Avid Juicy 7 Brake Bleed Help

Picked up a 2009 Motobecane FlyPro off craigslist to have an extra bike for friends to use - one brake seems spongy.

I've never bled a MTB before (avid automotive guy though)...and with some quick googling I'm seeing you need to buy a $30 bleed kit for Avid brakes?

Anyone have experience doing this job without kit (is that possible?) or making their own kit?

Was hoping that bleeding MTB brakes was simple...but now im seeing it may not be as basic as I imagined.  

I'm used to doing cars, pump brakes, crack bleeder, passfluid, repeat etc. only cost is the fluid.....

The process is pretty simple, but the kit is essential.  I have done it a few times on a couple of different Avid systems.  You need the kit because there are a couple of required connectors to hook into the fluid ports at either end of the system along with syringes for working the air out.  First one took the longest.  Did my wife's bike last year in under an hour.

Damn - that kind of sucks. I think I saw maybe some knock-off brand kits on ebay for $19.

Is Shimano the same situation?  My other bike has shimano components and I'm hoping I don't need two bleed kits...

ADmiKe wrote

Damn - that kind of sucks. I think I saw maybe some knock-off brand kits on ebay for $19.

Is Shimano the same situation?  My other bike has shimano components and I'm hoping I don't need two bleed kits...

I don't know about Shimano, but I think a knock-off kit should work fine... there's nothing special about the parts... you just need nipples that are compatible with the fluid  ports

hayes and avid are pretty easy but i use the kits - two different ones required   the after market kits have worked fine for both, just read the reviews and check the contents to make sure they have everything for your specific brake.

i'm by no means an expert wrench - just cheap and don't like giving up the bike too long. i just follow and the youtubes!

Bleeding is easy with the right tools/kit, but pay attention to your fluids ,some recommend mineral oil,actually best for most but has low boiling point. Standard DOT  fluids are glycol based and absorb water, you want to use DOT 5 which does not

You'll also want access to a good repair stand... I can only imagine how maddening this would be without one.

Thanks for the replies - yeh I have wall mount racks for the bikes in the garage they should work OK to do this on