I fail.

I'm no expert, but indont see why that would ruin your brakes.

That is not why ur brakes are ruined, that was just the straw that broke the camels back, You can press the brakes in with no fluid (or at least i have) your master cylinder was probably shot (why they got air inside them) and that was just the final pull for it.

i would try ordering a master cylinder rebuild kit as well as a caliper rebuild kit and doing a bottom-up bleed completely from scratch... the only time you should "push" on the syringe is to push fluid from the caliper up to the MC... if you cant do this, then a seal may have busted in the caliper

As mentioned, bleed up not down. It's always harder to push fluid down the system. I have no idea why this is though.

Transcend said:

As mentioned, bleed up not down. It's always harder to push fluid down the system. I have no idea why this is though.

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The resistance of whatever air is in the system would be my guess...

It takes like ten minutes to bleed my juicy carbons. Are codes that much harder?

Push and pull is key, different presures can release air bubbles. If there are chunks or crap in your brake fluid your seals MAY be bad. DOT fluid is corosive, but not that much. Take it too a shop before you go and buy a bunch of parts or new brakes, could save you some money insted of just buying random crap and hoping it works.

TheTruth said:

So I went to bleed my Codes and I squeezed the lever when there was no fluid in it. I found out from demo9 that when I did that, I ruined my brakes. So when I went to bleed them, I could get some fluid through the line but it took a lot of effort and only some fluid went through the line. Has anybody else had this problem? What do I do? Do I need a new Master Cylinder?



Does anybody want to sell saints for 200$? JK

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Your problem is that you have a set of what are pretty much the most problematic brakes on the market. The master cylinders in those things are absolute garbage, and yes I've had that problem bleeding them before - I think it comes from the reservoir-to-cylinder ports being tiny and prone to getting clogged by chunks of something, maybe bits of MC seal they've torn off. What you can try is pulling off the reservoir cover, emptying the reservoir of fluid, removing the little clip that protects the reservoir/cylinder port and clearing it with a pin or whatever. Otherwise what you could try is to get hold of a Juicy 3 or 5 lever with NO pad contact adjuster (don't bother with Elixirs as those seem to have some really weird issues with getting air in the lines if you tip em on certain angles) and using that instead of the Code one.

But if you really want to get rid of the problem, buy different brakes.

Juicy 7 levers work great too. I don't think the pad adjust is the problem (on juicy's), the code levers just have a bad design. I got tired of rebuilding them and just got juicy levers for all my codes.

I had a similar problem with my Codes for a bit. For whatever reason I was able to bleed them backwards (from lever to caliper) with no problems and they worked just fine.

If the codes are new, and this is the first time they've been bled...I suppose you MAY be able to replace the MC...but if you've use them for a really long time...which in the case of Code breakes is more than one season...then you may be totally ef'd...

I babied mine for 2 seasons and the front lever just decided to dye on me...bled them constantly...which they needed...then out of nowhere, the left lever would not return out once pulled in...SRAM said it was totalled...I'll NEVER buy them again...I'm getting Juicy 7 levers and keeping the code calipers...that seems the normal setup...'cause code levers totally svck...

TheTruth said:

Has anybody else had this problem?

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Yes, I have (along with quite a few others apparently).

TheTruth said:

What do I do?

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I sent mine back to SRAM. (after fiddling around with them for an hour)

TheTruth said:

Do I need a new Master Cylinder?

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Probably? (or at least pieces from one)

SRAM sent me a brand new set of Codes for my troubles. Pretty awesome imo.

RayB said:

SRAM sent me a brand new set of Codes for my troubles. Pretty awesome imo.

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Isnt that what reputable companies are supposed to do when they make a ****ty product?

My buddy's code's had the same problem at about 2yrs old---it was a bad hydraulic line in the front brake, clogged with some sort of broken down material on the inside---it was real dark and cloudy. We finally push/pulled it through, but his brakes were crap until he replaced the line. Good luck.

'09 formula "the one" brakes for sale. pm for info.

Wow, when I was looking for brakes about a year or so ago the codes were the best brake for the money according to ridemonkey. Did time just make people decide something else was better?
For the record mine still work great aside from a bit of brake fade on longer courses but that's because I ride the brakes.

So what's the new RM approved brake? Saints?

I too, fail.

Went OTB yesterday and my rear lever was in the "clicked out" position. Now the reach adjustment (Elixir CR) is jammed. No es bueno.

nelsonjm said:

Wow, when I was looking for brakes about a year or so ago the codes were the best brake for the money according to ridemonkey. Did time just make people decide something else was better?
For the record mine still work great aside from a bit of brake fade on longer courses but that's because I ride the brakes.

So what's the new RM approved brake? Saints?

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I am on my 3rd year in a row with the same Codes. The only thing I have done to them is to change the brake pads when they are worn out.
Ha, they still have the original juice in them, and still work great.
About the only complaint that I have with them is that it can be a bitch to change the pads, but other than that, they rock.
They work great everywhere except for on the internet.

Jeremy R said:

I am on my 3rd year in a row with the same Codes. The only thing I have done to them is to change the brake pads when they are worn out.
Ha, they still have the original juice in them, and still work great.
About the only complaint that I have with them is that it can be a bitch to change the pads, but other than that, they rock.
They work great everywhere except for on the internet.

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I have my 1st gen. Codes still going...original lines, etc. Pads do suck to change for sure. Busted my right lever a couple/few yrs. ago, replaced damaged bits and they're still solid.

I was finally going to replace my lines and get Juicy 7 levers in place of my battered Code ones until I rode a couple bikes yesterday with Saints. I actually like them a little more than my Codes - there's more modulation in the middle-braking areas that the Codes seem to lack. I'm wondering if the Juicy 7 levers coupled w/Code calipers would provide that same middle-braking modulation the Saints do?

DBR X6 RIDER said:

I have my 1st gen. Codes still going...original lines, etc. Pads do suck to change for sure. Busted my right lever a couple/few yrs. ago, replaced damaged bits and they're still solid.

I was finally going to replace my lines and get Juicy 7 levers in place of my battered Code ones until I rode a couple bikes yesterday with Saints. I actually like them a little more than my Codes - there's more modulation in the middle-braking areas that the Codes seem to lack. I'm wondering if the Juicy 7 levers coupled w/Code calipers would provide that same middle-braking modulation the Saints do?

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it could be merely the fresh fluid/complete bleed that does it when you put on new levers/lines but i felt like my 7 ultimates mated to the code calipers were better on all fronts... better modulation, better bite point, firmer feel... just a better brake. that combined with some straitline levers (codes win here, no levers available for saints yet) and these brakes feel awesome day in and day out

zdubyadubya said:

it could be merely the fresh fluid/complete bleed that does it when you put on new levers/lines but i felt like my 7 ultimates mated to the code calipers were better on all fronts... better modulation, better bite point, firmer feel... just a better brake. that combined with some straitline levers (codes win here, no levers available for saints yet) and these brakes feel awesome day in and day out

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Thanks, kind of guessing that would be the case. Probably just a little lighter action with the 7 levers that expand the modulation. I kind of like the feel of the 7 lever over the Code. I really like the Saint as-is, but it might be more economical for now to just do the 7/Code match-up. Who knows, it might impress me more than the Saint! I would surely get banished from these boards...THE HUMANITY!!!

Jeremy R said:

They work great everywhere except for on the internet.

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haha, try telling that to any bike mechanic in Whistler. We get those things in the shop all the time. The sheer volume of bikes as well as the amount of riding that gets done here gives you a pretty good idea of what products are problematic and what aren't simply by the numbers that you see that are messed up. Of course, this doesn't mean EVERY Code brake out there is a problem child, but a disproportionately large number of them have fade/pump/bleed issues in my experience. In fact personally I'd steer clear of any Avid brake at the moment, a mate of mine came into the shop today with an Elixir that blew the caliper piston seals on the first ride. That brake was originally meant to replace his other Elixir that liked to pull straight to the bar now and then for no apparent reason that we could discern other than that it obviously had SOME kind of bleed issue that wasn't resolved by simply bleeding the thing. Hopefully they fix that one because when they're working they're actually a really good trailbike brake, though a bit easy to overheat if you're heavy and riding proper DH.

Anyway, if you really just want reliability I suggest looking elsewhere. Shimano stuff is a good place to start, but Saints are expensive. I reckon you can probably fix the issues you're having by replacing the lever - Juicies, especially those without the pad contact thing, seem much easier to bleed up well than the Codes, and they're definitely not haunted by as many problems.

I was under the understanding that the Codes started giving problems once they went to Magnesium?

Anyway, my Gen 1 Codes and '08 Code 5's work just fine and have given me no problems. I have kept some Ultimate levers ( well complete sets actually ) just in case, so far so good

Socket said:

haha, try telling that to any bike mechanic in Whistler.

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If I knew any bike mechanics in Whistler, the only thing I would be telling them is how awesome and good looking they are, before I asked them if they had any floor space.
Nah, I am only speaking from my own personal experience with Codes. I have seen other people have problems with them. I also have Elixirs on my trail bike,
and they have been perfect as well, but then again, they are just used on my trail bike.
I will get rid of any bike part that gives me ANY trouble because I hate working on stuff, but so for so good with me and Codes.
Ha, sometimes I think I just get lucky with parts. Don't even get me started on how good my brand new boxxer team feels.

Jeremy R said:

Ha, sometimes I think I just get lucky with parts. Don't even get me started on how good my brand new boxxer team feels.

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Ah yes, I too am enjoying my 2010 boxxer team. All it took was a rebuild when I first got it (new) to get it going.

edit: Is it important to note the only other fork I have used is a 2003 boxxer race?

Jeremy R said:

If I knew any bike mechanics in Whistler, the only thing I would be telling them is how awesome and good looking they are, before I asked them if they had any floor space.
Nah, I am only speaking from my own personal experience with Codes. I have seen other people have problems with them. I also have Elixirs on my trail bike,
and they have been perfect as well, but then again, they are just used on my trail bike.
I will get rid of any bike part that gives me ANY trouble because I hate working on stuff, but so for so good with me and Codes.
Ha, sometimes I think I just get lucky with parts. Don't even get me started on how good my brand new boxxer team feels.

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Yeah that's cool. I have ridden a few sets that have been great - solid feel, no playing up or doing anything silly (other than wearing pads out unevenly - do yours do that? Usually the back end of the pad is considerably more worn than the front), and powerful, however for every set I've ridden or seen like that, I've ridden or tried to fix another set that was chucking a tanty. Elixirs seem less problematic except for some strange issues they have with being tipped on certain angles (eg hanging bike from front wheel) seeming to get air into the lines - whether this is from air that normally resides in the reservoir (seems most likely) or what, I haven't managed to find out yet.

Anyway - the new Codes come with what appear to be Elixir levers (or something equivalent with the taper bore thing), hopefully that solves the problems.

I recently was trying to bleed a Code brake a nd I couldn't get the fluid to flow. Was driving me nuts!

At some point I flicked the lever in a bit. As soon as I did that the fluid started flowing. It was as if the lever allowed the piston to retract to a point that it was blocking the holes into the MC....or something like that.

Might be something for the OP to try since he posted about having the same problem of not being able to push fluid through.