Soggy grip on brakes

MagnePange

Hello!

I ride a Canyon Strive with Avid Elexir 5 brakes.
The lever feels really soggy and I almost "bottom out" at the handlebar beafore I get any reaction from the brakes.
I have tried to change pads - no difference.

Any suggestion what to do next?
Bleed the breaks?

Thank´s and sorry for my poetic way to describe my problem. Hope you got the question right - english is only a school langue to me. Expressed in a different way: brakes works but you have to pull the lever a really long distance beafore it reacts . I like the oppostite: aggresive and fast response (more poetry...sorry..)

Cheers
MP.

supersonic

You may need to 'advance the pads':

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=ca ... 0sUS5A5l7g

oxocube1

Failing that ^^^, you could use the adjuster screw at the hinge of the lever to push it out and create more lever travel. Turning the screw clockwise will extend the travel and move the biting point for the brake further forward.

If what Supersonic or I said doesn't work then yea, bleed them.

cooldad

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is NOT a solution. Lever travel is not for adjusting bite point.

386ka

@cooldad, actually, his advice has a point, and also is explained correctly. If you don't have bite point adjustment you could potentially extend the lever travel for the brake to engage sooner.

cooldad

It's not the solution. A bodge maybe but that's all.

386ka

Not the root of the problem, but may cure the symptoms, that's all.

cooldad

Like penicillan curing a hooker problem.

cooldad

They're Elixer 5's, shouldn't need to bodge them.

supersonic

Reach adjust - depends on the mechanism. Some just move the lever independantly of where the bite point appears to be.

MagnePange

Thank´s for the post Supersonic!

I will give it a try and buy a bleed kit at CRC anyway - since that seems to be something that needs to be done at a regular base.

Cheers!
MP

YeehaaMcgee

If they need regular bleeding, then there's a leak somewhere.

oxocube1

MP you can get an avid bleed kit off eBay for a third of the price for one off CRC. It's not 'Avid' branded but you get everything you would need in a kit that cost £10 instead of the Avid one which is £30.

MagnePange

oxocube1 wrote:

MP you can get an avid bleed kit off eBay for a third of the price for one off CRC. It's not 'Avid' branded but you get everything you would need in a kit that cost £10 instead of the Avid one which is £30.

Thank´s- lucky me that have been lazy. Still snow up here anyway. I will fore sure check it out!

/MP

MagnePange

100% better after the bleed.

Thank´s

bennett_346

For future reference, if they don't need bled but have a long lever throw using a bleed block slightly thinner than the stock Avid one fills the system more and makes the lever throw shorter. So is a way of adjusting the bite point really.