'09 Code brakes - soft lever?

[JeffK95Z]

Hey all,

I've had these code brakes on my wildcard for 4-5 months now and this is something that's bugging me...

Basically, if I let the bike sit for extended periods of time, the brake levers, rear especially, will become 'soft'.

last night I had to move the bike to get at something behind it, the rear brake lever went right to the bar. The front was also very 'soft' like that.

I find that if I use the pad adjustment thingy in combination with squeezing the lever, they will regain some pressure/firmness.

Is this normal? I can't imagine it is! Time for another brake bleed perhaps?

thx!

[syc7090]

hey.

normal? that's a relative term. i've read numerous posts on people with the same issue with their codes. in fact, i had the same problem with my codes. i performed numerous bleeds without success.

the problem, however, wasn't with the brakes (well, at least in my case). i got frustrated with all the bleeds so i finally decided to follow the instructions that came with the bleed kit, to a tee, word by word. and voila, the softness is gone.

like i said, this might only pertain to me and my brakes. maybe your brakes are defective (fingers crossed) but i highly doubt it. i know it sounds like a "dumb" solution but it worked for me. and really, this is probably the easiest and the cheapest solution of all. just give it a go and see what happens.

[King of Fasia]

Mine do it too, but as soon as I am riding it stops, so really I am just lazy and willing to deal with it.

[FullMonty]

yeah... do a proper avid bleed, get a rubber handled screwdriver, tap on parts as you go. I'll assume you have an appropriate bleed block.

set the reach adjuster so that the lever bottoms out before hitting the bars with the bleed syringe on and unclipped, pad contact should be all the way out and one back - I've had an issue before where fluid wouldn't flow with it all the way out.

install both syringes, keep the lever one clipped, unclip the caliper end, squeeze and secure the lever, pull suction on the caliper syringe while tapping on the caliper, do this over and over, you'd be surprised how many bubbles you can tease out of there.

now unsecure and hold the lever with a finger, and push fluid through the hose and allow the lever to be pushed out by the fluid. now unclip the lever syringe and push the rest of the fluid through. clip off both syringes, disconnect the caliper syringe and put the plug back in. now pull suction on the lever syringe while tapping the lever body and occasionally flicking the lever. then push fluid back into the lever and repeat pulling, tapping, flicking and pushing until everything's lovely. do a final push of fluid to fill the internal reservoir, clip off the syringe, remove and put the plug back in.

I have bled many an avid like this and it works very well. might take 15 minutes the first time, but well worth it. I would also take the time to re-lube the pistons/seals by working them back and forth in the bores while dripping a bit of dot fluid on them. avid pistons and particularly codes are HORRIBLY prone to getting stuck.

clean everything, put in ze pads, get the caliper alignment cherry, and enjoy working brakes.

[walleater]

Also check that oil isn't leaking out of the bite point adjuster. This is a weakness of Code brakes. Norco kindly rebuilt my rear lever free of charge but it's now happening to my front one too. I can't be arsed to send this one off at the moment so I've just removed the adjuster and blocked the hole off.

[JeffK95Z]

Originally Posted by walleater

Also check that oil isn't leaking out of the bite point adjuster.

I have noticed some bubbly paint on the front brake/lever area. Will keep an eye on this.

Also, will do a bleed w/ the avid kit and see if it helps.

thx all!

[FullMonty]

I'm gonna say you just need to buy some new Saints or Stroker Aces...






















no really, shimano rocks, and the strokers don't leak and randomly die.

[Chunk]

Watch this video. Seriously. All the way through.

Bleeding the line is the easy part as it is what most people are familiar with. Gotta pull the air out of the caliper and lever separately though. Thats the key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mg6NbIjmOM

[menehune]

factory avid bleeds do suck, and almost half of them need to be re-bled out of the box.

hate to be captain obvious, but since no one else has asked, do you hang your bike when you store it?

this will create a temporary lever fade or soft feel.

[HIBuLlitT]

Originally Posted by menehune

factory avid bleeds do suck, and almost half of them need to be re-bled out of the box.

hate to be captain obvious, but since no one else has asked, do you hang your bike when you store it?

this will create a temporary lever fade or soft feel.

I did that and I never had that issue, though I've heard about it from people on
the internet.

I learned how to bleed my codes, I had them for over 3 years with no issues.
Learn to do it right. If you hand your bike and it gets soft, there's air in the line.
It's not getting in the line from hanging, it was never taken out in the first place.
Bleeding a brake should be done with ample time and patience.

[walleater]

Originally Posted by HIBuLlitT

I did that and I never had that issue, though I've heard about it from people on
the internet.

I learned how to bleed my codes, I had them for over 3 years with no issues.
Learn to do it right. If you hand your bike and it gets soft, there's air in the line.
It's not getting in the line from hanging, it was never taken out in the first place.
Bleeding a brake should be done with ample time and patience.

So true. You can lie on your back and pretend to ride your bike upside down and the lever wouldn't come back to the bar if the brake was bled correctly. You might get arrested though.

[JeffK95Z]

i don't hang the bike, it just lays against the wall...

also, the factory bleed as you say, is junk. I had to bleed them almost immediately.

I bought the avid kit, watched that same video on youtube and followed it to the letter.

Took my extreme time and was very careful. I then rode them for all this season without issues. it just seems lately (the past month) that this issue is occuring.

I'll re-bleed and see if it keeps happening.

So far, based on this seasons usage, i fine my old saint brakes just as good (as good modulation and power), and they don't show this soft/fading lever issues.

I do however like the lever blades on these codes much better then the saints. But that would be an easy fix on the saints.

(the saints are now on my amp so i get to use them back to back)

[heckler]

I fixed my soft front lever with new brake pads. Although it was soft all the time, not intermittently.

[superl8]

My codes weep out the bite adjustment thingy and when I bleed them ( over and over ) if I move the lever as indicated in the video they suck air into the system. I've decided they need need a master cylinder rebuild or a toss in the garbage. They've never worked worth a shit. Anyone know where the master cylinder kit can be found? I've looked online but can't find one that'll ship to Canada.

[HIBuLlitT]

Originally Posted by superl8

My codes weep out the bite adjustment thingy and when I bleed them ( over and over ) if I move the lever as indicated in the video they suck air into the system. I've decided they need need a master cylinder rebuild or a toss in the garbage. They've never worked worth a shit. Anyone know where the master cylinder kit can be found? I've looked online but can't find one that'll ship to Canada.

If they never worked "right", how come you didn't return them? The first set I bought
had a bad rear brake (leaky slave cylinder), I returned it they sent me a new one.

I had the same thing happen with my new set of Hopes. I took it back to my lbs
he took care of it.

My codes still work fine, but after 3+ years in Hawaii, they need a rebuild and
I didn't feel like spending half what I spent on a new set of Hopes to rebuild them.
They are my spare brake set, I cleaned them up, put a little lube on the seals,
and they should be ready to go if I need them.