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Tough
brake lines for cheap
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Brake lines from manufacturers like Hope, Hayes and Shimano are not up to the punishment of freeriding. Goodridge makes very tough lines that I reviewed recently but they are still expensive and hard to find. Ask 10 riders if they have broken or damaged lines and I would bet you get 8 yo's. Patrollers in the Whistler Bike Park can easily rack up a million vert in July and August and with that many cycles lines can be worn through from just rubbing against the frame or fork. Until recently my solution to this problem has been to cover my line with cheap vinyl tubing. It protects against almost any hazard - except a hose that gets pulled out of the fittings. Since I began doing this I haven't had a single problem with my lines. There are two ways to do this; the lazy guy/Mickey Mouse fix and the anal retentive perfectionist job. The good news is that they both work really well.
For both solutions you'll need to pick up some vinyl tubing. The stuff is cheap but tough. Get the hose that has 3/8" outside diameter and 1/4" inside diameter - the clear stuff looks the coolest. Make sure it is nice and flexible as well. It should be easy to find at most building supply places. Here in North Van you can get it at Rona down near John Henry. Buy about 12 feet of the stuff to be on the safe side. To be sure about the inside diameter bring a section of brake line to the store with you. Now the two solutions diverge.
A cheap way to make your lines tougher. vinyl tubing with a 3/8" outside diameter and 1/4" inside will slide right over your existing line.
Available at most hardware or building supply stores.
Mickey Mouse Style - perfectionists solution below
If you just want to 'get 'er done' this is the how to for you. The first step is to get a ballpark idea of how long the tubing needs to be to cover your existing brake line. Stand back, take a good look, and then cut a section of tubing that you think will be a little longer than your line. It doesn't have to be perfect since you aren't anal retentive. If you are actually a fussbudget who just happens to be trapped in the body of a lazy person you will want to tape the hose into place along the length of the brakeline in order to get it exactly right. You'll have to pull off the tape and remove the hose to continue with the job. Once that is done take an exacto knife and split the tubing down the middle of one side (not all the way through!) from end to end. Getting started is tricky so be careful. A good way to get the slice rolling is to start with a pair of wire cutters or some good scissors for the first 3 or 4 inches. Once you get going you'll have the already cut section to hold onto and you can just pull the knife down. The knife might try to wander around the hose but don't worry about that.
Mickey Mousers: Begin cutting with a pair of wire cutters or the 'good scissors' in your drawer.
Once you get started you can pull an exacto knife along to split your brakeline condom open.
Please excuse this legal interruption - BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU ARE DOING THIS AND IF YOU ARE A CHILD DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WITHOUT PARENTAL HELP.
Cut the entire section so you can split it open from end to end. Now you have to cut the zap straps that keep your line attached to your frame so that it just hangs free. Once that is done open the tubing and wrap it around your brake line starting at the lever end. When you get to the caliper you should have some length left over - if you estimated well that is (unless you used the lazy perfectionist method - then you shouldn't have any extra). The final cut isn't too important because if it is a little short it's no big deal and if it's a little long you can just cut it again. Once that is completed take some electrical tape and wrap a couple of loops around the lever end of the hose and the caliper end. Then wrap more tape at 6" intervals all the way along the hose to keep it in place. Once that is done you can re-fasten your newly protected line to your frame.
Anal Retentive Method
If you clean your bike after every ride, and sometimes even wipe off every spoke,
this is the solution for you.
You need to be able to bleed your own brakes to perform this minor bike surgery. I'm not going into that here but it's not a very tricky operation. All brakes are different so go into the shop where you bought your bike or your brakes and ask them for the manual that comes with them - they should have a few kicking around that they can give you for free. You will also need a bleed kit that will work with your system. I will give a tip to those of you who have never bled before; take out your brake pads and remove your wheel. If you get fluid on pads or rotors they may never work the same again.
| Step one is to remove whatever is holding your line to your frame. Once that is done remove one end of your brake line and drain the fluid. Then you can grab your long section of hose and slide it over the brakeline and cut it, leaving the hose about an inch too long. After the first cut is made you can get persnickety and do the fine cutting. If you want a perfect fit don't forget to estimate how much space the fittings will use once you have reinstalled them. The hose will squish a little if it is slightly too long but if you leave too much you'll have to cut it again so it's better to err on the short side. Now that the cutting is done you are set to reinstall your fittings and bleed your brakes once again. Then use some zap straps (zip ties) to reattach line to frame. |
 Just slide the 'protection' over your brakeline. |
I have used both of these methods and each works amazingly well. At this point your lines are ready for Danger Dan's flying Circus or a 15-run day in the Whistler Bike Park.
It's always good to protect your line.
