Ultegra 8000 lever goes all the way back

[The Ouzo]

CWC, R149 for 200ml. Not too bad really.

if thats all you  buy from CWC then once its shipped up here you're back at CL prices.

But yes, R150 for 200ml is more acceptable (still expensive though for something I assume is just plain old mineral oil with red dye added)

[MudLark]

if thats all you buy from CWC then once its shipped up here you're back at CL prices.

But yes, R150 for 200ml is more acceptable (still expensive though for something I assume is just plain old mineral oil with red dye added)

Guaranteed it is some form of repackaged automotive product. But seals can be sensitive to fluid types and with brakes, OEM is usually the best option.

[The Ouzo]

Guaranteed it is some form of repackaged automotive product. But seals can be sensitive to fluid types and with brakes, OEM is usually the best option.

As far as I am aware no Automobiles use mineral oil, had we been talking about Dot3 fluid I would very much agree with you.

[TNT1]

 

From:

https://epicbleedsolutions.com/blogs/articles/dot-brake-fluid-vs-mineral-oil

Edited May 5, 2021 by TNT1

[MudLark]

As far as I am aware no Automobiles use mineral oil, had we been talking about Dot3 fluid I would very much agree with you.

 

 

Cars use brake fluid in brake systems. But oils - mineral and vegetable - are used in a range of automotive applications. Think eg power steering pumps, hydrolastic and hydropneumatic suspensions etc. There's a huge range of automotive lubricant products and specs.

[PhilipV]

"Shimano Unicorn tears " LOL

Seeing as I expect ungodly feats from my brakes, I don't care Wether it is made from unicorn tears or sperm whale bone marrow extract, I will put in what works. And buy it in bulk to not pay the silly 200ml price premium.

[Eldron]

Seeing as I expect ungodly feats from my brakes, I don't care Wether it is made from unicorn tears or sperm whale bone marrow extract, I will put in what works. And buy it in bulk to not pay the silly 200ml price premium.

 

This. Buy a litre and you should have enough unicorn tears for a lifetime.

[MudLark]

Not sure if the stuff has a shelf life though. Most lubes degrade slowly over many years...

[Eldron]

Not sure if the stuff has a shelf life though. Most lubes degrade slowly over many years...

 

Hydraulic brake fluid isn't a lube though. One of the big advantages of Mineral over DOT is that it is hydrophobic.

 

DOT Brake Fluid

The shelf life of glycol-based DOT brake fluid is very poor due to its hygroscopic properties, which is why every bottle should come with an air tight foil liner covering the opening. As soon as this air tight seal is broken it will start absorbing moisture from the environment and the boiling point will begin to drop.

Castrol recommends that DOT fluid in previously opened containers should be discarded after 12 months. In our opinion it would be unwise to use DOT fluid from a bottle which has been open for more than a few months, unless you have no other alternative.

To reduce large quantities of wasted brake fluid, use DOT fluid from smaller 100ml bottles. 100ml is enough to bleed a set of brakes (front and rear) 2-3 times.

 

Mineral Oil

Since Mineral Oil is hydrophobic and does not absorb water from the environment, one of the great advantages it has over DOT fluid is that once opened it can be stored indefinitely.

[lechatnoir]

Mineral Oil

Since Mineral Oil is hydrophobic and does not absorb water from the environment, one of the great advantages it has over DOT fluid is that once opened it can be stored indefinitely.

 

IIRC, mineral oil is not corrosive like DOT as well?

[Eldron]

IIRC, mineral oil is not corrosive like DOT as well?

 

Yup. My Park workstand has many a light blue spot on the legs from errant DOT fluid. If you clean it up quickly it is mostly harmless on bike paintwork though and a wet cloth works fine.

[MudLark]

I wonder. Does conventional brake fluid have any advantage in a cycling context? Is there a risk of brake fade on a bicyle on very long steep descents? I've had it happen in a Land Rover while traversing Lesotho. But there I had a low range gearbox, manual transmission and reasonable engine braking. Even so, regular stops to cool the brakes soon became essential. On a bicycle brake fade could be fatal. But I have never heard of it happening.

Edited May 6, 2021 by MudLark

[DieselnDust]

Not sure if the stuff has a shelf life though. Most lubes degrade slowly over many years...

 

 

Hydraulic fluids have a shelf life of 3yrs once the container is opened. Thereafer it has to be recertified if for automotive or indusrial use. Pharmaceutical and food grade lubricants have to be recertified every 12 calendar months.

[PhilipV]

On a bicycle brake fade could be fatal. But I have never heard of it happening.

It happens. I've had it happen on early hydraulic disk brakes on long descents when the brakes get too hot. But modern disc brakes are light years better, and with a good bleed every now and then my brakes have been very consistent.

[MudLark]

It happens. I've had it happen on early hydraulic disk brakes on long descents when the brakes get too hot. 

 

 

So not my idea of fun…

[Harryn]

So seeing as the OP’s issue is resolved, I was wondering if I could hijack the thread for a sec with a question. My mountain bike sleeps vertically on a wall hook. When i take it down the brake levers are all mush, and go right down to the handlbar. Takes a few pumps and then all is good, no issues at all. Except the other day just after porting up a very steep little hill, I had the same. No brakes, pump pump, and all good again. Does this mean that my brakes need to be bled?