So i turned this bi...
 

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[Closed] So i turned this bike upside down &...

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Now the front brake won't work!

Tektro Auriga's on a cheapy 2nd hand Boardman hybrid.

Bought it cheap to do up & use in winter, needed pads & a good clean so I stripped it down, cleaned everything & put fresh pads in. When I stood it back up there's no front brake (pumped the rear lever a few times & it's now ok) Obs I need to bleed it (where's the air come from?)

Do I need to obtain a full bleed kit or can I get away with just a bleed adapter seeing as I seem to have everything else?

All my other brakes are Hopes so Iv'e never needed bleed kits before (smug **** that I am) 😉

Thanks!


 
Posted : 09/11/2018 8:38 pm
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Could try putting bike right way up, then rubber band around lever to hold it on and leave over night..... with the occasional tapping of the caliper/ hose/ lever as you walk past occasionally. Worked for me a few times on different brakes though.


 
Posted : 09/11/2018 8:42 pm
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My leaky Deores do that - flick it vigorously until stiff as I heard Stephen Fry say tonight (I really did, Audible, Victorian Secrets)


 
Posted : 09/11/2018 9:14 pm
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It always had a bad bleed, it just hadn't messed you up yet. Older aurigas could be bled without any kit, don't know about yours though


 
Posted : 09/11/2018 9:34 pm
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Piston may be stuck, try pumping the lever whilst wedging each piston in turn.  It doubles the movement so will help the piston get past a sticky seal that is stopping it self adjusting.


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 5:50 am
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simple - you have a tiny bit of air in the reservoir that went into the line when it was upside down - probably you pulled the lever slightly to open the ports in the master cylinder.  .  A bleed will get rid of it but a quick fix is just to turn it right way up, take the wheel out and push the pads back into the calliper - this will push the bubble back into the reservoir where it will do no harm. ( until next time you hit the lever with the bike upside down)

Simple 30 second fix.


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 7:51 am
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Thanks Jeremy, If the 'tying the lever back to the bars overnight with a shoelace' trick hasn't worked I'll give that a go.

I'm reluctant to buy a bleed kit I'll probably never use again.

(Pistons are both free & move slightly on pulling da lever)


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 8:04 am
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Now the front brake won’t work!

Bit strange that is... - but a known hassle.

Worst: to actuate the brake when the bike is upside down.

Air bubbles are caught in a spot where they create trouble now. Not a specific Tektro issue. Shimano brakes do this as well...


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 9:29 am
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That's why I'm probably going to retro-fit good old cable BB7s to my Longitude if I ever do a long bikepacking trip !

Something less to go wrong.


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 4:37 pm
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The shoelace trick worked. Thanks for everyone's input!


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 4:53 pm
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when closing the lever to get the air out, surely you should have opened the reseviour too , let the air bubble out and then add a little brake fluid too.Then put it back together.  This would remove the air completely


 
Posted : 10/11/2018 6:47 pm

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