Enough with the alliteration.

I plan on re-bleeding my brakes this week. After installing new brake pads/rotors on the front and rear a couple weeks ago, I noticed the braking has become a little spongy, especially in the rear. Also, I noticed after a long ride, only one of the front brake rotors has any heat in it. I noticed I'm not getting the same front brake performance that I used it.

I know the fronts of these are notoriously difficult to bleed correctly, and I spent 2 hours bleeding these fronts and apparently I still didn't get ALL the air out.

I am borrowing a co-workers back brake bleeder this week. SoI am going to bleed the system from the calipers up. Has anyone done this before? What is the procedure for doing the fronts?

Thanks

 

Bleeding the brakes is very easy with two pairs of hands, and a PITA with only one. So if you don't have any kids of your own, borrow one from the neighbors. Just make sure your assistant understands not to open the bleed valve until you tell him/her to.

 

Oh yes. I know about the joys of bleeding brakes on your own. My question is anyone back bled brakes before? Where you bleed from the calipers up.

 

Back bleeding is one way to do it. Take some fluid out of the reservoir and force fluid back up using a large syringe (available at a grocery store) and some tubing/vacuum line. It's really easy. Just be sure to go slow, keep air from going up in there, and COVER YOUR TANK AND OTHER PARTS. Brake fluid splatter will mess things up in a hurry.

 

Ok great. This Back bleeding system I'm using is made from an insecticide/herbicide sprayer. It uses head pressure to force fluid through the system. No chance of getting air in the system either.

Seems pretty simple enough, but I wasn't sure if you had to pump the brakes at all through the process.

 

This looks more difficult and prone to screw ups, either the syringe slips and you get air in there and need to start over, or you end up splashing fluid all over your gauges, tank, etc. What's the reason to do it this way rather than top down?

 

Can't get all the air out. With such a vertical hydraulic system, its no surprise. Air wants to bubble up, but you keep trying to force it down to the bleed nipples.

These bikes are notoriously difficult to bleed the conventional way.