Sooo I have a set of Elixir brakes. Every time the pads wear out and I replace them, I end up having to make a trip to my LBS to get the brakes fixed. In practice, the brakes either need a rebleed as the lever pulls to the bar giving me limited braking (not ideal when out on the trail with a big descent beckoning) or in last nights case, the pistons don’t retract properly and I end up riding the best part of thirty miles with a front brake rubbing to the extent that the front wheel wouldn’t turn freely. It was a cracking night but the feeling of riding through treacle began to lose it’s appeal after a while! 😕

So the question is do I have a duff set of brakes necessitating a warranty return or is the problem better solved by a credit card and a bin. Just to add to the joy, the shifters have an integrated mount with the brakes meaning I can’t just take the brakes off and use another brake. Garrrrrrrr!

Sanny

Firstly learn how to bleed your brakes, it will save you a lot of time and effort.
Secondly Avids are crap 🙂

If it’s still in warranty then worth a shot then flog the new brakes.

Just to add to the joy, the shifters have an integrated mount with the brakes meaning I can’t just take the brakes off and use another brake. Garrrrrrrr!

You mean matchmaker? The clamps are available and normally come in the bag of bits with your bike otherwise you can get the clamps fairly easily.

You need to manually push the pistons in yourself before you change the pads – use a screwdriver or tyre lever or something. But yes Elixirs are shit IMO. Get some Hopes instead (plus matchmakers!)

I loves Elixirrrsssss but I know the problem you’re having. Crap builds up on the pistons and they end up sticking. IMO the seals are the problem. Sometimes a wipe with some dot oil can clean them up a bit.
Don’t use a screwdriver directly on the pistons coz they’re brittle as ****. Use the pad spacer.

Yup. Learning to bleed them myself would be an option but I’m a wee bit surprised that each pad change requires a rebleed.

The clamps didn’t come with the bike so the credit card will get used.

Re pushing in the pistons. Yup, did that with the worn out pads before replacing them.

On the plus side, the rotors didn’t warp like my Ice Tech rotors. 4 days of riding in the Alps proved too much for the rear one necessitating me bending it back. The front one was a real doozy. A below zero ride up Beinn Dearg saw the front one rub against the caliper by the bottom of the descent as it was a good 3 or 4 mm out of alignment. I hadn’t hit anything with the 203mm rotors as it wasn’t that type of descent. Hey ho!

Clamps
http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/370834975946?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&cbt=y&_lwgsi=y&item_id=370834975946
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=41014

Change the pads earlier. 3mm thick including the back plate is what they need, which looks like theres plenty of meat left on them.

Pad change doesn’t mean a bleed… Clean the pistons, reset the pistons, and ride.

Theoretically, anyway… In practice, it’ll sometimes mean a bleed. Avids don’t always come with a perfect factory bleed, unfortunately, and sometimes might be over or under filled. Running n through the bleed process would fix that.

Hmmm. Does running the pads until they are virtually worn out cause the pistons to come out too far and then stick or let air into the system?

Do they have the pad reach adjust feature? It is a part of the cable exit tube from the levers. This caused me to take it to LBS following the same issues. Since changed the pads with no great problems, also are you using Avid Pads as non prop brands can be mm’s out.

The amount of avid brakes I’ve sworn at over the years….
Honestly, try for an exchange then sell them and get some cheap XT brakes from rosebikes. Every single person I know who had avids has done this and been much happier for it.

Get some Hopes instead (plus matchmakers!)

Oh you can get matchmakers for Hope
Scurries off to find some…
Oh oh comes back scared with phone numbers for lots of dating agencies
Anyone got a link please
it’s OK Matchmakers

Simple search. Look for Hope Shifter Mounts.