My training as a wrench is about done, I shortened my hydraulic brake lines.

[DRZRM]

I have to say, trimming my own hydraulic lines always scared me and I did it in the shop. For years--decades really--headsets installation and removal, disc brake installation and wheel building were the final things that sent me running to the shop. Over the last few years I've built wheels, bought a headset press, and finally this morning, I shortened my own Shimano disc brake cables. I'm very proud of myself, how much are mechanics making these days, more than historians?

[Bruce K]

Hydro or cable?

Title said hydro - you got them bled, too?

If cable, tough to adjust, so good on you.

BK

[eBAUMANN]

ha! way to go, ive always avoided that myself...

[Llewellyn]

It's one job I'm too frightened to try myself. I've got a bike with a front line that probably needs shortening but I don't ride it enough to justify getting a shop to do it.

[pcxmbfj]

I've stayed with Avid hydros because I could shorten hoses and bleed the lines.
DOT fluid is a pain because it will remove paint.
Have a set of new Shimano that uses mineral oil in the bin for the inevitable need to replace old Avids or now SRAM.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Which special tools did you actually use?
The one to press the new end in?

Wheel building is the one I have avoided. I just find that a built wheel and a well built wheel are not the same thing.

[MattTuck]

For some reason I thought you were some kind of surgeon... I figure this would be easy compared to that!

[nighthawk]

No previous hyrdo brake experience... and I was able to install the Shimano R685 hyrdo/mechanic brakes... cutting and installing lines, adding mineral oil, bleeding lines.. all went surprisingly smooth. There's not a lot of how-to online right now.. but I bet that will get better soon. I don't think working with hydraulic brakes is beyond anyone who is comfortable doing other mechanical bike things.

[foo_fighter]

Do you recommend the fancy bleed kits? There is a relatively cheap Shimano kit on Ebay/Amazon that has syringes instead of a bag or cup. There is a also a SRAM pro bleed kit for their systems. Did you have to buy spare olives?

I'm going to have to shorten both RS685 and Force22 Hydros on a couple of new builds. Having just built 2 sets of wheels, Shortening/Bleeding Hydros was also on my mechanic aptitude list.(Though I've done it on my car a few times) Next will be overhauling MTB suspension.

[nighthawk]

Do you recommend the fancy bleed kits? There is a relatively cheap Shimano kit on Ebay/Amazon that has syringes instead of a bag or cup. There is a also a SRAM pro bleed kit for their systems. Did you have to buy spare olives?

I'm going to have to shorten both RS685 and Force22 Hydros on a couple of new builds. Having just built 2 sets of wheels, Shortening/Bleeding Hydros was also on my mechanic aptitude list.(Though I've done it on my car a few times) Next will be overhauling MTB suspension.

For the initial install I used a pretty basic Shimano kit with syringe, bleed tube and funnel (cup). The R685 levers came with bags and all the hardware for installing the lines. I used everything (installed funnel at lever, injected oil with syringe through caliper, removed syringe and used bleed tube and bag to remove air bubbles from line). Not sure what else is in the prokit... But I would say it is not necessary.

[DRZRM]

So this was a XT MTB hydro brake, and I have a bleed kit that I bought with the brakes, but I didn't have to use it in this case. I watched a bunch of different videos and kind of freaked myself out over it, folks go from the banjo end at the brake, and they say tons of fluid will spurt out when you cut. I did not find this to be the case. This was the video that gave me the courage to try, and my experience reflected his pretty much to a T. I cut from the lever end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDq44SCMygI

The brakes came with the yellow two piece cable holder, a replacement olive, and the press in. I used my Park cable cutter, a vice, an 8 mm spanner wrench, and an ice pick to round out the cut cable and to start the little press in piece in, then I tapped it in with a rubber mallet. Very little fluid came out at all, and most of what did came from the cut piece of cable when i pulled it out.
I tapped the cable when I finished to get any bubbles to float up to the reservoir, and the feel at the lever felt the same as before the procedure.


Foo_fighter, you remind me that I am still terrified of overhauling MTB suspension forks. That will be my final frontier.

Wheel building is the one I have avoided. I just find that a built wheel and a well built wheel are not the same thing.

I've built six sets of wheels and I they are all going strong. I used the standard books for research, and I'm not sure there is that much magic to it. My DT Swiss Tension Meter helps, but it feels pretty straightforward if you just follow the directions. Of course as a Clydesdale I only build 32 hole wheels on strong rims, so maybe its a question of how wrong you can actually go. If I were building 20/24 maybe I'd feel very different. I'm proudest of the offset 100 mm wide wheels on my fatbike, I was amazed when those became round.

[JAGI410]

We use something like this at the shop, its ridiculously simple, and most brakes don't need to be bled afterwards

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=44653&category=217

[oldpotatoe]

I have to say, trimming my own hydraulic lines always scared me and I did it in the shop. For years--decades really--headsets installation and removal, disc brake installation and wheel building were the final things that sent me running to the shop. Over the last few years I've built wheels, bought a headset press, and finally this morning, I shortened my own Shimano disc brake cables. I'm very proud of myself, how much are mechanics making these days, more than historians?

Hardly. At the shop, we charged $35 to bleed one brake, plus parts. The 'parts' can be a challenge, with unique to brake system, fittings, banjo plugs, olives, bleed kits, ports, pads, fluid blah, blah, blah. Still basics apply..fill system, leave an end open, tap, tap, tap to remove air bubbles..close system.

[foo_fighter]

My Shop charges $20 if a bleed isn't required and $40 if bleeding is needed. That's per line. Curiously, it cost me $99 to have all 4 brakes on my car flushed...but there is only 1 master cylinder.

I think I'll pick up 2 bleed kits to make it easier, 1 for shimano and 1 for Sram/Avid.

[tuscanyswe]

Ive stayed away from this for the most part. The few times i did it, it took a long time and the jobs wasn't perfect either :/

Good on you! Its a very nice feeling to know you can fix most / all of the things on a bike yourself. Esp when so many other things today is throw away and buy new.

Id really like to handy around cars but don't c that happening anytime soon.

[peanutgallery]

New shimano brakes are a breeze. One more reason they are better than craptastic sram. Good to work past the fear and doing it

unbolt line from the lever, cut to length with shimano cable clippers, round out the line with a pick, install acorn. They come with a 2 plastic pieces that allow you grip the line as you install the needle looking fitting. Bolt the line back in. Viola, make sure you do not squeeze the lever. Key point

Helpful when you get sets from the fish and chip sites that have the levers reversed, they come with everything you need. shimano brakes this is good enough until you destroy them some way, usually takes 5 years or so of hard use. Never had to bled a set after doing this

[tkbike]

My Shop charges $20 if a bleed isn't required and $40 if bleeding is needed. That's per line. Curiously, it cost me $99 to have all 4 brakes on my car flushed...but there is only 1 master cylinder.

I think I'll pick up 2 bleed kits to make it easier, 1 for shimano and 1 for Sram/Avid.
I think I am in the wrong business...I can cut and bleed my XTR's in 20 minutes(10 minutes an end). Guides a little longer, 30 minutes(15 minutes an end)! Maybe a side job in my retirement, 80 to 120 an hour...😀

[vqdriver]

First time can be intimidating. Thereafter not so much.
I find it harder to figure out which olives, barbs, etc I need.

[BMS]

Thats an impressive fix for hydraulic brakes. I bled my mountain bike brakes last weekend and that was a job... I didn't shorten the cables though!