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Last week's Mechanical Monday examined the 14 myths of using tubeless tires for cyclocross, offering a guide for the pros and cons of one of the best alternatives to using tubular tires. Today we move from the rubber to the rotor. With companies such as Cannondale and Ridley who have moved towards an all-disc brake lineup, the move to disc brakes in cyclocross has never been more apparent, only emphasized by the riders near or on the podium in Tabor who rode with disc brakes.

Looking to join the ever-growing legions of hydraulic disc brake users, but have questions on maintenance for the road bike systems? For today's Mechanical Monday, we have reached out to SRAM, Shimano and TRP to ask them about some of their best practices of maintaining their hydraulic brakes on cyclocross or gravel bikes.

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6. Is there a recommended way of storing a bike with hydraulic road levers? (Is it better to store the bike on the ground, or is hanging a bike from a wheel acceptable?)

SRAM: Hydraulic brake levers can be stored any way that’s convenient to you. Hanging from a wheel is totally acceptable. A brake will not fail or need service any faster or slower because of its storage position. One thing to keep in mind is that putting the bike up on the rear wheel, or hanging it from the front wheel is good way to check for air in the system. If excessive air is present in the brake and it is time for a bleed, and the bike is hung from the front wheel, any air in the system will travel up to the master cylinder and impair brake function. If you put a bike up on the rear wheel and the brakes pull to the handlebar, this is not the position causing an issue, but rather the bike position calling attention to an already present situation.

Shimano: Conventional wisdom suggests hanging a bike from the front wheel, but a properly maintained hydraulic system can be stored both ways. The pre-ride habit of pumping the breaks before riding is recommended regardless of how you store the bike.

TRP: Storing a bike level to the ground or by the front wheel is perfectly fine. These positions encourage any air bubbles that may be in the system to flow towards the fluid reservoir. We do not recommend hanging a bike with hydraulic brakes by the rear wheel or upside down.

We want to give a special thanks to Nate Newton of SRAM, Bryce Olsen of TRP, and the folks at Shimano TEC.

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