Feedback on Avid Elixir CR install and thoughts...

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Feedback on Avid Elixir CR install and thoughts...
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flag neex
Posted: Apr 4, 2009 at 18:36 Quote
If anyone is interested, here are some of my thoughts. I hope this helps anyone considering the purchase.

I just finished installing the Elixir CRs. I thought that the pad contact point adjust had a set screw to hold the adjustment but I was wrong. Duh. That's the bleed port. I read that lots of riders are pissed about how that barrel comes out of adjustment while on the trail. I was concerned when I noticed how heavily preloaded this was when setting it up. The cure is dead easy. Hold the brake line steady (wrench or firm grip) when you make the adjustment. This was there's no wind up on the line and no preload on the barrel. It will never come out of adjustment by itself if you do this.

NOTE: If you turn the barrel too far OUT, you will need to re-bleed and clean up the fluid as the whole assy pops off (I think this is after the 24th detent so you may not be as stupid as I was when playing with it). Just be aware as I had no idea I could pull the damn thing off!

The set installed perfectly. OEM bleed on front was ok but not great. I also had a very slight warp in my front rotor but it pushed out instantly and is now perfect. I re-bled the front with the kit. All was perfect. The rear was mint out of the box. These brakes feel very similar to my Marta SLs with the carbon lever (I like the feeling or better feedback - I can't really explain it) but far more powerful. The adjustable banjo bolt on the caliper and the conical washers are sheer genius (brake hose can be set up to follow line of rear triangle without creating snag hazards and the washers basically eliminate any of those bitchy alignment issues that end up resulting in refacing the tabs, going insane, throwing full sets of brakes in the closet, etc).

In short, I was 95% impressed till I figured out the barrel adjust trick and now I'm 100% sold. I put the 203s up front and 185 on the rear. This is one satisfied customer.

Aces.Smile
flag watch123
Posted: Apr 7, 2009 at 18:34 Quote
how is the reach adjust on it?
flag neex
Posted: Apr 7, 2009 at 23:41 Quote
coaster156 wrote:
how is the reach adjust on it?

The reach adjust is awesome. The dial is also spring loaded so there's no way it would pop out of adjustment on it's own. I don't think it's that hard to fish under the levers with an allen wrench like many other brake systems require but it's nice to have it easily adjustable. The detents help also as many of those adjustments are infinite so it's hard to get it exactly where you had it last.

No complaints on any level with these brakes. Time will tell.

A.
flag alpinehero
Posted: Apr 7, 2009 at 23:43 Quote
very happy with mine, got them on mt stiffe fr, and gonna use tham on my dh bike, very very good!!
flag bankturn
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 21:24 Quote
just tossed my new pair on...couldn't be happier! Great feel and lots of power...best feel and most power actually of any brake tried (have not tried any four-pots). I went to pop a nose manual, forgetting the new brakes, and just about ate pavement. We'll see about reliability, but so far i'm very impressed.
flag neex
Posted: Apr 23, 2009 at 7:05 Quote
I just put the Avids through a half day torture test (XC only with some small double track DH runs). I was very impressed with both the modulation and bite. They do run VERY close to the rotor though and my frame has asymetrical chainstays which I didn't think we're possible for me to flex. Apparently I was wrong. They started to rub near the end of the ride. I believe that the rear calliper was slightly overfilled at the factory and that removing a few drips from the lever will solve this. It may have rubbed with regular chainstays after heating up also I don't know. Zero issues with the front one that I bled and a minor easily fixable nuisance with the rear. I still say that these are the best brakes I have used so far. I haven't used a lot of hydros but I have experience with Magura SLs, XTs, LX Deore, Hayes 9s and now the Avid Elixirs (looking back - I guess that's decent hydro exposure.. LOL). Set these up. Ride them. Grin. I am a happy customer. That pad contact point adjust really shines once out on the trail (I like a little more modulation up front and a good clamp on the back). These accomodated perfectly.

Thanks,
A.
flag tom-harrison
Posted: Jun 3, 2009 at 11:30 Quote
after one ride my tool free lever reach is no longer tool free. the little adjuster wheel is locked solid and i have to use the regular allen bolt. no crashes, no drama, just unexplainable lever failure.
i also didn't realise the whole taper bore thing drops off if you screw it too far.
flag korystreet10
Posted: Jun 3, 2009 at 11:36 Quote
my thoughts: i love the brake, one of my favorites i've ever run, although i cracked a piston within a month "i only ride street and park" but avid replaced the entire caliper for me and rebled it, it's work fine since. perfect modulaton and not spongey at all
flag neex
Posted: Jun 3, 2009 at 18:40 Quote
tom-harrison wrote:
after one ride my tool free lever reach is no longer tool free. the little adjuster wheel is locked solid and i have to use the regular allen bolt. no crashes, no drama, just unexplainable lever failure.
i also didn't realise the whole taper bore thing drops off if you screw it too far.

I did that with the taper bore piece also and it pissed me off for sure. A quick one liner in the manual would be a huge help here. As for the lever reach adjuster... can you still see the spring there? Is it pushed out or in? It has to be pushed in fairly hard to turn it easily. Try pushing it in with something that won't scratch it up. If it pushes in, see if you can turn it to the next detent. It sounds like you adjusted it all the way and gave it a little too much torque past it's limit. I did something like this at first when goofing around and setting them up. Because the spring gets set so tight, you really need to push it in before it will turn because you are fighting all that preload on the dial.

Good luck!
A.
flag em-j
Posted: Jan 31, 2010 at 21:53 Quote
I realise this is an old thread, but in the interests of collating useful information...:

My tool free lever adjust is now also jammed. Albeit after a hefty stack which bent the lever fairly badly. The rest of the assy seems to be fine though. Does anyone have any thoughts on how this can be rectified?

Also, my pads run very close to the rotor too. Great way to find out if your rotor is warped Rolleyes

Other than that, ace Big Grin
flag alpinehero
Posted: Feb 1, 2010 at 0:03 Quote
total pants , ive just given up on mine now after about three month of use , ive now re bleed them twice, but my rear leaver still goes back to the bar, and only seems to work when its pumped up and running hot, no good when you set off with no brakes!!
flag Infiltrator
Posted: Feb 1, 2010 at 0:16 Quote
alpinehero wrote:
total pants , ive just given up on mine now after about three month of use , ive now re bleed them twice, but my rear leaver still goes back to the bar, and only seems to work when its pumped up and running hot, no good when you set off with no brakes!!
pulling too much vacuum on the elixirs can cause you to pull air into the system... somthing to do with the taperbore.
flag alpinehero
Posted: Feb 1, 2010 at 0:17 Quote
Infiltrator wrote:
alpinehero wrote:
total pants , ive just given up on mine now after about three month of use , ive now re bleed them twice, but my rear leaver still goes back to the bar, and only seems to work when its pumped up and running hot, no good when you set off with no brakes!!
pulling too much vacuum on the elixirs can cause you to pull air into the system... somthing to do with the taperbore.

is it fixable, and do you think that was what my problem was??
flag Infiltrator
Posted: Feb 1, 2010 at 1:19 Quote
alpinehero wrote:
Infiltrator wrote:
alpinehero wrote:
total pants , ive just given up on mine now after about three month of use , ive now re bleed them twice, but my rear leaver still goes back to the bar, and only seems to work when its pumped up and running hot, no good when you set off with no brakes!!
pulling too much vacuum on the elixirs can cause you to pull air into the system... somthing to do with the taperbore.

is it fixable, and do you think that was what my problem was??

it could be, i think they may have fixed it for 2010 though


you can get a good bleed on them, just don't pull too much on the syringe
flag alpinehero
Posted: Feb 1, 2010 at 9:35 Quote
Infiltrator wrote:
alpinehero wrote:
Infiltrator wrote:
pulling too much vacuum on the elixirs can cause you to pull air into the system... somthing to do with the taperbore.

is it fixable, and do you think that was what my problem was??

it could be, i think they may have fixed it for 2010 though


you can get a good bleed on them, just don't pull too much on the syringe
doesnt matter now any hoo, i bought myselfa pair of 2010 hope tech m4...... soooooo nice !!

but thanx for your input !!
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