Brakes getting spongy / excessive travel!!!!

[Taffyteg]

Anyone else have problems with there brakes getting spongy after a few months riding? The brake lever travel also starts to increase which is a right pain, as when decending on some steep single tracks you struggle to get the rear to lock up. It's the rear one which gets effected the most, I have to replace the brake fluid and then all is ok. Can't imagine they are getting too hot in this weather, but when the fluid comes out - it is pretty sh1tty looking, greyish and cloudy. Will do another service and post some pics.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Which brakes do you have on your Levo mate?

 

[Taffyteg]

Which brakes do you have on your Levo mate?

It's a Comp so they are the standard SRAM Guide R ones. They only have lever position adjustment.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

It's a Comp so they are the standard SRAM Guide R ones. They only have lever position adjustment.

Ok cool. I have these too on the Comp. I can’t say that I’ve noticed it at all. Do you have any warranty left?

 

[Taffyteg]

Ok cool. I have these too on the Comp. I can’t say that I’ve noticed it at all. Do you have any warranty left?

Hmmmm probably just run out, will check on that, but I think it has just gone over a year old. I dont think its a fault though, with the lack of adjustment and potentially the seal design not stopping moisture getting through, the fluid just needs changing more regularly.
Although I could be wrong and they could be knackered.

 

[Seric]

First thing you need to do, is bleed your brakes. As you are running a bike that demands more power to slow down, you are generating more heat on the brakes and the fluid. Ones the fluid gets hotter, you will without-a doubt get air bubbles into your brakelins resulting in that spongy-feeling brakes. Easy fix and a normal service fix, is to bleed your brakes. There are tons of good videos online on how to bleed your Sram-brakes. You do need a Sram spesific bleed-kit, but brakefluids are normal DOT. ( you can mix 4.0 and 5.1). And when you are on the brakes, check your brakepads as well. If you ride in alot of wet/damp weather, the get eaten up fast!

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

First thing you need to do, is bleed your brakes. As you are running a bike that demands more power to slow down, you are generating more heat on the brakes and the fluid. Ones the fluid gets hotter, you will without-a doubt get air bubbles into your brakelins resulting in that spongy-feeling brakes. Easy fix and a normal service fix, is to bleed your brakes. There are tons of good videos online on how to bleed your Sram-brakes. You do need a Sram spesific bleed-kit, but brakefluids are normal DOT. ( you can mix 4.0 and 5.1). And when you are on the brakes, check your brakepads as well. If you ride in alot of wet/damp weather, the get eaten up fast!

Hate bleeding brakes! Bled 3 sets on the kids bikes in the last week.

 

[Taffyteg]

First thing you need to do, is bleed your brakes. As you are running a bike that demands more power to slow down, you are generating more heat on the brakes and the fluid. Ones the fluid gets hotter, you will without-a doubt get air bubbles into your brakelins resulting in that spongy-feeling brakes. Easy fix and a normal service fix, is to bleed your brakes. There are tons of good videos online on how to bleed your Sram-brakes. You do need a Sram spesific bleed-kit, but brakefluids are normal DOT. ( you can mix 4.0 and 5.1). And when you are on the brakes, check your brakepads as well. If you ride in alot of wet/damp weather, the get eaten up fast!

Thanks. Looking to try and bleed the rear again tonight and check the pads, off to Coedy next week ?
I always use dot 5.1

 

[Seric]

Hate bleeding brakes! Bled 3 sets on the kids bikes in the last week.

that's what we have our LBS for

I hate it too. Get's easily messy, and if you spill anything on your pads or discs, you're f.cked.

But ones you get to know your brake, and get the hang of it, you start doing it more often. I frequently bleed my lever only. Less messy, and an easy fix to make sure my brakes stays tight. Bleeding your lever is 1/3 of the job and the mess. Why bleed the lever only? Air goes up, and most get stuck in the reservoir of the brakelever. A guy showed me how he did it. After a ride, he takes a rubberband and locks the brake-levers agains the bars. Let them stay overnight before he takes the band off and bleeds the levers. That way he makes forces of the air-bubbles from the caliper up into the lever.

 

[Japuserid]

Every 600 miles, Fluid change, good bleed and zip tie the levers towards the grips, not silly pressure, just like you were putting the brakes on for a complete stop, and leave them over night, next day cut the ties and enjoy the feel of freshly sorted brakes. You will be surprised how dirty the fluid gets in that small amount of time.

 

[kcarbon]

no problem with brakes here ( and weather been hot ) lbs just said bring bike in 600mile (1000km ) one thing they said they do is bleed brake fluid & they use dot 5.1.

 

[Bimba]

Mine had got a bit of travel in them over the past couple of days,so had mine checked today, 900 miles done, still some meat on them but did need re-centring and the leavers adjusting, I’ve been giving some, over the past few weeks, so pleased with the durability so far!

 

[The EMF]

First thing you need to do, is bleed your brakes. As you are running a bike that demands more power to slow down, you are generating more heat on the brakes and the fluid. Ones the fluid gets hotter, you will without-a doubt get air bubbles into your brakelins resulting in that spongy-feeling brakes. Easy fix and a normal service fix, is to bleed your brakes. There are tons of good videos online on how to bleed your Sram-brakes. You do need a Sram spesific bleed-kit, but brakefluids are normal DOT. ( you can mix 4.0 and 5.1). And when you are on the brakes, check your brakepads as well. If you ride in alot of wet/damp weather, the get eaten up fast!

Every couple of months I remove the pads and de-glaze them by putting wet and dry abrasive paper 360 grit on a flat surface until they are smooth, only takes a couple of minutes each pad ant they bed in again in no time. I als clan the rotors with Wilkos disc rotor cleaner.
Works well for me

 

[The EMF]

Every couple of months I remove the pads and de-glaze them by putting wet and dry abrasive paper 360 grit on a flat surface until they are smooth, only takes a couple of minutes each pad ant they bed in again in no time. I als clan the rotors with Wilkos disc rotor cleaner.
Works well for me

I rub the pads on the wet nd dry (wet the paper) and rinse off and clean when finished and refit.
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