Just bought some Elixirs and as expected the hoses are way too long, is it possible to cut down them down (carefully) without having to bleed the whole system. I’ve done this several times on Hope and Shimano brakes but a quick internet search suggests I’m going to have to fork out for the bleed kit in order to shorten these

Any advice appreciated (or 2nd hand bleed kits!)

Also, just out of interest, has anyone else got the ‘R’ version with rotating banjo’s on the caliper. The spec’s I’d read (an the OEM’s on my wifes bike) suggested they were fixed and only adjustable on the ‘CR’ version. I was pleasently supprised that they were adjustable, especially as I’ve fitted them to Pikes which would have meant a huge toe-snagging loop of hose if they were fixed.

Cheers

Cheers

I’m pretty sure they need a bleed even if you’re very very careful, you could give it a go, and top up with some fluid as necessary at the ports and see how it feels, when I did mine I bled them for luck anyway as factory bleeds from avid are crap.
And no, my CR obviously has rotating banjo, R isn’t meant to though!

Had the same problem with my elixir r’s. Cables were way too long. I took the chance and shortened them without bleeding afterwards as i’d done with my old shimano brakes, and up until recently they’ve been fine. Front one still ok but the back one is starting to play up,(lever is pulling right to the bars occassionally) so they’re gonna need a bleed sooner or later. Thats about 8 months i got from them without any problems. Worth a try but they’ll need done eventually.

Also, my R’s don’t have the rotating banjo.

Hope that helps

I bought the OEM brakes, same story, needed to be bleed before they would work. I have split the caliper on a juicy 5 before for service and had to bleed the system twice to get sufficient fluid into the system. I think it is the design of these brakes that requires a second bleed and Avid only do one in the factory. Might also explain their convoluted bleed process as most brakes can be fully bleed from the caliper up, without the need to bleed each section as Avid suggests.