How Much Does It Cost To Bleed Bike Brakes?

If there is one part of your bike that you want to make sure is always in working order, it is your brakes, but how much does it cost to bleed them?

Many people often find themselves skeptical when needing to repair their bikes - especially their brakes, which is why they tend to go to a professional to get the job done. However, you may be surprised to know that bleeding your brakes is not all that technical and you can save yourself money by doing the work at home yourself.

How much it costs to bleed bike brakes depends on whether you do so professionally or DIY. If you go to a bike mechanic, you should expect to pay upwards of $30 to $100 - depending on the make and model. If you take the DIY route, then bleeding your brakes costs as little as $16 to $25.

Few things compare to the joy of taking your bike out for a nice ride. This sport is a way of life for so many people, which is why cycling is such a popular activity across the entire globe - regardless of whether you prefer a road bike, mountain bike, or a beach cruiser. However, an important thing to always keep in mind with bike riding is safety. Although bike riding is a whole lot of fun, you want to always be sure that you are prioritizing safety before you go out for a ride - with your brakes being the most fundamental aspect of this. Always test your brakes to confirm that they are firm and have precise stopping power - in case you need to slam on them suddenly. One of the most common repairs that need to be handled with this part of your brakes is bleeding them when necessary, which can vary in costs depending on how you approach the fix. To help you understand this further, we are going to take a closer look at how much it costs to bleed bike brakes in more detail.

After extensively researching bike brakes, I have gathered enough information to understand how the process works and how much it costs to get the job done. My research has led me to believe that how much it costs to bleed bike brakes is heavily determined by whether you do the job yourself or go to a bike mechanic.

‍Cost to Bleed Bike Brakes

When it comes to flat tires, most amateur bike riders feel pretty confident with repairing their bikes all on their own. However, when the topic of bleeding bike brakes is on the table, a lot of riders find themselves feeling not up to the challenge, as working with brake fluid can seem more technical than what their abilities can handle.

You should know that with some very basic tools and the assistance of a bike bleeding kit, the repairs are actually very straightforward and not all that difficult. You can get the job done relatively quickly and save yourself on time and money by skipping the bike mechanic altogether. However, you should keep in mind that brakes are a very important aspect of your bike, which is why you want to approach your repairs carefully.

If you are not up to the challenge or do not feel confident in your repairs, you should always take it to a professional shop. When going to a shop, you can expect to pay considerably more than by doing the fix yourself, but by taking this route, you can rest assured that the repairs will be done perfectly so that you can go out on your next ride feeling totally secure.

You should also note that some bike bleeding costs will vary depending on the model of your bike. For most standard brake bleeds, the costs are very reasonable and will generally be in the $25 to $50 range - based on whether you did it yourself or went to a mechanic. However, if you are riding a very specific make and model bike from a high-end manufacturer, then you should expect to pay an increased price for the repair that could be upwards of $100 (or even more).

DIY Brake Bleed Cost & Repair

For many cyclists out there, the DIY route suits them the best, as you can save yourself a ton of cash by doing it yourself - and in the process, you can learn a bit about your bike. You will find that by taking this approach with bleeding your brakes, it can cost you as little as $16.00 to $25.00

If you want to bleed your bike brakes on your own at home then you are going to need to equip yourself with the right tools to get the job done. Here are the things that you will need for your repairs:

• Bicycle Brake Bleed Kit
• Allen Wrench

You will find that just about every household has an Allen Wrench laying around. This is going to be a very important tool for your fix that you will likely not need to buy. If you don’t have an Allen Wrench set laying around, they are very cheap and you can find them for as little as $6.00.

What you will likely need to buy, however, is a bike brake bleed kit. There are a number of options available for bleed kits online, which can vary in costs depending on a number of factors, but you will find that a budget option like this one is going to be perfect for handling this kind of repair for most common bikes.

For the very low cost of just $16.00, you could essentially have your brakes bled and fixed for this price - provided that you have an Allen Wrench set at home. However, you are going to want to be sure to bleed your brakes correctly so that you do not run into any complications that result in additional costs down the line.

Before doing any repairs on your bike, we always recommend that you clean your bike first - especially in the areas that you are going to be working with. This will not only make repairing your bike a more pleasant experience but it will also prevent any kind of debris or unwanted materials from getting into the mechanics of your bike. After you have cleaned your bike:

1. Adjust the brake by using your Allen Wrench to make it level.
2. Once it has been adjusted, remove the primary bolt from the top of your brake.
3. Open your bleed kit and remove the bleed pump.
4. Stick the bleed pump inside of the opening on your brake and tighten it slightly.

Once you have your bleed pump in position, you are going to want to remove the cap that is located on your caliper. This tiny cap is designed to prevent debris from entering this part of your bike. It is important that you position your bike in a way so that any air will move up through the fluid. Next, you are going to want to take the syringe out of your bleed kit.

1. Fill it with the oil that came with your bleed kit.
2. Attach it to the opening where the dust cap was.
3. Loosen the valve with your Allen Wrench.
4. Begin to inject the oil into the valve with balanced pressure (not too much).

As you do this, you will be pumping the oil through the valve, which will start to pour out of the pump that you added to the hole in your brake. It is quite common to have air bubbles that stay trapped within the system. To prevent this from happening you should tap hoses as you inject the oil.

When the fluid has been fully injected into the brake system, you can tighten the valve and then seal the pump with the seal provided in your bleed kit. Lastly, fasten all of the areas that you undid by putting all of the nuts and caps back in their appropriate areas. You can then repeat the process for the other brake.

By taking this approach, you can bleed your brakes for as little as $16.00! Just make sure that the bleed kit that you are using can be used on your specific make and model bike.

Professional Brake Bleed Cost

If you are not feeling up to bleeding your bike brakes on your own, you are not alone! Many people prefer to take their bikes to a mechanic to have the job done professionally.

This can cost you quite a bit more but by taking this route, you have the full reassurance that the job was done right, which will let you feel confident in your bike’s performance the next time that you go out riding.

The cost of getting a professional to bleed your brakes can vary based on a number of different factors - with the biggest being the shop itself, as well as the bike that you own. For the most part, bike mechanics will charge you anywhere from $30 to $50 for this kind of fix - provided that your bike does not have any other underlying issues that need to be handled in the process.

However, if you are using an expensive bike or a unique make and model, then you should not be surprised to be paying upwards of $100. If that is the case, you may even need to go to a special shop to handle your brake bleed.

Bike shops can vary in quality repairs, but for a simple fix like brake bleeding, most should be able to get the job done easily. With that being said, to save yourself cash, you should always call and ask around to get the best price possible.