I made a boo-boo.

Rear hub needed to be tightened, didn’t realise this and thought it was my caliper sticking causing it to rub the disc.

Removed the wheel, pumped the brake a few times to push the pistons out, notice one side is sticking. Went a bit too far and the piston almost popped out, so now I have air in the system.

So I need an Avid bleed kit, my old one went all cloudy over time from having brake fluid in it and I didn’t bring it to Australia with me.

The price of the ruddy things! I can buy a brand new Elixir caliper, hose and lever for the same price as the bleed kit!

So now I have a caliper that needs bleeding, one piston freeing up, and I still need to adjust the rear hub! Do I buy the bleed kit, or just get a whole new caliper and save the hassle/mess of freeing up the old one and then bleeding it….

Only used the thing about 10 times in the last year, spend all the time on the road bike as its just easier. A new MTB trail centre type thing is being built though so will give that a go when its complete.

Even if you buy a new caliper, you’ll still need to bleed the system when you fit it.

So get on ebay and buy one of the aftermarket bleed kits, they are about £10 and are spot on.

Buy a cheap one from eBay, or get your LBS to do it?

A mate broke his XX mech cage yesterday. It’s more expensive to by a replacement XX cage than it is to buy a replacement XX mech!

When I said new caliper, they come pre-bled with hose and lever?

And the right hose length for the bike?

And the right hose length for the bike?

Details, details, just loop it out the front of the handlebar is the done thing isn’t it 😆

When I said new caliper, they come pre-bled with hose and lever?

OK, well terminology fail then – I’d call a caliper, hose and lever pre bled, a ‘brake’ 😛

In any case, a new ‘pre-bled’ brake often benefits from a quick bleed again when fitted anyway

There’s Avid bleed kist for about £9 on eBay that include everything you need including fluid.

I’ve got the official avid kit but regularly borrow my mates epic bleed solutions one. Just works better!

+ 1 for pre-bled brakes benefitting from a bleed, a vast experience of Avids means we never send such an equipped bike out without giving them a thorough bleed first, it’s just too costly to pay for third party labour/ courier collection and re-delivery, not to mention customer’s inconvenience when it all goes squidgy 🙁

Avid kit ordered from CRC along with a Castelli Gillet for the colder months ahead and a few bits and bobs.