Best bike brakes according to redditors
We found 94 Reddit comments discussing the best bike brakes. We ranked the 63 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 94 Reddit comments discussing the best bike brakes. We ranked the 63 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Don't invest any money in this bike. Change the brake pads ... that'll get you some better braking power, but I would not put a penny in upgrades.
Ride it as-is until it breaks and then toss it. Even the most basic maintenance service on this bike will cost almost as much as the bike itself.
Edit: for brake pads, get a set of kool stop salmon
TRP HY/RD makes a cable actuated hydraulic disc brake. TRP HY/RD Cable-Actuated Hydraulic Disc Brake Black, No Rotor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZHZZ5D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wslCCbG081Y2G
Honestly unless you're super committed to that frame I'd find another bike. However there are some considerations if you're pressed on budget.
The bars, here's a flat bar on Amazon:
Bars
New Stem:
Stem
Some tektro levers, and brakes are your best bet. Good value and performance.
Levers:
Tektro levers
Calipers:Calipers
Shift levers for the new bars:
Levers
These may not fit the bars, the clamp diameter wasn't listed.
Of course then all new cables, grips for the bars, and a new chain might also help. I just gathered those components on price alone. So if you have money to spare then I encourage it. As is, that bike wouldn't have my time or money, however if I were to upgrade it that's the way I'd do it. Cheers.
Owner of a Genesis Astra ebike reporting in:
Holy christ no.
In theory, it seems fine. Beefy looking frame, comfortable riding position, simple rigid design, and rim brakes can't be that bad, right?
The brakes are so, so far beyond crap. They are not V-brakes, they are caliper brakes. Not the small, tight-fitting caliper brakes you get on road bikes, either. These are enormous, flexy, single-pivot butterbrakes. They are barely sufficient for 10mph beach cruiser riding without a motor. With a motor, they make this bike a deathtrap. If someone pulls out in front of you, you will not stop. You're doing the legal 20mph and the light turned yellow and you only have a few hundred feet to stop in? You're not stopping in time, but you're also not going to reach the light before it turns red. Good luck. And this is with upgraded KoolStop brake pads.
So, upgrade the brakes, right? Wrong. This bike needs enormously long-reach caliper brakes, with enormous tire clearance. The only compatible brake I could find was the Tektro C326, so I bought a pair. Don't buy any pair of brakes for this bike. This bike doesn't take a front and a rear brake, it takes two front brakes. Why? Walmart. I will say that, with an upgraded front brake, the bike does stop much faster. It still doesn't stop safely by any definition, but it at least makes the bike functional. However, with such long caliper arms, the extra gripping power means more flex. Enough flex to push properly adjusted brake pads up into the tire if you brake too hard. You either put the brake pads too low so they only contact half of the braking surface on the rim, or you put them in what should be the correct spot and watch as they violently blow out your tires. I did a little of both.
Speaking of tires, the stock tires are heavier than you can imagine, not particularly comfortable, will wear down incredibly quickly, and offer no puncture protection whatsoever despite their excessive mass. Factor new tires into your budget, because you will need them.
You will need to get the rims professionally trued or true them yourself, because Walmart, but the 48 spoke rims are actually surprisingly robust. Never had an issue with them after many thousands of miles.
The frame... that beefy, oversized aluminum frame... Actually really robust, but only if the welds are good. Which is not a given. My bike's kickstand plate snapped off due to faulty welds, and it was that, along with the aforementioned brake-induced tire blowout that finally pushed me away from this bike as the basis for my commuter build. If one set of welds was faulty, it put doubts in my mind about the rest, and I don't want to trust my life to that.
Misc: The bottom bracket is of the ancient cup and cone variety, and ground itself to dust within the first few hundred miles. Not so relevant for a mid-drive, but worth noting if anyone is considering a hub motor build on this frame. It's 68x122.5, to aid with replacement or mid-drive selection. A common problem with this model is cross-threading of the bottom bracket during factory installation, making removal extremely difficult and potentially damaging the frame.
The fenders are metal, but flimsy and very noisy, and the bolt attaching the rear fender to the frame might be over-tightened at the factory, hindering removal.
The frame has lower eyelets for a rear rack, but no upper eyelets, necessitating an adapter, P-clamps, or a seatpost rack.
The frame does not have, nor can it accommodate, a traditional derailleur hanger. The derailleur needs to have a built-in hanger that mounts around the rear dropout. If you don't want to use yet another adapter with this bike, that limits you to only the lowest-end derailleurs.
The bike is actually surprisingly comfortable to ride. I miss it for that, and that alone.
In summary, this bike is far more trouble than it's worth. If you want to make it even remotely safe and roadworthy, you will be spending far more on upgrades and kludges than the purchase price of the bike itself. I don't recommend it.
Nice find! I even raced one of these for a bit. It seems like it's been sitting for a while. I would replace:
cheapest solution is to just get a set of shimano hydraulic brakes, they should work but you may need to buy an adaptor if your hayes brakes are not post mount.
something like this would do the job, spending more gets you lighter parts, and/or different pads which offer better heat dissipation. Deore XT and XTR have a free stroke adjust as well as the regular reach adjust.
If you buy shimano brakes as a set they normally come pre bled so you don't need to mess with the oil, but you may need to trim them down if they're too long. Trimming them doesn't require bleeding if you do it carefully and don't drip any oil from the hose or reservoir.
Shimano brakes use mineral oil which does not absorb water/air like the DOT fluid from your hayes brakes do. I also have not experienced any long term issues with their seals.
If you're looking for the absolutely cheapest option possible, these cantis will be compatible with your current brake levers (cantilevers and v-brakes use different cable pull ratios). They were easy to adjust, doesn't used those underengineered plastic tensioner rings found on old Shimano cantis, and otherwise worked perfectly fine right up till the day I sold the whole bike.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Alloy-Cantilever-Brake-Silver/dp/B003Q3Y0YK
If you aren't trying to spend big money to fully restore it, can't you just get any cheap canti straddle yoke? You can find them at any major retailer that has bike stuff or at any bike co-op.
These are my go-to pads. I had a hybrid commuter for 3 or so years (Marin Muirwoods). Didn't have a computer, so I don't know how many miles they lasted, but I would get around 9 months of commuting out of a set before they needed to be replaced. They held up pretty well in the snow and ice, too.
Amazon or eBay will have a brake kit.
CNC Adaptor: https://www.amazon.com/UAUS-Sprocket-Adapter-Motorized-Bicycle/dp/B07ZJ3STLC/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1RF5YNX546933&keywords=motorized+bicycle+sprocket+adapter+kit&qid=1574881286&sprefix=motorized+bicyle+sp%2Caps%2C319&sr=8-6
Disc Brake kit: https://www.amazon.com/BlueSunshine-Front-Back-Disk-Brake/dp/B07458MXNB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=motorized+bicycle+disc+brake+kit&qid=1574883409&sr=8-1
Note: The CNC hub has a 6 bolt pattern near the center of the hub to bolt the rear disc onto. If you wish to use disc up front, you will need a front wheel or hub that can adapt to disc brakes. You can also find 26" wheels with these disc brake hubs already installed.
Front disc brake will need one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Life-Adjustable-Bracket-Mounting/dp/B019OML8VE/ref=pd_bxgy_468_2/136-3711700-3661816?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B019OML8VE&pd_rd_r=9be28cda-a6eb-4e2e-917e-90974ef50b31&pd_rd_w=wq72u&pd_rd_wg=XttIU&pf_rd_p=09627863-9889-4290-b90a-5e9f86682449&pf_rd_r=26T3QTM8CF54HNDW67HP&psc=1&refRID=26T3QTM8CF54HNDW67HP
For the front, you will need a new front wheel. https://www.amazon.com/Alex-Rims-Alloy-Front-Wheel/dp/B01FWHAHEE/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=26+x+1.75+bike+rim+disc&qid=1574887171&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1
Disc Brakes are ideal, (better stopping) but if you don't want to go the hassle of installing them, you can instead opt for v brakes.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Cruiser-Steel-73-91mm-Chrome/dp/B000AO5J16/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=motorized+bicycle+v+brake+kit&qid=1574883735&sr=8-12
Use this video as a guide to installing disc brakes on your bike (please note, the rear disc will be bolted to the motorized bike sprocket, so, its mainly good for the front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emW7M-ZD0Pw&t=104s
Also, if you prefer "Mag" wheels as opposed to spokes, here's a nice set of BBR tuning mags for $119. These Include the motorized bicycle rear sprocket, so the above listed CNC Sprocket Adapter will NOT be needed if you buy these wheels. The Mags are disc brake ready, no additional adapters needed outside of the front and rear caliper mounts.
https://www.amazon.com/BBR-Tuning-Mountain-Cruisers-Motorized/dp/B076PWYSFS/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=bicycle+disc+brake+wheel&qid=1574884536&refinements=p_n_feature_six_browse-bin%3A6404041011%2Cp_36%3A-20000&rnid=386589011&s=outdoor-recreation&sr=1-10
Make sure everything fits your bike before purchase. Also, feel free to do some research.
The bolt snapped. That brake is a piece of junk anyway, stamped steel, bottom of the barrel. I'd put these Tektro calipers on.
I commute too, and I'm going to suggest the two things I've done. The first is to get a bell and ding the shit out of it all the fucking time. It seriously gets people's attention. The second thing is to replace your front brake pads with KoolStop Salmon pads. The salmon pads squeal like a motherfucker, and are also fantastic at getting people's attention.
I feel your pain. People just don't pay attention to cyclists, and then they act like we're the assholes.
edit: added link to brake pads
Using this yoke https://www.amazon.com/Tektro-1246A-Yoke-Hanger-Brake/dp/B002G33ZWY/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1473698780&sr=8-11&keywords=tektro+hanger helps tremendously in quickening the action and firming the feel of those brakes. Throw on some Kool Stop Thinline pads and you should be good-to-go.
https://www.amazon.com/AFTERPARTZ-Brake-Front-Rotor-handle/dp/B01KNSV9NK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1525127568&sr=8-8&keywords=disk+brake+kit+bike
I bought this one off amazon and found it worked great for my Guide RS brakes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SFSF5EK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I initially had the cheaper SRAM bleed kit and had trouble with it leaking air into the system. I didn't want to shell out the money for the SRAM professional kit and the one from amazon appears to have similar syringes to the pro kit.
I want to replace the mechanical brakes on my 2011 Specialized HardRock 29er Disc with hydraulics. I found these on Amazon but I have some questions:
Anything else anyone can recommend about this? I've gone to some shops and asked about the cost of having it done, and they've all quoted me roughly $200 for the brakes and $50-100 for labor, so if I can buy brakes for $55 and then either do it myself or just spend $50 on labor that would, obviously, be much better.
Edit: I found this video, which makes the installation seem fairly simple. The only question is that he only covers the front brake. Is the process much different for the rear?
Okay I just built some thing like this, the cables and housing issues I have solved it by running continuous cables and housings where there are no exposed cables for the derailleur, this eliminated the requirement for cable stops at chain stays, the shifting is crisp and I haven't faces any issues.
I have used road shifters on an MTB wheelset and cassette, most of them are cross compatible provided it should be same speed with some tweaking to the RD. I ran this set up for roughly 600 kms with out any issues. If your MTB had 10 speed cassette use 10 speed road cassette it should work. The problem you might face is indexing, which is pretty easy to solve by adjusting your high and low screws on your rear derailleur.
Problem would be the front derailleur you might have to get new shifters compatible with the triple chain rings , if you're changing the cranksets from 3 to 2 you might have to get new FD. There are ghetto hacks to over come this issue by going friction shifting, there are shifters available to meet this criteria ! Checkout gevenalle shifters which might make this a possibility. I went old-school and got myself a downtube shifters. I have indexed 11-40 8 speed cassette and 9 speed DR and friction shifting for FD. This set up helped me have different combinations of friction and indexed shifting I can go either ways on both FD & RD.
Lastly,on braking if you're going mechanical disc, I guess there wouldn't be any issues if you get the gevenalle shifters they make one for all kind of brakes , if you want to use a specific set of brakes like the 105, you might have to tweak your braking by installing these JJBP Short Pull Conversion Brake Arm Set for TRP HY/RD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073CCKD85/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_L12hDbJ3D2359
which is the most cost effective way to over come the pull issues.
Hope this helps !
Check out TRP HY/RD brakes. They're hydraulic, but cable actuated. You'll also need a short pull adapter for use with your mountain levers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073CCKD85/. Your stock discs are 180mm.
The plastic inner parts on shifters can gunk up, especially if left sitting for too long. You can try cleaning them out, or, if that's not worth your time they are pretty cheap to replace. Often, when you buy a set (left and right) they also come with all the cables and housings. This set, for example, cost 30 bucks. Considering you get the cables and everything, it's a pretty amazing deal.
Kool Stop Salmon pads are debatably the best budget caliper brake pads. (available on amazon, as well as most bike shops)
try removing the pads from the brake to compare, as they come in various shapes and form factors, though typically either an 'insert' that is hammered in with an awl, or a pad with a screw on it that can just be threaded on.
it may also be worth watching the park tool brake video for handy tricks on how to set toe-in (avoid squeaky annoying and save wear on the pads) as well as any adjustment settings you might desire.
the form of brake on your bike, the direct pull caliper is adequate for long pull bike levers, and offer a large amount of braking force for a small amount of movement at the caliper, but the biggest pain I've experienced with them is when one side doesn't pull as much as the other, requiring you to remove it so you can place the spring on the next peg and hope its enough adjustment
Honestly this looks like a pretty well balanced bike for the money. Most useful things are probably accessories rather than upgrades. Mudguards, lights, bags or a rack so you can carry stuff around, bar end mirror, etc.
I had a similar bike, as a 'larger' gentleman (110kg), my first upgrade was replacing the Tektro with better brakes: Shimano Deore M6000.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHIMANO-Deore-Mountain-Bicycle-Assembled/dp/B074JGSYBN/
Do you ride mostly on roads? Any off-road dirt / mud etc.?
If mostly on roads then maybe some slicker / thinner 'urban' tires, something like a 700x28c
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYKENKWST/kenda-k-west-700c-wired-tyre
One thing on spec looks wrong though, is the front chainset really 38/36/26t? or 48/36/26t?
Any good bike store will be able to size you right... I have a 23" frame. You probably want disk brakes. You don't want full suspension for a commuter bike. Go with front suspension that you can lock. You will probably always have it locked because well...Commuter bike... Seriously consider a single speed, because, every time you stand on your pedals to pick up speed to cross the street quickly or whatever, you as a big man, are putting a TON of force on the gears, which as I have learned (the hard way)....(twice)...Will bend the gears unless your in a really low gear. A new set of gears, cost about a fourth the price of a decent bike. You'll want a different seat, those super light saddles that come with your bike are NOT made for you, you want something with gel or foam (you don't want just a gel cover those slide and are generally a pain) get something like this. For reference this is my bike...I have the 2011 model which is only a different color. I have since put on a different saddle, (one from an older bike) swapped out the brakes and have bought a second set of tires for the summer months. I really enjoy the 5 mile ride to and from work everyday. IF you get an ss (single speed) you legs will hurt for the first month. But after that you'll have SUPER calves and youll be passing everyone with their lazy gears...=) Dont be afraid to ask any questions. Hope this helps.
Gran Compe 610 center-pulls
I've gathered that my mechanical advantage is probably too high, or my cables are too slack, either way resulting in my lever bottoming-out on my bar before enough force is applied to the brake.
Here's what I think I need to do:
I will try all this and see how goes. The only thing I'm still uncertain on is how wide of a yoke to get, and I'm not currently at my bike to see how wide the stock DiaCompe yokes are.
This tektro 1246A yoke is 40mm wide, while this problem solvers yoke is 50mm wide. I'm thinking wider is better, but there's really no way to know yet.
If none of these solve the issue (which I expect they will), I may have to resort to a travel agent to increase my cable pull while keeping my tt levers.
General rule of thumb for 10-speed or fewer for Shimano: the number of sprockets in the cassette should match the number of speeds for the shifters, and the rear-derailleur should be Shimano compatible (which basically means the amount of cable pulled per mm of movement remains the same). A MTB derailleur allows for wider gearing in the back (bigger sprockets), but is otherwise being pulled the same amount by the shifters (same number of sprockets).
It's never a bad idea to spend a little extra on brakes, but I actually have had great luck with Sunlite cantilever brakes as long as a) you set it up correctly and b) use a different, higher quality set of brake pads.
Would these work and keep the extra for a spare/replacement.
https://www.amazon.com/BlueSunshine-Front-Back-Disk-Brake/dp/B07458MXNB/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=front+bicycle+brake+kit&qid=1574045850&sprefix=front+bicycke+brake&sr=8-4#immersive-view_1574046103104
Truth is that you can replace almost any component on a bike, they are relatively simple machines. With the right tools disassembling a bike is pretty straightforward. The issue is how much money would an upgrade cost vs the difference you notice.
On this level of bike I would primarily optimize for comfort. The saddle and grips should be comfortable for you for whatever type of riding you prefer. The tire size and tread should match the terrain you ride. For example knobby mountain tires will be noisy and inefficient for street riding, high pressure road tires would be uncomfortable on rough terrain.
For a commuter bike you'll want to accessorize. Get a rack to carry your bag, get lights for night riding, get fenders if it rains a lot where you live.
Performance wise the only thing I would change on a bike like the 7.1FX is the brake pads. At least with my hybrid the pads were miserable, especially in wet weather. They would gather aluminum dust in little holes and scratch my rim. I got these: http://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Bicycle-Threaded-Salmon/dp/B000BMT2GU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411934931&sr=8-1&keywords=kool+stop+salmon brakes and I never had to worry about cleaning out the pads again.
If you end up doing a lot of biking (like 500-1000 miles a year), you may want to consider clipless pedals and shoes. This is a pretty common upgrade that makes your pedaling more efficient and will transfer to any newer bike.
There are maintenance items that you will likely have to replace or repair based on wear such as chains (1000 miles, or have wear measured by a chain tool), rear cassettes (should be after like 4-6000 miles if you replaced your chains on time, wheels (whenever spokes start popping and it can't be trued anymore), crankset/chainrings (probably unlikely, but maybe after 10k miles?).
I like to upgrade as things break, replace it with a higher quality component. I feel like this makes more sense financially than repairing something that already functions well.
I bought this m315 set from amazon. About the same price each, installed, 100% functional, they are fantastic for an ebike, lots of power, but sensitive enough to allow me to perform stoppies on clean pavement.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073YQP5R8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdo_t1_fLyLBbQZFVDND
>Brakes didn't do anything in the rain...
Get used to it haha. But seriously, cantilever's are known to be bad and worse when wet. I would recommend salmon kool-stop pads but that will only get you a bit better stopping. Look into mini v brakes for more stopping power.
The tire's look like tufo brand? The color shouldn't mean anything if that's the case. If you're commuting/pleasure riding/training you should be on clinchers (standard tires/not tubulars as it sounds like that's what you have) and have a tube/patch/tire lever/frame pump. I rode with just tubulars for a year or so, but I'm wiser now.
OK, 3x7 and cable/mech discs. Pull the grip shifters off and replace with these Shimano ef51. Important to order the v-brake version which will work with your brakes. Also a good opportunity to replace the cables/cable housing. Will feel like a different bike.
> rotor size doesn't matter for what pads work. just that they fit in the caliper, you probably know that but the post is worded so I'm not sure.
>
> those should work, but they are also the same as a bunch of shimano pads (BO1s, iirc) and i bet you could find those locally. Given your described use, probably not a huge jump in longevity, but can't hurt if you have the budget.
Yeah, I didn't look up the P/N's. I didn't know if the 160/160 and 180/160 came with a different caliper or pad fit from that. Thanks.
I think I will just spend the extra few bucks for the lifespan, even if it's marginal.
Well, the bike is under a warranty I believe and they have said in the past they'd be happy to help where they could. But, the bike is a stock 29er Hardtail that I've converted into an E-Bike w/ a BBSHD. They've seen the final build and were cool about saying what they did - but I'd feel like a jerk to have them honor anything in the OEM (cheap) drivetrain or braking systems. I fully expected to destroy something in one of the two over time. They've actually held up pretty well over almost 2 years now.
I'll look into the Deore set to compare, so far I've seen this Tektro M285 for ~$30 as a sealed kit. Or a bleeding kit for ~$15.
I haven't seen other components of the kit (just the caliper) anywhere. Maybe that's just how lower-end stuff is?
Kit:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N57GMO2/
Bleeders:
https://www.amazon.com/Tektro-Disc-Brake-Bleed-Kit/dp/B00S8SZB3W
I've not looked into whether there are other DIY options for bleeding, I'm sure there are. It seems that I'm going to likely have to replace the caliper and getting the full kit just in case is best? I could always keep the current "good" stuff on the bike as spares I guess...
Thanks again!
Looking at these 30$ “afterpartz”cable disc brakes on amazon. Comes with everything. I’m slowly building a better bike I have a 200 trek fuel that came with v brakes. I know they won’t be the best but probably an upgrade from v’s? I ride at least once s week and normally climb a fire road and take some moderate single track down or the fire road down. Decent rides. here’s the link
Depends on how much of a budget you are on, but I would do a set of Shimano MT200s from amazon (cheaper on ebay/aliexpress), and your pick of rotors.
I just did this actually, and went with the linked brake set (got mine from ebay) and some Shimano RT66 Rotors (~$20 each) Front/Rear. Avid rotors can be had cheaper (~$10-13 each).
After making the upgrade to hydraulics over mechanicals I would never go back. That said, my other bike has Avid BB7s on em which arent too expensive and pretty good.
https://www.amazon.com/JGbike-Compatible-Hydraulic-Shimano-1450mm/dp/B07JKQLHF1/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mt200&qid=1563328107&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1
Look for one of the "pro" kits on amazon... not the overpriced actual SRAM pro kit, but one of the direct from asia ones. I bought this one.
Second, the Guide R brakes are specifically a little more trouble prone than the higher end ones. Also, if the bike is fairly new, the levers may be subject to a recall: they get sticky & don't want to return when you let go.
I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on this kit, and buying the "Frequently bought together" bundle. My brakes are internally routed so I need to do it either way, I guess.
I also have no other experience on bike brakes other than my hardtail so I don't know how to accurately describe the feeling. The way you describe it as sponginess is how mine feel as well. Kinda feels like there's a dead spot the first few mm, then light braking then almost OTB. I guess I want more feathering? I dunno.
I think I'm gonna try better pads first then bleed. If those two fail. New brakes for me!
Good luck!
It came with a little wrench thing that I never found out what it’s used for. I also didn’t change the brake hoses (that’s the bolt you’re referring to right?) and didn’t need to adjust the banjo bolt. I think this is what I got
https://www.amazon.com/West-Biking-Professional-Hydraulic-Ultimate/dp/B00SFSF5EK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3
Edit: sorry I’m still not completely used to our internally-routed overlords, I now realize that obviously brake hose replacement is needed to remove your freaking brakes off your bike in 2019
The brakes are probably pre bled. You will probably have to cut the cables to proper length though. If you are careful it can be done without needing a bleed, but its a good idea to have a bleed kit. If you ride often, you will probably want to bleed every 3 to 6 months anyways.
Also, you will want some good grease. This park tools stuff is good and can be used for headset and bb.
https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-PPL-1-Polylube-Grease/dp/B000NORVHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466124475&sr=8-1&keywords=park+tools+grease
Bleed kit like this would get you started if you have Shimano brakes.
https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Brake-Bleed-Kit-Mineral/dp/B00F4LCS5A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466124626&sr=8-2&keywords=shimano+bleed+kit
Edit: also, I noticed your comment below about making a headset press from a threaded rod and some washers. I do this. Used it to press in a couple headsets, and a press fit bottom bracket. Worked great and costs like $10.
I got the bleed kit from this guy, and it's been fine with keeping my XTs running smooth. Just start doing some YouTube research, like all of us other "YouTube mechanics" 😁
Shimano Brake Bleed Kit with Mineral Oil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F4LCS5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KOz4Ab289WVJ3
I do wanna get new shifters though. I did a bit of reading and some stuff I read mentioned something about shifters being (in)compatible to different brakes.
I do have my eyes on these though: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-EF51-Shifter-Brake-Lever/dp/B004V2ACD8/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1405662262&sr=1-3&keywords=3x7+shifter
Will they work?
Uh the brakes. They are disks thats good but they aren't good. Look at the amazon ratings http://www.amazon.com/Tektro-Novela-Mechanical-Brake-Rotor/product-reviews/B003UY8TL0 that is bad.
Thanks. My current levers say "adjustable pull", does that mean they work with long pull or short pull brakes, or just that they're adjustable within whichever category they are? Is there any obvious way to figure out the pull length of my brakes?
How do you know the lever I linked is short pull?
Thank you so much for this comment, thinking more about repair on the road, and a lower entry into doing maintenance on them myself definitely makes me lean toward mechanical, do these look like what I would want: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TV7FHI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=A21IJWK8BH7UE6&psc=1
How are this brakes?
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-BR-4600-Tiagra-Caliper-Silver/dp/B005DTQGJ2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1370018038&sr=8-2&keywords=Shimano+brakes
and
http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-Apex-Brake-Caliper-Set/dp/B003RLLDV4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1370018353&sr=8-6&keywords=Tektro
I have Shimanos, but I think the process is similar the fluid is just different. Here's the kit I bought:
Shimano Brake Bleed Kit with Mineral Oil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F4LCS5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DIJUBb8V4W6FG
Having the syringe was super helpful and I'm not sure that was included with the factory kit
I second the suggestion for cr-720s. decent stopping power for the price, great mud clearance, easy set up. I've had them on the nature boy i've raced for the past 3 years. And yes, change the pads. I use the Salmon Kool Stop pads and they work very well.