What is the norm for how often XTR brakes should be bled? I'm getting varying opinions. One mechanic said once a year but mine have been bled way more than that. Matter of fact, the other day the levers went all the way to the grips so I had them bled and now they are fine. What causes them to be needed to be bled anyway? Why do the levers occasionally go to the grips? Thanks! Sign me: Ms. No mechanical brain
maybe you need new brake lines. when they go to the bars, it means there is usually air in the line, which would cause the brake not to work well. if you need to do it more than that maybe you should look into getting new brake lines
Cables in a hydro brake? I bet you've got a leak somewhere. Take the brakes off the bike, clean them up as best you can, then stick a rotor between the pads, and pump them a bunch of times. Pull the pads, and inspect all over for signs of oil.
Hydraulic brakes only need to be bled when there is air in the lines. It shouldn't be a regular thing dictated by time periods. Like the others have said, you either have a leak in the system somewhere or the mechanic did a poor job of bleeding them in the first place.
Make sure that you never squeeze the brake lever when the bike is upside down. There is usually a small amount of air in the reservoir, which can get into the brake line if you squeeze the lever when the bike is not upright.
It's less important with mineral oil, because it doesn't take on water like DOT does. I've got a pair of really old Deores that I was too lazy to bleed for 5+ years, and they were fine. One developed a small crack in the hose, so I had to replace that, and there was no appreciable change in performance from the 5 year old oil and the new bleed.
