Little air bubbles are hydraulic disc brake's worst enemy

In Episode 5 of Understanding Mountain Bikes, we’re going to demystify hydraulic disc brakes, and show you that they’re a lot simpler than you might imagine.
We’ll also talk about how brake rotor size and pad compound affect braking, and the primary adjustments you’ll find on most brakes these days.

In this series, we’ve separated all the parts of a mountain bike into six “systems,” which we'll break down into easily digestible episodes. With a good understanding of how all the components of a bicycle work together, you’ll be able to more confidently approach mountain biking, no matter how long you've been riding!

Table of Contents:
Intro: 0:00
Hydraulic Disc Brakes: 0:29
What Does "Hydraulic" Mean?: 1:04
All the Parts of Your Brake: 1:20
Why Fluids Can't be Compressed: 2:12
How That Relates to Your Brakes: 3:02
When Air Gets in Your Brakes: 4:15
Different Size Rotors - Why? : 4:45
Which Size Rotor Do You Need? : 5:58
Brake Adapters Explained: 7:23
Brake Lever Adjustments - Reach and Contact: 7:50
Pad Compounds: 9:29
Conclusion: 9:58

Shop Brakes:

Did you miss Episode 4 of Understanding Mountain Bikes? Find it there:
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#mtb #understandingmountainbikes #howitworks #hydraulicbrakes #discbrakes

[lifebehindbars]

I always love the groovy tracks you lay down.

[jaivora]

Really appreciated the info you stated, was difficult to hear you because of the background score - You DON’T have to have it -

[TheRadar]

I should send you guys a pic of my bike with the Hope floating rotors I purchased from Fanatik. 203 up front, 180 rear and the red color just pops

[Montblanc]

Really enjoyed the music on this one and super educational for the kids!

[gravitybass]

I’d say the opposite. Go with the biggest rotor you can get away with unless you’re racing XC. A tiny amount of weight saving just isn’t worth having brakes that don’t stop as well. Safety matters. Count grams somewhere other than your brakes.

[drewsenthused]

Instruction unclear, how do I unbreak my bike?