Hydraulic Brake Installation

[Oldie]

I didn't have much success installing my new hydraulic brakes. I had forgotten that my current mechanical disc setup uses a combined brake lever and gear shifter so I will need to order a suitable standalone shifter in due course. I just attached the new lever anyway so I now have two of them on the same side! Tricky.

However, at least it did let me try out the hydraulic front brake and it is definitely an improvement. I think (from my motorcycle experience) that there's a bit too much play in the lever before it bites. On a motorbike, I would simply bleed the offending brake but I'm not sure of the process with the Clarks M2. There's bound to be something online which I'll check out later. In the meantime, I have still to install the rear.

The other problem was attaching the stick-on brake sensor (the one that uses a magnet). Just can't figure out where to stick them. I'll eventually figure it out.

(edit) I've taken a hacksaw to the old lever to give me a bit more room and it's useable for the moment.

 

[AndyBike]

I had forgotten that my current mechanical disc setup uses a combined brake lever and gear shifter so I will need to order a suitable standalone shifter in due course

Theres always something like this overlooked. Its that one step forward, two back, but at least its sorted now.

On a motorbike, I would simply bleed the offending brake but I'm not sure of the process with the Clarks M2.

Pain in the bum.
You'll need a bleed kit with usually consists of 2 syringes, and you pump it from the caliper end to the lever instead of the other way with most systems.

Any probs, you tube is always your friend.

 

[saneagle]

I didn't have much success installing my new hydraulic brakes. I had forgotten that my current mechanical disc setup uses a combined brake lever and gear shifter so I will need to order a suitable standalone shifter in due course. I just attached the new lever anyway so I now have two of them on the same side! Tricky.

However, at least it did let me try out the hydraulic front brake and it is definitely an improvement. I think (from my motorcycle experience) that there's a bit too much play in the lever before it bites. On a motorbike, I would simply bleed the offending brake but I'm not sure of the process with the Clarks M2. There's bound to be something online which I'll check out later. In the meantime, I have still to install the rear.

The other problem was attaching the stick-on brake sensor (the one that uses a magnet). Just can't figure out where to stick them. I'll eventually figure it out.

(edit) I've taken a hacksaw to the old lever to give me a bit more room and it's useable for the moment.

You don't need to bleed bike brakes. If you have free-play in the lever, there's an adjuster to take it out as far as you want. If air got into the hose, it will come out by itself.

 

[Woosh]

I didn't have much success installing my new hydraulic brakes. I had forgotten that my current mechanical disc setup uses a combined brake lever and gear shifter so I will need to order a suitable standalone shifter in due course. I just attached the new lever anyway so I now have two of them on the same side! Tricky.

However, at least it did let me try out the hydraulic front brake and it is definitely an improvement. I think (from my motorcycle experience) that there's a bit too much play in the lever before it bites. On a motorbike, I would simply bleed the offending brake but I'm not sure of the process with the Clarks M2. There's bound to be something online which I'll check out later. In the meantime, I have still to install the rear.

The other problem was attaching the stick-on brake sensor (the one that uses a magnet). Just can't figure out where to stick them. I'll eventually figure it out.

(edit) I've taken a hacksaw to the old lever to give me a bit more room and it's useable for the moment.

You don't have to fit the hydraulic brake sensors if you don't use the throttle. They are only needed for when the throttle gets jammed during use. It's not difficult to fit on the M2. First, you plug in the hydraulic brake sensor without the magnet. The sensor is thus active, you should see error 25 if you switch on the LCD.
Move the magnet closer to the sensor's head. When it is close enough (typically under 5mm-6mm), the sensor will become inactive and error 25 will disappear. You know now how close you need to position the magnet to the sensor's head. I usually stick the magnet and the sensor body with strong 3M sticky pads and cabletie the sensor body for extra belts and braces.

About adjusting the free pull on the brake lever: use a 2.5mm allen key for that.
Sooner or later, you will need a bleed kit, they cost about £15 with a bottle of Shimano red brake fluid. If the brakes feel spongy, you only need to burp the air out the reservoir. It takes only 5 minutes to do that once a year.

 

[AndyBike]

This is what I love about Hope tech levers, both bite point and lever reach adjustment.

If buying or looking to buy hydraulics for the bike, i'd always point people towards a set of 2nd hand Hopes.
You'll pick up a bikes worth on ebay with a bit of luck for the same price as new cheapies, and the Hopes will still be 10x better.

eg.

Hope Is Mount Single Pot Rear Brake Metal Hose | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hope Is Mount Single Pot Rear Brake Metal Hose at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[StuartsProjects]

As with all Hopes, spares are available, even for a 25 yr old pair like these, and these brakes in paticular are far more powerful than anything Clarkes does. Not dissimilar in power to an M4

I had my Hope M4 twin cylinder brakes recently serviced by Hope when they were around 20years old. Powerful brakes.

 

[AndyBike]

I had my Hope M4 twin cylinder brakes recently serviced by Hope when they were around 20years old. Powerful brakes.

That post(which I removed) was referring to a pair of C2's.
C2's have 26mm pistons, which are the same diameter as their V2 DH brake.