I recently replaced my brake pads on a Tektro M285 Hydraulic Disc. After replacing them I pumped the levers so it would go back into place but after a bit of pumping, I noticed that it only adjusted itself a tiny bit. Before I had replaced the brake pads, when I would press down the on the lever it wouldn't go so far but now when I press down on the lever, the lever would hit my fingers before a proper brake could be applied. Is there a way to tighten the lever more so it doesn't hit my fingers?

Also when I was waiting for the new brake pads to be shipped to my home I did notice a small drop of pinkish liquid under the caliper, does that mean something is leaking on my brakes? The specifications on my bike brakes mentioned that it uses Non-Corrosive Mineral Oil. Is the pinkish liquid the Mineral oil? What do I need to do to stop that from happening?


If the lever travel/bottoming problem got worse when you replaced your pads, that's a little unusual.

There is no way on these brakes to adjust the "bite point," otherwise known as lever travel. If it bottoms out or has excessive travel even with fresh pads, that's a symptom of air in the brake line, and the only solution is to bleed the brake.

The pink fluid is Tektro mineral oil. The brake leaking fluid is consistent with symptoms of air in the line. If the fluid leaked due to either the pistons being over-extended, the bleed port being open or loose, hose damage, or a loose hose fitting, it is probably correctable. If it's losing fluid anywhere else for no apparent reason, that's often indicative of a problem with the caliper seals that may not be fixable, since replacement seals for calipers often are not available. There's not really a middle ground situation of a small leak that still allows the brake to basically function. Any noticeable amount will quickly degrade brake function or get the pads contaminated.

At the very least it sounds like the brake needs to be bled. The basic Tektro bleed kit is cheap so it may be worth a shot. If it leaks oil after being bled, cut to the chase and get a whole new caliper or brake.

  • I just got my brakes bled and everything worked out fine. I replaced the pads in the first place because I believed that the pads were contaminated I also noticed black lines on the rotor. I sanded the rotor to get a "new surface" and replaced the pads but when I tested the front brake the stopping power didn't get any better but the squealing did stop. But after a few hours I noticed that my front brakes started squealing again, is there a solution to this? Do I just have to replace the brake pads again? – Anthony Hoang Oct 21 '18 at 21:02
  • It sounds like the caliper is leaking. There's not a lot that can be done for it if so. Usually replacing the caliper is the only choice. To confirm you might pull the pads and see if you can figure out where the fluid is coming from. – Nathan Knutson Oct 21 '18 at 21:25

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