Getting shops to bleed your brakes can be bloody expensive. Some shops charge $70 per end, and when you get the bike back the lever often isn't set up how you like it. And don't even get us started about the wait times for servicing over summer 😅 Solve all of that by bleeding your own brakes. It's pretty easy to pick up and, once you've learned, a full bleed takes about an hour for both ends and costs sod all - just the cost of fluid. You'll also be able to do it when you need to - we've saved a lot of rides by bleeding our brakes at the last minute. Here's a kit that we've made for bleeding SRAM/Avid DOT 5.1 based brakes. We've selected components that are all DOT fluid compatible and will last well. During our research, we were horrified that some kits didn't use DOT-compatible tubing, including a notable local brand. Non-compatible tubing swells after months and will only do limited bleeds before splitting. These kits include all you need to bleed all Avid and SRAM DOT 5.1 fluid based brakes. They are also compatible with all older type Formula hydraulic brakes (Oro, C1, R1, R0, K24, K18…). They are not compatible with Formula Cura or any other mineral oil brake.All kits include: 2x 30mL 3-part syringes with DOT-compatible plungers1x Torx T10 wrench The fitting options are: 2x Threaded: For avid/sram brakes older than 2016 model year. 1x Threaded + 1x Bleeding Edge: For brakes 2017 model year or newer2x Threaded + 1x Bleeding Edge: If you want to be able to bleed any avid/sram brake Other notes You will also need a bleed block to perform the service You can also add 250mL of Liqui Moly DOT 5.1 fluid if you need some. The shelf life of this is 12 months from the date of opening. Please ignore the cheeky "expiry" date printed on the bottle by the manufacturer, this seems disingenous to us.  Our favourite part of these kits is the tubing, which can be clamped without being a bodybuilder - if you've ever used an avid kit you'll know what we are talking about... The bleeding edge fitting only works on bleeding edge brakes and does not work for reverb bleeds

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Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit SRAM LARGE pads. This includes Sram Code (2011 onwards), Motive, DB6, DB8 and Guide RE brakes. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found in the compatibility tab above. We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compatibility - Avid & SRAM Code, all models from 2011 onward- SRAM Guide RE-SRAM Motive-SRAM DB6 and DB8 Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

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We always carry a few spare valve cores, you never know when you might need them! It's good to be able to replace tubeless gunked or bent valves, at least for us it is :)

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A handy dandy device for measuring and injecting fluids. There's a few sizes to choose from. Useful for whatever you want to do with it... Here's some examples of what we use these for: Injecting tubeless sealant into our wheels through our valve stem so we don't get it everywhere Measuring out fork fluid - use an injector instead of your old graduated cup Spraying a jet of water at our partner just to be a nuisance Please note: The rubber seals on these require lubrication to move smoothly. If your syringe becomes a bit tired, try taking the plunger out and lubricating the seal with whatever fluid you are using. Put it back into the outer and it should be good!

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Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit SRAM MEDIUM brake pads. This includes Sram Guide and Level (4 piston models only). A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found in the compatibility tab above. We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compatibility SRAM- Not compatible with Guide RE. Guide RE takes Code (2011 onward) shape- Guide T, R, RS, RSC, Ultimate- G2 RSC, Ultimate - Level Stealth (4 piston only) Avid- Avid XO Trail- Avid Elixir trail 7, 9 (all 4 piston versions) Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

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Here's a bleed kit for bleeding Tektro & TRP brakes. It contains a syringe, tubing with a caliper adapter and a bleed funnel with an adapter for the lever.  We used to sell kits with two syringes but we've found that bleeding brakes with a funnel is much better than two syringes. The biggest perk though, is you can now do a lever bleed (like on shimano brakes). You'll still need to get some mineral oil and we recommend making a bleed block of some sort for your brakes. 

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This mighty adapter will allow you to use a schrader pump to inflate your presta valve tyres. Extremely useful to have in the glove-box so you can pump your tyres up at petrol stations, which we do quite regularly. A must have for every mountain-bikers car. Often your pump isn't strong enough to seat tubeless tyres but those petrol station pumps generally do a great job! :)   

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Replacing chains regularly is the best way to ensure a long life from your drive-train. This Chain Wear Indicator will help tell you what your chain wear is, so you know when to replace it.  Usage instructionsPlace the wide end into a link on your chain and gently try push the other in. If the chain slips into the 1% gap then your chain has more than 1% wear. If the chain fits into the 0.75% gap but not the 1% gap, it has between 0.75% and 1% wear. To get a long life out of your drive-train, your chain should be replaced once it has a wear of between 0.75% and 1.0%. If your chain is at 1% or more it should be replaced immediately, otherwise you risk massively reducing the life of your drive-train.

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Sometimes you don't need a whole litre of suspension oil. Here's a little less, 250mL should do the trick. These suspension oils can be used as replacements for similar viscosity fluids for dampers. For lowers lubrication, you can successfully use a much wider range of oils. Some examples of fluids that these replace are: 2.5wt or 3wt replaces: Fox R3 5wt5wt replaces: Fox 5wt teflon inflused, Rockshox 5wt 7wt replaces: Fox green 7wt, Rockshox 7wt10wt replaces: Fox green 10wt, Fox red 10wt, Rockshox 10wt, Rockshox 0W3020wt replaces: Fox gold 20wt, Rockshox 10wt, Rockshox 0W30 Note from 19/03/2026 Recently WPL was purchased and we lost access to purchasing it. We're tranisitioning to selling an equivalent product from Maxima, which happens to be that recommended fluid by Rockshox. 

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Rotors are something that many of us don't think often. Most of the time we're just replacing them when we get a new bike that has rotors which are too small from factory, what's with that? They can be pretty spendy too, if you want a decent 220mm rotor you'll be paying over $100.  The other thing about rotors is they're actually a consumable. If you've recently bled your brakes and replaced your pads but your brakes are still performing poorly, have a look at your rotor thickness. As a rotor decreases in thickness its performance decreases. Most brands recommend that after 0.3mm of total wear you replace your rotors.  We tested a wide range of rotors to figure out which would have suitable performance for sale. These were our favourite. The performance of these rotors was found to be on-par with SRAM centerline rotors. We named these rotors GPVN which stands for "Great Price, Very Nice" - a name which really amuses us. These rotors are 1.8mm thick (the 220mm model is 2mm) and are a standard six bolt design. If needed a centerlock adapter can be used to fit them to centerlock hubs, see more info here. They are made of SUS-410 stainless steel which means you can use any pad compound. The swept cutout pattern allows efficient clearance of debris, water and mud. There are also some handy wear indicators, when the indicators are no longer visible you need to replace your rotors. If you're changing rotor size you will need to get an adaptor at the same time.  Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these rotors will perform well for you. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here. Sometimes a rotor may turn up a little warped. If yours turns up like this please let us know. We've endeavoured to send rotors in some actually protective packaging but sometimes that's just not enough... Rotor Size: The age-old debate... We're going to speak about the facts and then share our opinion. Compared to smaller rotors, larger rotors: Provide more braking force for a given lever pressure. A 10% larger rotor will give 10% higher braking force for a given lever pressure Are significantly more effective at cooling and take longer to heat up in the first place (more thermal mass) Weigh more  Getting the same braking force with less lever pressure means that your hands and forearms will fatigue less. This also means that brakes feel less modulated with larger rotors. A higher cooling rate makes your rotors run cooler and you're less likely to experience brake fade.  This is all a game of trade-offs and it's up to you to pick your poison. The way that we think about this is: We want reduced fatigue We want maximal braking power We want sufficient modulation to prevent traction loss We don't mind weight penalties The person writing this has Shimano XT 4 piston brakes and runs a 220mm rotor on the front with resin pads for maximal power and modulation (thanks resin!). They found that resin pads on a 203mm rotor would sometimes get fade on the most extremely long and steep descents. They prefer a 203mm rotor on the back with metal pads which allows their rear wheel to lock up more easily (thanks metal pads). Whilst they like locking up their rear wheel, they also want a small amount of modulation and found a 220mm rotor on the rear meant they struggled to keep traction on the back when applying the brake.  In our opinion, a lot of gravity riders have rotors that are too small. If you're having fade issues, forget fins and get bigger rotors. If you're having fatigue issues and you're not having traction issues, get bigger rotors. If you're having fatigue and traction issues, consider a bigger rotor with resin pads, the resin pads give you a lot more control and with a larger rotor shouldn't have fade issues. Weight 160mm = 136g 180mm = 167g 203mm = 206g 220mm = 269g

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Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit Shimano XT/2-Piston brake pads. The equivalent Shimano pad models are G03A, G05A, G03S, G04S, G05S,  J03A, J05A, J04C, G04Ti. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found in the compatibility tab above. We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compatibility Shimano: Models from: XTR | XT | SLX | Alfine- XTR BR-M9000/ 9020, XTR BR-M985 (ab 2019) /988 /987 /985 - XT BR-M8100/ M8000/ M785, XT BR-M785- SLX BR-M7100/ M7000/ M675/ M666- Deore BR-M6100/ 6000/ 615- Alfine from 2012 (BR-S700/S7000, BR-RS785, BR-R785, BR-CX75, BR-R515, BR-R315)FSA- K-Force DB-XC-9000- FSA Afterburner DB-XC-9151 Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

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