Just wondering like, I’m aware you don’t NEED to do it every few months or whatever, just I was bored today with the weather and all, Mrs was out, so thought I’d do it.

Anyway, main reason for the question is why/how does the fluid get so dirty/dark?? I gave the brakes a full strip, clean, bleed etc.. back in late May before a trip to Spain, but today the fluid is a dark grey.

Bleed my brakes? Why would I ever want to do that?

When i’m bored. 😉
when i think they need it which is not very often if there done right the first time.

Darkens because of chemical degration I would think. Did mine a year ago, been meaning to redo for a couppe of months now.

Oh yeah should’ve added there was nowt wrong with them and I didn’t feel they needed it. I was just purely in the garage faffing and what not with the bike and thought I’d give them a bleed. It’s no bother when it takes all of 20mins for both ends.

If it makes any difference they are Hopes and Dot fluid.

Brakes were bled when fitted, before #1 daughter was born.

Re-bled when moved onto the new bike a month ago. She’s 3½ now.

Do mine once a year before I go abroad with the bike. I know it doesn’t need doing that often though.

I’m running juicy 7’s that were bled when I shortened the hose upon install in 2007 and haven’t needed to bleed them since.

I’d love to say never, but that SLx rear brake is braking my balls. frankly.

I’m running juicy 7’s that were bled when I shortened the hose upon install in 2007 and haven’t needed to bleed them since.

If you’d said Elixirs, no-one would have believed you (mean time between bleeds – 2 weeks for the back one).

When they stop working!

Only when they have gone soft because when I stuck them on my new frame I undid the connector half turn and swung o ring joint a couple of mm and a tiny amount of air has obviously got in……bugger…..open reservoir and simple job to do though….on my to do list tomorrow as I trapped my finger behind the lever and bars last week so really got to be sorted 😆
Or a good excuse for brake upgrade time….tell the misses fluids leaking from my brakes so I need some new ones 🙂

Don’t think I’ve ever bled either of my Elixirs even though I have the bleed kit from running Juicys…just checked and bought my Elixirs in August 2009, my other set is even older

If you’d said Elixirs, no-one would have believed you

My Elixirs, fitted 2010, are the best brakes I’ve ever had. Front one was fine out of the box and the back one only needed bleeding because I had to shorten the hose. Apart from changing the pads neither has needed touching since.
The hope(less)’s I had on the other hand never worked as well as the avids despite regular bleeds, seal changes, piston changes, braided hose upgrades etc, etc.

Have only ever bled brakes when shortening hoses or moving from frame to frame.

When breaks move frames so every few years. Shimano XT.

You’re a lucky boy, billyb, that must’ve been the weekly good brakes that they made, every Wednesday, about 4 o’clock. Every other pair were bingers.

Try and do em once a year?

In reality longer
got a few set of hopes including my minis from 2002 that are still running sweet had a piston change and seal change myself and once rebuilt by hope

Anyway servicing your brakes;
Well worth it especially after trips to the Alps a season of shitty uk riding and racing etc

It only takes 20 mins and a couple of Quid of fluid,
Just like a fork service really you don’t really appreciate it until you’ve done it!

IMO you’d be foolish not to keep your bike running in top condition

🙂 Guess so Nobeerinthefridge. To be fair the levers are getting a bit rattly after 4 years hard use and I don’t dare take them apart (even if I could get spares, which I doubt)
Shimano next I reckon, the deores on my spare bike have always been similarly consistently reliable.

They’re a sealed hydraulic system (unlike a car which breathes at the master cylinder), therefore unless opening the system I wouldn’t expect to bleed my brakes ever.
However, that only applies to correctly bled brakes. IMO the main problem with brakes is poor bleeds (either factory or user) combined with the standard internet forum answer to every brake problem is ‘give them a bleed’.

built the bike in Jan 2008
let a tiny amount of fluid out in 2012 I think

formula Oro K18s.

How many times should I have bled them?

Never with my Shimano ones even after shortening the hoses.

I’ve a set of 04 Deore disc brakes that came with my Specialized enduro comp.
Haven’t bled them yet and they still feel good at the lever.

andytherocketeer – Member

built the bike in Jan 2008
let a tiny amount of fluid out in 2012 I think

formula Oro K18s.

How many times should I have bled them?

Service lifespan in cars and motorbikes seems to vary from 2-5 years for dot 4 which is probably not a bad guideline.

I have a set of Magura Clara circa 2002 that have never been bled. Had countless sets of pads but never felt the need to bleed them.
A set of Juicy 3 that my lad inherited from somewhere could have done with weekly attention prior to swapping out for some so far faultless Deore.

My back one was bled last year. At least I’m assuming it was bled when I sent it back, the hole in the caliper probably let quite a bit of air in! Can’t remember the last time I did the front though.

I just bled some second hand Saints after a day at Arthur Stiniog and a few minor brake issues there.

The colour of the fluid that came out wasn’t encouraging. Black, with bits in!

WTF is that about?

Notr very often – only really when something is wrong.

When brakes are new I I!agine there is a fair bit of crap insixde from manufacture (dwarf, overspray). There will also be breakdown of the seals.

I’ve a set of 04 Deore disc brakes that came with my Specialized enduro comp.
Haven’t bled them yet and they still feel good at the lever.

Same here. Deore on a 05 Spesh FSR. I’ve topped them up once or twice, but they are only 9 years old.

Never/rarely. My Formulas have been on a year and apart from a set of pads I’ve not touched them

Jonba – you keep a dwarf in your brakes ?

After 5 good years on the Soul the rear xt brake is in need of a bleed. Front still good but will do both while I am at it.

the standard internet forum answer to every brake problem is ‘give them a bleed’.

+1

Mine get done when they need it, which is pretty much never, unless I’ve disconnected a hose.

If using DOT fluid, it probably makes sense to replace the fluid every few years as you would on a car, as the fluid will absorb water which lowers its boiling point. Although on a bike, there’s a bladder in the reservoir which should mean no air in contact with the fluid and therefore nowhere to absorb water from.

Usually bleed the brakes after a week/weeks in the Alps, judging by the colour it comes out they definitely need it.

the standard internet forum answer to every brake problem is ‘give them a bleed’

Yup

brakes squeal – bleed them
brakes pads worn out – bleed them
brakes don’t fit – bleed them

Have only recently changed some 3-year old Elixir 5s that worked perfectly from day 1 never been bled. Matey has some ancient Juicy 3s from 2009 just keep feeding them pads. Shimano Deore/XT on the other bikes – bled once when fitting

Never.

Unless they are Juicys 😉 (though it’s better to just throw them in the bin)

I’ve even broken the rules and not bled my X0 Trails after shortening the cables. They are perfect despite predictions of doom by not instantly bleeding them.

9 times out of 10 a brake bleed is actually not what’s required. It’s an easy advice to offer though. Chances are it will seem to work as the process of bleeding has you taking wheels off, fiddling and adjusting, possibly pushing pistons back, which is probably all that was needed.

Pulling to the bars? Wheel off, pump brake, push piston back, refit wheel. Often solves the problem. Or it could simply be worn pads and the brake hasn’t adjusted (good ones self adjust properly for wear). Doing the same trick can help, or bite adjuster or just fit new pads. Seen people with exactly that problem but everyone jumps in saying “bleed the brakes!” when it’s just the pads were worn.