{"id":47542,"date":"2023-04-03T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=1063"},"modified":"2023-04-03T16:34:26","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T14:34:26","slug":"how-to-bleed-shimano-disc-brakes","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-to-bleed-shimano-disc-brakes\/","title":{"rendered":"How to bleed Shimano disc brakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tips and tricks to bleed your stoppers\u00a0 <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 03 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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If the hydraulic disc brakes on your bike are feeling spongy at the lever or lack power, it may be a sign they need to be bled.<\/p>\n

Brake bleeding is the process of removing any bubbles of air from a hydraulic system and replacing old brake fluid<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over time, hydraulic disc brake<\/a> systems take in air, affecting performance and lever feel.<\/p>\n

Even if the brakes don\u2019t feel spongy, it\u2019s worth bleeding your brakes annually so the fluid is kept fresh.<\/p>\n

In this guide, we\u2019ll take you through the bleed process. We\u2019ve also included a guide to burp-bleeding, which is effectively a shorter version of the bleed process. This might work as a half-way house solution if the system was recently fully bled or if you\u2019ve shortened the hose on your bike.<\/p>\n

How to bleed Shimano disc brakes<\/h2>\n
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Brake bleeding is the process of flushing out any old brake fluid and air bubbles from the system.<\/span><\/figcaption> Kaden Gardener \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

This guide follows Shimano\u2019s official method for 12-speed drop-bar hydraulic disc brakes, with a few small tips and tricks to improve the quality and ease of the bleed.<\/p>\n

The bleeding process is largely identical to all other modern Shimano disc brake systems, including flat-bar mountain bike brakes.<\/p>\n

The levers need to be rotated to certain angles (this is referred to as \u2018burp positions\u2019) during different points of the bleed process. These positions differ across levers. You can check the specific positions required for your lever on Shimano\u2019s technical documentation.<\/p>\n

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Only use genuine Shimano mineral oil.<\/span><\/figcaption> Kaden Gardener \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Shimano brakes use mineral oil. Because mineral oil is not regulated, we recommend you use genuine Shimano brake fluid for the best performance.<\/p>\n

Do not use DOT fluid or use a bleed kit that was used previously with a different fluid. Using the wrong fluid can destroy the seals and lead to brake failure.<\/p>\n

Tools required<\/h3>\n
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A Shimano bleed kit will include most of the tools required for the job.<\/span><\/figcaption> Kaden Gardener \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n