Air in the Brake Line

Has your brake pedal been feeling a little squishy or spongy lately? If so, chances are that air has invaded the brake line. This is a problem that particularly occurs in the disc brake assembly due to the fact that the functioning of disc brake is made possible by incompressible oil, which acts as a link between the caliper piston and brake lever. Simplified, the oil is a means through which the force of the brake lever gets magnified before it acts on the caliper piston. It is for this reason that brake oil needs to be highly viscous. When air (even a small amount of it) enters the brake line, it forms a bubble. At the time of braking, the air will compress itself, leading to lessened braking effect.

What causes air to enter the brake line? The presence of air bubble in the brake line can only arise from a leakage. If the caliper or reservoir has a defect, it may cause air to enter the brake line. If this happens, do not despair as there is always a way to get your machine back on track. The presence of air in the brake line simply means it is time to bleed the brakes, which is actually the safest remedy for air bubble. Of course, it is good to do this when replacing the brake fluid or after replacing the master cylinder of your machine.

Althoughthe bleeding of brakes can be a do-it-yourself project, entrusting an expert with this task is highly recommended. Bleeding your bike’s brakes is a project that typically involves, as many other things do, some kind of a trade-off between investment of money and time. While the least expensive way would require two people to invest an hour, the most expensive way may require one person to invest just a half hour once the person becomes comfortable using the right tools. With a vacuum pump, you can often get the job done so easily and quickly. Although bleeding your brakes at home may be a bit costly as you may need to acquire tools, you will realize that the task is worth the investment once you step on your brake pedal. Of course, your machine needs a proper maintenance service for it to return the favor.