Bleeding hydraulic brakes for the first time

The rear brake had been getting spongy over the winter. The shop quoted two weeks, so I ordered a bleed kit and decided to learn.

What you need

• a bleed kit with two syringes and the right adapters;
• the oil your brakes use — mineral oil and DOT fluid do not mix;
• a bleed block for the caliper and plenty of paper towels.

The step nobody mentions

Level the lever. With the bike in the stand, rotate the lever so that the reservoir port is the highest point of the system. Air rises; if the port is not at the top, the bubble just stays in the lever.

Result

Two attempts, about forty minutes in total. The lever now bites at the same point as the front, and the brake has stayed firm for a month of commuting.

Clean the rotor with alcohol afterwards. One drop of oil on the pads and you are buying new pads.