Warning: I stopped using disc brake bleed kits after a shop floor disaster in Portland

I was working on a customer's mountain bike at a shop in Portland last March. I had their SRAM brake bleed kit all set up, and when I pulled the syringe off, the fitting snapped and sprayed DOT fluid all over a $3,000 frame. The owner told me I should try the gravity bleed method instead, and I thought he was crazy at first. Now I only gravity bleed every bike that comes through and I haven't had a single mess since. Am I the only one who switched off the kits after a bad experience?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettymurphy1mo ago

Ngl, I had a similar scare with a Shimano bleed kit on a road bike. That plastic fitting just gave out and fluid went everywhere. I switched to gravity bleeding too, and it's wild how much simpler it is. You just hang the caliper above the lever and let it drip, no chance of snapping anything. Plus you actually see all the bubbles come out on their own.

james_martin931mo ago

Honestly, gravity bleeding is the way to go once you've dealt with a mess like that. That plastic fitting popping off is terrifying, especially when you've got brake fluid spraying all over your frame and rotors. I took it a step further and just started using a simple old turkey baster for fluid transfer, no fancy tools needed. The whole point is to keep it simple and avoid any pressurized systems that can fail. Plus, with gravity, you can leave it for five minutes and come back to a clean system, no bleeding edge nerves. Tbh, I think the bike companies should just sell a basic funnel and tube kit instead of those complicated syringes.