Avid Elixir 5

slothboy
slothboy Posts: 6
edited November 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi,

I have an Orange Crush 2011 and am really pleased with it. Well I was until the last ride i went out on. The brakes have never felt particularly sharp but they have now got to the point that when I pull the leave fully on the brakes don't do an awful lot.

To put it into context I can still pedal forward whilst holding the front brake almost fully on. To me it feels like they either need bleeding or the pads are just rubbish. The bike is only a couple of month old and I am working on the assumption that Orange bleed the brakes before they shipped the bike.

Has anyone else had this problem with these brakes? Or has anyone got any suggestions?

Cheers.

Comments

  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Orange won't bleed the brakes they will be done the in SRAM factory.

    Sometimes they are done poorly.

    I have them too and have not had any problems.

    If you can and have the kit I would sugest a bleed.

    But are you sure the lever is wound right out and you've not contaminated the pads with something?
  • Hi,

    not sure I could have contaminated them as the wheels haven't been off the bike. Unless they have been contaminated when cleaning the bike.

    I think i will invest in the bleeding kit and try and bleed them out over the weekend.

    In terms of winding the lever right out, what do you mean. Sorry am very new to bike maintenance.

    Cheers for the reply.
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    What did you clean the bike with?

    The lever has a dial where the lever ends and the clamp starts (reach adjustment) - but if you've not adjusted it and it's changed all of a sudden it's unlikely to be this.

    Are both brakes the same?
  • I just clean the bike with water (jet wash) so I don't think its likely that the pads have been contaminated.

    Both brakes are pretty bad to be honest. I think I'll buy the bleeding kit and try that first.

    Cheers.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    If the lever is spongy and moving more than before they may need a bleed.
    If there is just no power it's more likely pads.
    And don't use a jetwash. Too powerful and water will get in the seals - forks BB etc, and cause chaos and mayhem.
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  • So i went out for a ride last night and my brakes have mysteriously come back to me. I have no idea why because I have not adjusted anything and have only cleaned the bike.

    Very very strange!

    Cheers for all the advice.

    Simon
  • Hi,

    I've had my Orange Crush for about 3 months now, a few weeks ago my front brake was making a catching noise that wouldn't go away and the next day or so the brake lever just went spongey and the front brake didn't work, and so I took the pads out to investigate - although I've never touches these type of brakes before in my life!

    I couldn't see anything obvious that might cause a problem and so I pumped the brake a couple of time, without the pads in, then I couldn't get the pads in again after that. Luckily my mate had a bleed kit, we managed to bleed them and get the pads back in, but the brake lever was still very spongey and didn't do anything. When I started riding it there were a couple of clicks and it started working again, better than before.

    Now the other day, the front brake lever has gone very spongey again, it still works, slightly, only when pulled right in. Why do you think that is? I've bought my mates bleed kit off his so I can give it another bleed and see what happens, but do you think I've buggered it up? Or could it be a faulty brake or something?

    Any advise would be helpful thanks.
  • Hi,

    Not too sure what to suggest. Like I said I just left mine and they came back to me. The lever is still a little spongy but they work really well. All I did was ride the bike in really muddy conditions and all my mates breaks got worse while mine got better. Been out a couple of times now in the dry and they rock!

    Sorry not helpful to you, but it might just be a case of riding with them for a while.

    Cheers,

    Simon
  • 02gf74
    02gf74 Posts: 1,168
    are you bleeding them correctly?

    take a peek at this
  • Apologies if I'm stating the obvious , how worn are your pads ? They can wear away in a few rides in extreme conditions.

    The first time my pads went , I thought it was hydraulic problems , it never occurred to me they could wear out so fast ! They would work , then not , then pressure up again.

    It really can be just a millimetre of pad wear that makes a difference . Try a new set of pads just for elimination , you'll need 'em sooner or later anyway. 8)