A pig to bleed?

BlackSpur
BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
edited May 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
I was taling with the junior mechanic in the shop today about my iminent purchase of a new bike and mentioned that I would probebly get a GT Ava 1.0. He was saying that he reckoned the Tektro Auriga Comp brakes would be a pain in the ars* to maintain, especially when bleeding. He also didn't think they would perform very well.
So.... does anyone have any experience in maintaining the brakes? What are they like? And how do they perform?
"Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs

Comments

  • rob cole
    rob cole Posts: 706
    I was taling with the junior mechanic in the shop today

    junior mechanic, enough said :wink:

    Tektro manufacture the highly rated Avid Juicy brake line, and have been also making their own brakes, and for other manufacturers for years

    the Tektro Auriga is a good solid performing, reliable hydraulic disc brake for the budget market, that is starting to appear on alot of complete bikes, and is always well rated in tests, similar in performance to something like a Shimano Deore hydraulic - you would not want to go downhill racing on it, but for XC riding it will be fine

    any warranty or servicing problems are easily taken care of by Upgrade (DMR)

    its easy to bleed using a hydraulic disc brake bleed kit, similar to what you would use for Hayes or Avid
    check out my riding - www.robcole.co.uk Banshee Factory Team rider, Da Kine UK Team rider, www.freeborn.co.uk www.eshershore.com
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    The brakes are very good for the price, better feel and power than a mates Avid 5s.

    Bled mine when I first got the bike didn't really need to but I'm a bit anal when it comes to setup and it was straight forward not as easy as some but no problem

    Does your LBS actually have any working knowledge on them or are they trying to steer you onto another bike?
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    I don't think the guy I was talking too had any experience with them, more likely he was making a generalistaion about Tektro products because he mentioned a bad experience with them in the past. He was convinced that a Trek 6000 is a better bike, regardless of the obvious differences in spec.
    Does anyone know if there is a specific bleeding kit for Tektro brakes, or can you use a "generic" one off ebay?
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    I used an old medical syringe and a couple of small lengths of pipe and plastic bag zip tied on the end to catch the expelled fluid
  • artillerydave
    artillerydave Posts: 715
    CraigXXL wrote:
    I used an old medical syringe and a couple of small lengths of pipe and plastic bag zip tied on the end to catch the expelled fluid
    Ditto, I use a very similar set up. Bleeding brakes in my humble opinion is not the work of the devil as some would have you believe. I have always found it dead straightforward.