Front brake lever travel?

[scotty217]

So on my Bikesafe course (see new thread in Bike talk) one of the instructors had a squeeze of my front brake lever when bike standing still. He didn't say anything but he's made me a bit paranoid. Now as far as I'm aware my brakes give me good braking effort, I've never failed to stop (good thing really , but you know what I mean) and when I've squeezed more they've braked more.

But if you squeeze hard enough at a stand still i can get the lever back to the bar. I've got newish pads and disks (about 500 miles new) on the front and also new fluid. I've bled them til i'm blue in the face, and I've got fluid only coming outta the nipples with no air bubbles.

Any one have any thoughts?...Questions?

[k1ngy SV]

thought about changing your lever setting ?

[Elliott]

Could also be air in the system. A re-bleed will sort that out.

[sunshine]

cable tie the brake lever to the handle bar over night, air will rise through the system, if that doesnt stiffen it up re-bleed.

[speedyandypandy]

For quick bleeding I use three bleeding points, the bleeding points on the calipers and the banjobolt on the mc.

[Shawthing]

Master cylinder refurb or braided lines may be needed

[Dave-the-rave]

Maybe you're being paranoid. See below for a clue...


So on my Bikesafe course (see new thread in Bike talk) one of the instructors had a squeeze of my front brake lever when bike standing still. He didn't say anything but he's made me a bit paranoid. Now as far as I'm aware my brakes give me good braking effort, I've never failed to stop (good thing really , but you know what I mean) and when I've squeezed more they've braked more.

But if you squeeze hard enough at a stand still i can get the lever back to the bar. I've got newish pads and disks (about 500 miles new) on the front and also new fluid. I've bled them til i'm blue in the face, and I've got fluid only coming outta the nipples with no air bubbles.

Any one have any thoughts?...Questions?

[scotty217]

Ok thanks all, will look into all of these. How do you bleed the banjo bolt on the master cylinder? And how does ty wrapping the lever release air?

Thanks again

[svrich]

Undo the banjo bolt very slightly as you squeeze the brakes on, then tighten as the lever touches the bar. holding the lever back to the bar will open the system and allow any air to rise up the lines and into the resevoir. I had to do all three points and wire the lever back several times, when I fitted braided lines, before the 'solid' feel came.

[scotty217]

ok, an update. I tie wrapped my lever back last night and adjusted my lever setting. and all is much better. Yeah I was being a bit paranoid but after all the brake work i did i feel that my brakes are much better overall. They were never bad they are just better now.

Anyway thanks all, and I'll keep the tie wrap and banjo bolt tips for later.

[mikerj]

cable tie the brake lever to the handle bar over night, air will rise through the system, if that doesnt stiffen it up re-bleed.

No, the air doesn't rise any easier with the system pressurised than when it's not (why would it?). What this bodge does is to allow some of the air to dissolve into the fluid - but it inevitably comes back out again.