Rear Avid XO (old style) brake died during ride last night. Pads are okay, lever goes to the bar. Was perfectly fine and then just dead. No hint of it going squishy or closer to the bar over time as if it needs bleeding. Never had the need to bleed these and been pretty reliable.

It was epically muddy though and wonder if something has knackered it from the mud/crud. Or it could be that slide and crash moment where the lever went into my shin. Cleaned it all up but pistons just won’t budge and lever just goes straight to the bar. I’ll give it a bleed when I feel like going through that hassle, but is it more likely it’s just knackered I wonder?

Could the mud have killed the caliper? (a seal gone or something? I can’t see any leaks though). I’ve not done calliper servicing. Not keen on that where dot 5.1 is involved. Likewise if it’s the lever. Although I’ve got a spare one and could swap it over.

Cut your losses. Spending any money on a broken Avid is folly. Replace the whole thing with £30 worth of Shinano Deore from CRC, just get a pair and be done with it.

No, no, you can thank me later..! 🙂

Just pop ’em in the bin.

Yeah, I did expect that response 😉

To be honest, X0s have been good to me. I had Juicys way back and they were utter garbage so I can see where the reputation comes from 😉

I also prefer the modulation of Avid stuff. I’m not a fan of some other brands and their binary brakes. On… OTB or off 😛 (also, something I noted in the Alps, so many people boiling their brakes with other brands but I didn’t have that issue).

But if I replace them I’d get whatever is the current equivalent of the excellent X0 Trail I have on my other bike. Love those brakes. Nothing like old Avids. 4 pot & calliper design similar to Code. No more CPS crap. Powerful, sharp when you need it but with decent modulation, not a hint of needing bleeding. I’ve even shortened the hose without bleeding and perfectly fine.

Deadkenny I agree with you. I’ve had a pair of new style codes for about two years now. No issues never bled and work fantastic . Way better than all the shimano stuff I’ve had.

The equivalent is the SRAM Guide. Pretty cheap to buy new.

I’ve had XT, XTR, SLX, Deore; Avid X0, Avid Trail, Hope Tech3 X2 and E4.

My favourite by feel and power is the SRAM.

Never thought that’d be the case. But it is. I wanted to hate the brake. But it just surprised me.

Chances are its a blown seal. Probably worth just upgrading the the Guides as they’re more resilient to air in the system.

That’s right, everyone is wrong about avid, they’re actually awesome….. 😆

Yeah the Guide are an evolution of the Trail it seems, and cheaper. Really do like the Trails. Also bonus is I’ve got spare pads that will fit and another reason I prefer to stick with the SRAM is the lever matches perfectly with the Reverb lever 🙂

Add the old ones to the pile of old components that are slightly knackered but could still be usable with a service then. e.g. several old brakes, numerous rear mechs and a spare Reverb that needs servicing. Most of the time I can’t be bothered and just buy a replacement thinking I’ll service the stuff some day 😀

Exactly the same thing happened to my Elixirs last night, Kenny. Weird thing is, this morning they were ok again.

Before posting I was going to check the SRAM website as I anticipated a hail of ‘Bin. Buy Shimano. Thank me’ posts if I asked the question here…. 😡

Out of interest anyway, if it’s a bust seal I take it that’s a right faff? I’d need some kit to repair it also.

Any way I could work out if it’s the lever or calliper? I’ve got a spare lever and calliper from another set where I bust one of the levers and then swapped the lot for X0 Trails, so I’ve got one lever and two okay callipers, though the good one is a front hose. If I just swap the hose for the rear do I need fresh olive thingies?

Fixed for now. Spare old X0 working lever swapped for bust one, and all good. Didn’t even bleed and feels okay for an X0. Seal gone in the bust lever I guess. Still planning on the Guides at some point, but at least the bike is rideable this week.