Mountain Biking - Hydraulics-laying bike flat?

Last summer I put new XT hydraulic discs on my bike. Can I lay the bike (on the left, natch) in my pick up bed with the bars turned 90 degrees to the right and not get air in the lines? I have a hard tonneau on the truck, so the bike will be very near flat, with the front wheel removed. I drive miles of twisty roads, so there will be lots of sloshing around and lateral Gs pulling on things. I was thinking maybe I could prop up the top tube and stem with a large piece of foam. What say ye?

That doesnt matter what so ever. They are air/liquid tight. What you SHOULD worry about is accidentally pulling the brakes levers while there is no rotor in the caliper (when you have your wheels taken off). Then you have to push the pads back in and sometimes bleed the lines, etc. Its a pain in the butt.

But no, you dont have to worry at all.

Last summer I put new XT hydraulic discs on my bike. Can I lay the bike (on the left, natch) in my pick up bed with the bars turned 90 degrees to the right and not get air in the lines? I have a hard tonneau on the truck, so the bike will be very near flat, with the front wheel removed. I drive miles of twisty roads, so there will be lots of sloshing around and lateral Gs pulling on things. I was thinking maybe I could prop up the top tube and stem with a large piece of foam. What say ye? it will be fine.

what is a natch?

lateral g's? have you tested your vehicle on a skid pad? what can you pull? or do you just drive like a maniac?

natch: slang for "naturally" The truck is a 2000 Ford Ranger (a joint Ford/Mazda vehicle) and I am usually not too fond of Detroit iron, but it does sort of handle with the big tires and stiff springs, probably lucky to get over .8 on the skidpad, though, just a guess. I damn near rolled the thing playing one day, so no, I no longer drive like a maniac.

this is thread of the year so far.

Last summer I put new XT hydraulic discs on my bike. Can I lay the bike (on the left, natch) in my pick up bed with the bars turned 90 degrees to the right and not get air in the lines? I have a hard tonneau on the truck, so the bike will be very near flat, with the front wheel removed. I drive miles of twisty roads, so there will be lots of sloshing around and lateral Gs pulling on things. I was thinking maybe I could prop up the top tube and stem with a large piece of foam. What say ye?

Wow........just.........wow.

How do you keep air out of your truck's brake lines while pulling those lateral G's?

I have hydraulic discs on my Kona and my Jamis, I lay those down all the time. Think about it, if you couldn't lay you rig down flat, what would happen if you took a spill on it?........

What say ye?

Avast! Ye Land Lubber!

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c178/Hopper890/corsair-thumb.jpg

^:roflmao::lol::roflmao:

I just thought that the cornering forces of normal mountain road driving might have the effect of momentarily going a little upside down to the hydraulic system when the bike is lying flat. I'm not trying to come off like a formula 1 driver. Thanks to all who replied.

http://www.beadchaser.com/image/funny/corsair-keyboard.jpg
i dont get it...

I just thought that the cornering forces of normal mountain road driving might have the effect of momentarily going a little upside down to the hydraulic system when the bike is lying flat. I'm not trying to come off like a formula 1 driver. Thanks to all who replied.
people can be touchy here. don't worry about it. i just think you were thinking of your bike/brakes as more delicate than they are. you're not going to mess anything up on its side, upside down, right side up, vice versa...

i dont get it...

:roflmao: :roflmao: OMG!!!! That's even better!

i'm roflboating so hard reading this thread.

Please, keep discussions to the main topic please. As you can see hi565 is going to have to edit alot of the thread.

Thank you

edit: http://www.pyracy.com/forums/

Sorry. To the OP, your bike will be fine lying in the bed of the truck. Rrrrrrrrrrrr.......

It will be fine lying flat - so long as all your fittings are tight & you have no leaks....

I am touchy, but I am also glad to provide amusement to all who find this funny. I was told, years ago when almost everything was Hayes, that hydraulic brakes will get air in the lines when stored upside down. Is this true? Was this true for only early Hayes products? Is the little rubber accordian/gasket on the XTs 100% effective at keeping air out of the rest of the resivior, and thus out of the lines when stored for weeks or longer upside down? Have I been living a lie??

How do you keep air out of your truck's brake lines while pulling those lateral G's?If I stored my truck upside down, I am pretty sure it would get air in the brake lines. It seems to me eventually gravity would pull the fluid out of the master.

oh **** I can't stop laughing....ay matey...hahahaha...thats awesome

I am touchy, but I am also glad to provide amusement to all who find this funny. I was told, years ago when almost everything was Hayes, that hydraulic brakes will get air in the lines when stored upside down. Is this true? Was this true for only early Hayes products? Is the little rubber accordian/gasket on the XTs 100% effective at keeping air out of the rest of the resivior, and thus out of the lines when stored for weeks or longer upside down? Have I been living a lie??

no, its a sealed system, if you are getting air in the lines in any way then something is wrong. I don't know who told you that but (and I am talking about 2001 and up that I know of) most systems are sealed and fine.

OKAY- my bad. I aasumed it was true that the calipers should never ever go above the resivior. Hey, I heard it in a bike shop, so it HAD to be true!! WAY off topic: If you like Pirate humor check out Zap comix number zero or 1, I forget which.

Bike shops are still telling people that.

If the fluid in your brakes isn't topped off you WILL get air in the lines by turning the bike upside down. Shaking the bike and squeezing the brakes a bunch of times (when its rubber side down) gets the air bubbles out.

If the fluid in your brakes isn't topped off you WILL get air in the lines by turning the bike upside down. Shaking the bike and squeezing the brakes a bunch of times (when its rubber side down) gets the air bubbles out.

Arrrrr!

If I stored my truck upside down, I am pretty sure it would get air in the brake lines.

If you're storing your truck upside-down, I think you might have bigger problems than air in the brake line. :p