# Terrible! Ultegra hydraulic brakes R8000/4day old full bike. Fix?



## mtnbikerva1 (Jan 30, 2009)

The shimano Ultegra hydraulic brakes do not stop or lock up/ skid on my bike when I am on Dirt. The lever comes all the way to the bar and still no lock up. R8000.
Is there a different hosing that makes the brakes more powerful?
who else has this problem?
​​​​​​​Fix?
Thank you.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

This isn't a housing issue this is a bleeding issue. The hydraulics need bled.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Marc said:


> This isn't a housing issue this is a bleeding issue. The hydraulics need bled.


This! I can assure you, they will lock the brakes easily when working correctly. I've had problems like what you described when they had air in the system. If you haven't got the disc and pads contaminated with brake fluid, bleeding should solve it.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

sounds like your brake needs bleeding

as to the question of housing, yes braided stainless hoses give a more solid and direct feeling at the lever, especially for the lever operating the rear brake because here the hose distance runs longer and with braided hose you can feel the difference (at least I definitely did on my mtb bike)


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## masont (Feb 6, 2010)

Have the pads been bedded in yet? New pads on disc brakes are the worst they'll ever be. 

Have the pads been contaminated with some sort of cleaning solution? That can reduce the stopping power to basically nothing. 

The problem isn't with the ultegra hydraulic brakes. They kick ass. Something is wrong, or you just haven't bedded the pads yet.


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## mtnbikerva1 (Jan 30, 2009)

Just needed bleeding. Thought a brand new bike just built for would have been fine. Came from other side of the country. Maybe air freight? Could this have caused the air in lines?


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

mtnbikerva1 said:


> Just needed bleeding. Thought a brand new bike just built for would have been fine. Came from other side of the country. Maybe air freight? Could this have caused the air in lines?


probably it's just one of those random mistake thing that the technician didn't do a good job on setting up. It could happen. Shimano is usually reliable. Back in the early days of hydraulic brakes, I used to remember that Hope's brake oil reservoir could gulp in some air if you flip the bike upside down and your reservoir had air space in it (because oil is not filled up), then the air bubble could conceivably seep into the brake line if you were to press on the lever while the bike is flipped. Damn!

And even bleeding the brakes back in those days would almost be like a 2-man operation as one pump the fluid in from below while another man suck it up from the top. I haven't used hydraulic disc brake in years, but hopefully today ones are easier to bleed


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