"Universal" brake bleeding tips

This applies to any hydraulic brake or clutch system.

When you bleed an hydraulic system you are changing the fluid and often trying to get air out of the system.  Some air can "stick" to the insides of the pipes and may not be fully removed during normal bleeding.  My brakes are done with a vacuum bleeder, so when the bleed nipple is cracked open, the fluid has higher velocity and drags more "stuck" air through.

That is only part of the tip though. This is one you can do at home for zero cost.

After you have bled the brakes or clutch, leave the lever fully compressed overnight. For example with a front brake, use some rope to hold the brake lever fully pulled in.

Why? This maintains full pressure in the system and forces/encourages trapped air to rise up to the reservoir, thus you have hopefully as much fluid and minimal air in the system.

Air in hydraulic systems is bad. Air is much easier to compress than brake fluid, so if there is air in the system, your brakes will feel spongey as you are compressing air, rather than fully pushing the fluid into the pistons of the brake caliper to move the pads against the brake pads.

Richard