Bleeding hydraulic brakes: an overview with exampleses

Brake bleeding isn’t a task you’ll regularly need to carry out. The occasional service and fluid change is necessary but otherwise, as long as the system is kept free from air, you can forget about fettling and just go and ride. However, if air has managed to get into the system you’ll need to get the tools out.

The bleeding procedure doesn’t vary between the two fluid types – the aim is the same, though the method may differ from model to model. Both types of fluid will ’wear out’ over time; DOT should last a year or so if you’re doing a lot of heavy braking (ie riding or racing downhill) and up to four times that if you’re just hitting the trails once a week. Mineral oil doesn’t last as long and should be checked every six months or so; pop the cap off the reservoir and if the oil has lost its pinkish tinge or turned cloudy, it should be replaced. Don’t be tempted to treat brake bleeding as a regular task. Unless there’s actually something wrong with the performance of your brake, fiddling with…

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