How to Cut the Hose on Avid Brakes

Avid Brakes are produced by SRAM, an American bicycle component maker. The hydraulic disc brakes use a hose cable filled with fluid. When the brake lever is pulled, fluid compresses in the hose and triggers the caliper to grip the drum, bringing the bicycle to a stop. Hose cables are cut to accommodate the bicycle frame size.

Things You'll Need

  • Bicycle cable cutters
  • Newspapers
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Instructions

  1. Cutting a Hose Already On the Bike

    • 1

      Spread newspaper on the ground beneath the hose. This is in case you cut a hose already on the bicycle and filled with the hydraulic fluid. Use the paper as a blotter for the fluid as it leaks from the cut hose.

    • 2

      Grip the hose where the cut is to be made. Open the bicycle cable cutting tool. It looks like a pair of wire cutters. Wrap the cutting jaws around the hose in the location to be cut.

    • 3

      Squeeze the cutting tool handles quickly and firmly to make a clean and solid cut in the hose. Avoid small jerky squeezes as this causes unclean cuts. The fluid will leak onto the ground. Take caution to avoid getting soaked in the hydraulic fluid.

    Cutting a Hose Prior to Installation

    • 4

      Measure the length of hose to be cut for the bicycle. Hold the first hose through the brake cable housing on the bicycle frame. The hose will go from the bike levers on the handlebars to the brakes themselves. Cut the hose at the length of the bicycle frame's measurements.

    • 5

      Wrap the cutting tool jaws around the measured distance and squeeze quickly and firmly to make a clean cut.

    • 6

      Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the second brake hose.