last time I took my bike in for some work, they were struggling to bleed my rear brakes, but managed eventually.

Last week I was half way through a ride and it started binding after a long steep descent. I managed to fee it a bit but carried on and the next evening removed the pads and levered the pistons back in. Then after re assembling the brake lever pulled in completely with no braking at all despite pumping. I walked off in disgust returning a few minutes later to find that incredibly it worked perfectly! How did that happen?

Anyway, has anyone else had these brakes and had to replace them as they became unrepairable? Just considering my next move.

Best move is not to use Avid brakes…

Comment from an Avid sponsored rider I know “These brakes are the first set i’ve had that didn’t leak”

Had Juicy 7’s. Worked really well when they worked properly. Spent more time replacing pistons/seals and bleeding than I did using them.

Step away from the Juicy’s. 😉

Funny, I’ve had them on the bike since I bought it end 2007. Since then I probably had over half the components on the bike replaced, sometimes a few times over, including Fox forks, rear hub, XO gear systems etc.

The brakes have always worked splendidly!

As above my J7s worked flawlessly for several years – never bled them, just kept feeding them pads – until they started playing up. Disposable brakes imho.

Mine worked for several years, just not much more than about 5. Then they went really shit, despite replacing seals and pistons. No matter what I did or the LBS they still went shit. If this has happened, replace them, you will not regret it.

As above though, a friend has juicy’s and has never ever touched them since 2008 and they still work very well.

If they start to go wrong, get rid of them.

Mine worked fine for ages, and then one day they didnt, and no amount of bleeding or fettling has made them any better.
Never know whats going to happen when I pull the lever, it`ll either work fine with loads of power and feel, or the lever will come right back to the bar……
Having tried a mates bike with new XT`s, that is what I am going to fit next

1 Take off Juicys from bike
2 Sell on ebay

Bike shops ought to have a bin with “Avids” written on the side.

Problem would be if their rubbish was collected fortnightly.

Had some were great for a while had xt were great for a while now got maguras wonder how well they will last.

If youre looking to get rid, send em my way – i love my juicy 7s… trusty.

No braking when pulling lever means air. Or too little fluid.

Either way it sounds like the shop have done it wrong.

fwiw the only real problems I’ve ever had with avid have been when a caliper piston seal went squiffy. Leading to lack of retraction and binding. Every other problem was sorted with a quick bleed… just be careful to get the bleed right.