Trimming hydraulic brake lines - possible?

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Gary P

Über Member
I have just bought a bike which was someone elses custom build and basically they've left the hydraulic brake lines too long. They're Hope mono minis.

This is the first set of hydraulic discs I've owned so excuse my ignorance. Is there a way of cutting the lines shorter, like I am used to with standard cable outers or do I need to replace them with shorter outers?

The rear brake is also slightly binding but as they're supposed to be self-adjusting, how do I stop that from happening?
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Yes, you can cut them shorter, provided you can fix the new cut length into the union. You'll need to bleed tehm and refillk the fluid.....is it worth it?

If it's binding either the rotor is out of true or the calipers need centering. Use an allen key to slacken off the bolts holding the caliper off enough for the caliper to slide backwards and forwards. Now, pull the brake on at teh lever,, and holding it in place, tighten up the allen bolts a little at a time each. Do not ovetighten them, just keep checking them regularly.
 

NickM

Veteran
Cubist said:
Yes, you can cut them shorter, provided you can fix the new cut length into the union. You'll need to bleed tehm and refillk the fluid.....is it worth it?
As I have recently discovered, it's a fairly trivial job with Maguras, which use an "olive" to re-make the union. It is helpful essential to have an assistant to hold things in the right orientation when bleeding the system, so that air travels upwards.

But I'm afraid I have no experience of Hope hydraulics.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Haven't opened that link above but it probably tells you that if you're careful you can shorten Hope tubes without getting air inside them and just reconnect without the need for bleeding. Just unscrew the union, pull the tube off carefully, move the olive, cut then replace equally carefully. If a little fluid squidges out that's good.

If the pads are binding it may be because the previous owner replaced them. Try forcing them apart with a screwdriver.
 
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