended to go off after a few weeks of riding hence wanting to know if the reliabilty has improved.

    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    I’ve got Elixir 3’s that were fitted to my bike from new. So far they’ve been completely faultless, though I’ve only been riding it from March. Just not looking forward to bleeding them as it looks a real convoluted process. I have heard that they need bleeding more regularly than others, but I’m not sure if this is true or not.

    Pauly
    Full Member

    Elixir R would be an OEM brake built specifically for Spesh I’m guessing?

    I have had X0 and now have X0 Trail and they have been flawless. The feel & power from the X0 Trail is fantastic. Couple of friends have them too and really rate them as well.

    Have bled them once when I trimmed the hoses and that’s all they’ve needed.

    mattjevans
    Free Member

    FWIW I also found mine improved once the OEM pads were replaced

    chief31
    Free Member

    My elixir R’s have be awesome and the levers are adjustable without tools.

    spawnofyorkshire
    Full Member

    i’ve got elixr 3’s. They need bleeding regularly which is dead straightforward but i’m finding them a PITA to get set up right and had to ride yesterday with an annoying squeal after putting my front wheel back on after the car trip.
    They will be replaced when i can afford it, not for reliability but for feel which i can’t get on with. I want to pull the lever and it do what i want it to!

    at the other end of the scale my friend has codes and loves them. Don’t need much bleeding and easy to set up. good feel as well

    chief31
    Free Member

    Fluid control braking only needs bleeding when there is a problem like leaking fluid or if they haven’t been bled properly in the first place. When bleeding the same principle applies to any fluid brakes. Make sure there are no minute air bubbles in the system. Admitted its easier on vehicles than bikes but even a few microscopic bubbles can be problematic. Most people don’t realise that they are the ones putting the bubbles in in the first place by not letting the fluid completely settle an dissipate the air.

    binners
    Full Member

    I’ve got Elixer’s on both bikes. They’re great brakes but you’ll need a bleed kit. Having said that, it’s a 5 minute job

    chief31
    Free Member

    Like I said if you need to bleed your brakes more than very few years you’ve got a leak or air in the system. ( leak or bad bleeding ).
    The higher the dot rating the less you’ll need to bled as the fluid is high performance.

    wurzelcube
    Free Member

    I’ve used them for three rides now and they seem to be far improved on the pervious version – feels more powerful than deore m596, the levers suit my hands better and the integration with the reverb lever is fantastic.

    Time will tell if the reliability issues are resolved.

    uwe-r
    Free Member

    i had some c09 elixer 5s which were faultless out of the box untill i sold the bike this year, never bled them.

    the elixer 3 has a juicy caliper so a different brake.

    NorthCountryBoy
    Free Member

    Hi cant comment on the 2012 version but I have 2 sets on bikes I own. A set of Elixr Rs and a set of CRs on the other.

    The R`s I know I have never bled and were bought second hand work very well, dont squeal, drag, or go soft and they are top loading pads so pretty simple.

    The CR`s were new in 2009 (i think).
    I`m not sure I think I have bled them once, they have had a lot of use. Trips to Scotland, a lot of wet muddy lakes riding and next to no maintainance. They could do with taking off the bike, cleaning fresh pads and a bleed and im sure they would be good as new. There is a little play starting in the pivots of the carbon levers but its no biggee.
    If the new model is as good as the old I wouldnt have a problem using them.

    Pieface
    Full Member

    The reach adjuster on mine are both goosed after less than a years use. Otherwise great brakes but the levers now flop about between on and off (if that makes sense)

    ads678
    Full Member

    My Elixir R’s have been fault less. Didn’t even need bleeding out of the box!!

    Could do with bleeding now though, 2 years on, maybe this is where the problems start.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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