Hydraulic disc brakes are they worth the hassle

teulk

Are these worth the trouble ? I assumed that perhaps they were similar to car brakes i.e use brake fluid and that brake fluid gets compressed when you pull the lever which in turn puts pressure on the pads hense stopping your bike, i also assumed that perhaps once a year you would need to bleed then just to renew the fluid.

It seems however from what ive been reading in the forums that air seems to some how get into the brake lines and they have to be bled - how does air get into a sealed unit so to speak ? Some poeple say their brakes are easy to bleed and others seem to have a right nightmare doing it.

Im looking at getting a boardman team Mountain Bike with Avid Elixir R hydraulic discs but im seriously being put off purely due to the possible high maintenance of the brakes.

Am i right to be put off hydraulic brakes or are there really very few problems with them ?

nicklouse

teulk
yes they are like car brakes.
dont wory about them.

Most problems come from people constantly fiddling with them.

the only thing to remember is when the wheels are out put something clean between the pads.

teulk

Thanks for the quick reply, so how often would i be looking at having to bleed them if they are not "fiddled" with - once in a blue moon ?

nicklouse

when they need it. 1 to 3 years. depending on use.

how often do you get your cars brakes bled? once every 5 years?

antfly

I had no problem with them and never bled them then I tried to change pads.What a bleedin nightmare,excuse the pun.

ozzzyosborn206

there are so much worth it, they need far less maintanence than cable brakes and work oh so much better, the fact the bike comes with them would be a reason to get it imo, i have had them on several different bikes over the years and only had to bleed one pair and they were about 6 years old and was easy as pie

Dirtydog11

Are they worth the trouble???

I don't know who you've been talking to.

They are no trouble. Unlike V's which need constant readjustment as they wear.

In my experience I change the pads once a year. Pretty much fit and forget.

As far as bleedng is concerned there should be no need to unless they've been taken apart for some reason maybe new hoses or something.

If your particularly fussy then you may want to change the fluid every couple of years as it has a natural tendency to absorb water over prelonged periods of time.

But the exact same applies to your car.

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Northwind

Most times when people say they need to "rebleed" it's one of 3 things...

1) Didn't do it right the first tme
2) DIdn't have enough fluid in the reservoir, so when the pads wore down it sucked air into the piston
3) Faulty parts/fitting.

Hydros are great, far easier to deal with than cables IMO. Especially with the right tool (a cheap syringe and a bit of hose, for most brakes) But then I'm used to cantis, which were an exercise in pain to set up

canada16

Have had magura louise for 2 years, never needed a bleed and have not touched them.

Great, but they squeel like a mother in the rain

MrChuck

I've not bled mine yet in over a year. They are pretty much fit and forget. But...

In my experience I change the pads once a year.

I think this is the exception! All depends on the conditions and where you ride but be prepared to change them a lot more frequently than that. If the pads aren't bedded in properly and conditions are bad they can disappear in just a few rides, although generally they will last much much longer.

ride_whenever

Never bled my hopes, although the front could probably use it cos i think i let some air in moving a banjo fitting.

canada16

I have went through 3 sets in like 6 months.

But the first two were because devil juice got stuck on them,, WD-40

supersonic

They can go wrong ie spring leaks, pistons stick, rotors bend etc, but all systems have pros and cons.

Vs, hydros and mechanical all have their place for certain riders.

Stephen-Hawking

OP

Yes.

balchy88

there a pain in the arse when you get lube on your pads, had to take out my pads, sand them and put them under the grill, nearly went over the handle bars, better than new now

Daz555

balchy88 wrote:

there a pain in the ars* when you get lube on your pads, had to take out my pads, sand them and put them under the grill, nearly went over the handle bars, better than new now

Yeah, contaminated discs/pads are a pain in the backside but it happens with cable disc brakes as well. I tend to drape a carrier bag over my discs when I'm doing anything that might result in oil on the discs.

If you think you have got lube on the disc the best thing is to clean it straight away with isopropyl alcohol before you use the brake - that way it does not end up on your pads.

passout

Yes.

Consider Magura - ultr areliable and low maintenance. Powerful stoppers & good value too.

joshtp

dont be an ideot! disks are by far and away the best thing ever! i would argue that they are actually less maintence than bable brakes, not having to change cables for incetance.