My rear brake has been annoying me for the last few weeks and finally tonight I noticed that the lever is returning…I pull the brake on and let the lever go but it doesn't move…I have to force it back with my finger.

The brake feels very wooden and I'm not convinced the pistons are moving…had a very quick nosey at it just now (without much light) and I think the pad/piston may have a bit of corrosion on it.

What can I do without doing a full bleed (as I lent my bleed tools to a mate and not seen him for a bit) and I'm hoping I can do a quick 'bodge' to start shifting the piston and see if that fixes the lever…

Front brake feels very nice indeed and both stop me, but the constant rubbing and squeal if the rear wheel goes backwards is starting to annoy me!

Thanks.

Also, does anyone know which Dot fluid is used in Hayes? I think it is Dot 4, but I was having a read through some stuff and I'm sure it said Dot 5.1 – I know you can use either but not mix them.

I'll remove the pads and try to force the pistons to move then give them a wipe down with the Dot fluid…hopefully it's just a slightly sticky piston due to some dirt of something…

If the lever itself isn't returning, then i'd suggest that's where the fault lies. Possibly the pivot's just tight/sticky and needs cleaning up, or a worse scenario is an incompatible lube being sprayed around the pivot, causing the seal to swell up.

No lube being sprayed on the lever at all…which might be the issue…what kind of lube would be recommended? GT85 and a quick squirt then work the lever?

I'd guess Dot 4 would be the standard fluid used with your brakes. Without the bleed kit, you'd probably be best getting some brake cleaner and giving the piston a good going over.

Sounds sensible…right, quick lube of the brake lever pivot and a stop by Halfords for some disc cleaner, then I'll get the pads out tonight and give the pistons a good clean…

I have exactly the same problem, same brake, rear carbon stroker… Will watch this with interest…

I get this happening a lot with Hayes Stroker Trail brakes – the pistons just seem to get sticky and need to be released / lubed a bit. has been particularly bad this last few months with having to do a bit of road riding between trails and getting salt etc on them. I find this works: Remove pads , clean inside of caliper and around pistons with disc fuid and cotton buds, then use hayes brake fluid or even wee bit of light chain lube on a cotton bud and apply around the exposed edge of the pistons. Push them back in and work them in and out a few times using a thin spanner to prevent them coming to far out. Clean up any excess fluid, pads in , job done. Works for me anyway.

Hayes only advise using IPA to clean their calipers

Think I have some IPA in the house so will give that a whirl…thanks.

Yeah use IPA to clean around the pistons, sticky pistons on my Hayes Strokers caused the level to not to return properly to.

thats a waste of good Deuchars!

Removed pads and gave them a good spray with the IPA stuff (tastes awful…almost as bad as warm Deuchars!) – lever starting to return to normal so hopefully tonight's foray will have it back to it's usual nice feeling self!

I'm not 100% sure if strokers are the same as nines, which don't have seals on the pistons, they are just a close fitting resin piston. I think that's why nines often have one piston moving better than the other.

just a theory…

Strokers are notorious for having sticky levers! all our rental bikes last season had stroker brakes and each one had the same problem.

if its the problem I'm thinking of, then this is how to fix it:

unscrew the reach adjuster so the lever pivots freely, and the rod pushing the lever piston in is just held on with the circlip. Then take off the circlip (this isnt a standard size, so you'll have to experiment with circlip pliers!) with a cotton swab apply some KY jelly (no one will beleive its for your bike!!) around the piston and gently press it in and out a few times, wiping away the dirty lube and applying fresh stuff, keep doing this until its feeling smooth again. you have to use a water based lube such as KY, as mentions earlier other oil based things can make the seals swell and make the problem worserer. be careful with the circlip as they're delicate and can only take being undone a certain number of times before they wont sit in the lever properly. better to make sure the lever is running smoothly before you put it all back together again!

It may appear at first as if its the pad end of the brake causing the problem, but from experience it normally isnt!

Yep, sticky master cylinder piston..above sounds good, stripped mine and totally cool now, and nines do have seals on the pistons, you can, if need be swap the master cylinder and caliper pistons between models (nine/stroker), same size just different looking but it all works, i know cos i've done it!

Once you've taken hayes brakes apart, it really is very very easy to sort them should you need to. I won't need new brakes for years.

I emailed Hayes about the lever – before having the sticky piston suggestion – they have just replied asking for my address so they can send me a fix kit – does both brakes…

I'm rather impressed as I was asking if there was a specific kind of oil I should use on the lever pivot as I had a sticky brake lever. They responded suggesting it was the piston and the fix kit would repair this. Would involve a full bleed, but I can handle that.

Early Strokers had a fault that they developed the kit for, I thought they'd fixed that ages ago though.