Step one – preparing to bleed the system

Placing the bike in a workstand is a useful beginning to most maintenance procedures, but in the case of brake bleeding, the position of the bike in the stand can further aid the process. Shimano’s mechanic placed the bike with the front wheel raised, placing the lever ‘above’ the caliper to encourage air to flow from the system.

The bleed nipple, a cap that seals the mineral oil reservoir, is housed beneath the lever hood, and can be removed with a flat-bladed screwdriver. The top of the lever also houses screws for reach adjustment, useful for riders with smaller hands, and for ‘Freestroke’ adjustment, which controls the amount of travel in the lever before the pad touches the rotor. Shimano’s mechanic unscrewed the reach adjustment and Freestroke to their ‘longest’ settings to ensure no air was trapped in the system.