I've just bought some new XT disc brake set from Ribble Cycles, and it all connected up and pre bled.

I've put the disc on, but on pulling the levers they come to the bar but the wheels do no lock up!

They came with no instructions (Thanks Ribble) so is there some adjustment, or have they basically not put enough oil in the system?

Thanks in advance

Could be air.

1) Download instructions from Shitamo website pdfs under tech -bleed

or

2) Ring Ribble in case the brakes are faulty-don't tamper otherwise ribble will charge you.

or

3) Ribble bikes are nice, their customer service is crap.

Try pumping the lever a bit.

I got the same brakes a few weeks ago from ribble. Worked fine, perhaps theyve just got a little air in? Try pumping the pistons out a little without the disc in, (not all the way caefull!) and pushing them back in with a tyre lever or something a few times, that should get the fluid moving a bit and maybe allow any small air lock to free. Other than that, perhaps you need to loosen the free stroke screw on the front, a couple of turns anticlockwise on the philips screw will allow the cam mechanism to quicky close the pad gap down at the begining of the lever stroke, leaving you with pleantly of stroke left to apply pressure with. Loosen the screw too much however and the brakes will become very grabby.

Thanks for the advice, pumping the lever for about 5 mins appears to have solved the problem!

Ok problem solved or so I thought…

Got on the bike and after some hard stops the brakes started biting, however the lever does nearly travel to the bar before full power is reached. Moving the free stroke screw doesnt really affect it either.

I also find the levers a little far away from the bar. Adjusting the barrel thing on the outside edge of the lever brings the lever closer (so more comfy to reach) but it compounds the problem with the lever not actually working until its almost touching the bar.

Am I right in now thinking that they just didnt put enough brake fluid in the system?

Thanks

Sounds like that could be it. Whip the cap off the reservoir and have a look u nder the rubber membrane which covers the fluid. Mine is always filled right to the brim, so that when you put the membrane back on, a little bit overflows.

dont use dot brake fluid, shimano use mineral oil

No pads in? 🙂

Video on youtube to bleed brakes.
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/nl/index/tech_support/tech__videos.html

With them being brand new brakes from Ribble, me thinks I should give them a ring and ask to send a bottle of the Shimano stuff for free, I can't see why I should have to pay for it !

new style XT brakes are notorious for this, especially the rear brake. A few threads have been on here about the same issue. I had the same problem put persisted with the 'air in the system cause'. Eventually took the brake off and bled it with the hose vertical. Sorted now finally after about three attempts. Good luck, when they work you'll be well impressed!!

If you are going to top up the system then leave the lever 'on' overnight (tie the brake lever to the bar) – make sure the bike is positioned so the lever is the highest point (and the able from caliper is as straight as possible (air rises)) – in morning, remove clamp and your lever should feel much better – remove top cap and top up fluid, that should make a big difference – probably won't get rid of all the air but will get rid of most.

echo above. I got some dual controls with the same problem.

But flip top off, leave over night etc then top up.

When they work they are lush I reckon

Seems to be par for the course with recent Shimano brakes,we now have to bleed virtually all of them fitted to new bikes.I suspect it's down to the latest trend of turning the cylinder through 90 degrees and feeding the hose in at an angle as there's not a direct upward route for trapped air to reach the reservoir, just a nice little pocket for it to collect in inside the pressurised part of the system.

Just plain not bled right. Easy to sort though. TBH I think buying any brake you should probably not depend on them being perfectly bled, but Shimano especially seem bad for it.

I had a similar issue when putting together my XTRs. It seems like the yellow spacer blocks which are supposed to be in place for bleeding are just too thick – which means there's never enough fluid in the system when you take them out and fit the pads. I fashioned my own spacers out of a bit of wood, did the whole bleed thing again and they work just fine.