Avid Elixer 1 Adjustment ?

Proz

Hello all
The brakes on my bike are Avid Elixer 1 ... now I know they don't get good reviews but for my biking use they'll do ... cant really afford to upgrade the just now anyway .
Now the back brake is fine although squeals now and then but feels like it has a lot of stopping power .

However my front has become so poor that even with the lever pulled all the way in to the handlebar I can still move the bike .
I did have the brakes bled by a friend a while ago but this seems like a new problem.

Can I adjust the front for better stopping power ? I don't want to go over the bars but it just feels poor .

I have googled and looked on Avid site but cant find what im looking for :-/

Thanks in advance .

lpretro1

Sounds like your pads are worn out

Proz

lpretro1 wrote:

Sounds like your pads are worn out

Sorry I never said but its just had new pads put in when the brakes were bled ... these ones... Clarks VRX841C Sintered Disc Brake Pads for Avid . I saw on internet that these were good for stopping the horrendous squeal from Avids.
Seemed fine to begin with and back is still fine .
Is there a better brand of pads to use ?

kajjal

Sounds like you may need to bleed your front brake.

WindyG

Try advancing your pads first before bleeding, remove the wheel pull the lever so the pads have about a 1mm gap then ease the pads back a little so you can refit the wheel, the pads will then be set correctly.

Proz

WindyG wrote:

Try advancing your pads first before bleeding, remove the wheel pull the lever so the pads have about a 1mm gap then ease the pads back a little so you can refit the wheel, the pads will then be set correctly.

Ok thanks ... I'll try this tomorrow .

gavt0333

If they were fine to begin with then they need a bleed. Advancing the pads will only work if they are newly installed and haven't been set right. It sounds like you need to bleed the front. Sadly bleeding Avid brakes is a bit of a nightmare and you need to set aside some time to do it, assuming you have the kit. One of the key fundamentals is making sure the reach adjustment is set as far out as possible whilst still allowing oil to move through the system. You should look it up on youtube as to the actual bleeding procedure. I have found avids need a huge amount of tender loving care compared to the hope's and shimano's I have. Best of luck!

The Rookie

Tosh....

If the pistons are sitting off the disc then the pads need advancing, and how did the air get in you propose bleeding out?