Hello, I'm Richie-I bought the Crossfuse about 18mnths ago and my brakes are starting to feel loose but I don't know how to adjust liquid brakes. A good YouTube tutorial link might be all I need. I've just been looking to find the exact Shimano brake set-there's this code on the front brake cable SM-BH59, experts can have a chuckle if this is a break housing number

It depends what you mean by loose. If they're spongey, there's air in the tube, which often happens if you invert the bike, like you do when you fix a puncture. To get it out, you position the bike so that the hose is uphill all the way to the lever. That doesn't mean net uphill. It means without any downhills so that the bubbles go up into the lever. Pump the lever a few times in that position to remove it.

 

If there's free-play before the lever does anything, there's an adjuster screw for that where the lever presses on the cylinder.

 

Don't forget to check your pads because worn pads can cause problems too.

cheers saneagle, it has indeed been inverted more than once as my rear tyre is getting worn so a couple of punctures..I'll have a look see but there is play before pumping the lever so I shall investigate the adjustment screws !

Adjustment is a small allen screw , 1.5mm - 2mm approx allen keysize.

Check pad wear as well .

 

BH59 is the hose bore type used which is the std hose used on most bikes.

Some over time may upgrade to BH90 with a fractional smaller bore and an uplift in brake performamce.

Edited January 7, 20251 yr by Nealh

Get yourself a bleed kit, only a few quid, and some proper Shimano mineral oil brake fluid, you will need to bleed them eventually.

 

The cheaper Shimano hydraulics like MT200 work pretty well, and are easy to bleed, but the pistons don't always adjust their resting position as the pads wear, like a car's brakes do, so you can end up with a lot of lost movement before they bite. New pads will help, and keeping the calipers nice and clean will too.

LHM+ can be used with mineral oil brakes.

You tube will instruct you on how to bleed the brake you have. The part number will be on the brake caliper.

With that type it into YT with the words How to bleed Shimano Hydraulic M315 - I'll hazard a guess its an M315, given thats whats specced on the current Crossfuse model - Though if you have an earlier model it might be an M200, but it doesnt matterr, wil be the same more or less.

 

In fact, done it for you

You tube will instruct you on how to bleed the brake you have. The part number will be on the brake caliper.

With that type it into YT with the words How to bleed Shimano Hydraulic M315 - I'll hazard a guess its an M315, given thats whats specced on the current Crossfuse model - Though if you have an earlier model it might be an M200, but it doesnt matterr, wil be the same more or less.

 

In fact, done it for you

There should be no need to bleed normal bike hydraulic brakes unless you've dismantled them.

There should be no need to bleed normal bike hydraulic brakes unless you've dismantled them.

 

 

Fair enough, that is your opinion, which differs from every cycling mechanic on the Planet Earth, but is how you do it.

So lets just let the bloke bleed them the accepted way, and given he's had it for a while, fresh mineral oil wont hurt.

Cycling mechanics can't earn /make money if they don't bleed them.

My self I have only bled them when up grading system components.

Cycling mechanics can't earn /make money if they don't bleed them.

My self I have only bled them when up grading system components.

 

Team mechanics do the same thing, as do motorcycle mechanics, as well as car mechanics.Diesel fitters, inc every bus company in the land, car and truck, bike manufacturers.

 

It's a bit of a stretch to suggest its all just a big conspiracy, and a couple of amateurs know better.

Edited January 9, 20251 yr by AndyBike

One suspects it is partly a hang over from days of DOT fluid brakes.

Saying that Hope are still DOT whilst most other brands are mineral oil.

 

But we are generally talking day to day average type of bike riding where tbh there is no need to keep messing with bleeding mineral brakes on bikes.

I've fixed a couple of kids' bikes locally, which did need bleeding. Low mileage, fairly new, but lever all the way to the bars. Back to perfect after bleeding. I can't explain how they came to need bleeding, but they did.

One suspects they may have been poorly bled from day one !!!

 

With mineral if it ain't broke thern don't go looking for something that doesn't need fixing as we arn't taking DOT.

One suspects they may have been poorly bled from day one !!!

 

With mineral if it ain't broke thern don't go looking for something that doesn't need fixing as we arn't taking DOT.

Might have been 'continual upside down child syndrome'.

Having a brake upside down isnt really going to cause issues, unless there is air already in the system.

Adjustment is a small allen screw , 1.5mm - 2mm approx allen keysize.

Check pad wear as well .

 

BH59 is the hose bore type used which is the std hose used on most bikes.

Some over time may upgrade to BH90 with a fractional smaller bore and an uplift in brake performamce.

 

Ah yes, I had a feeling that I was probably wrong re BH59, thanks for the clarification !

And just to infuriate all who've joined the bleed debate so far I'm afraid I haven't fixed the problem yet-need to get a full allen key set first.... Thank you for everyone who's contributed !