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Upside down hydraulics?


This topic contains 3 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  spreader 1 year, 7 months ago.

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    Hi all. I’m trying to get some garage space back and have decided to lift my MTB and CX up into the rafters. I was thinking about using hooks into the studs and hanging them upside down by the rims. The more I read though the more concerned I am that this may bring on issues with air moving from the reservoir to the brake calipers. My alternate is to buy a pair of pulley systems (hoists) from Rona or wherever.

    Does anyone hang their bikes upside down? Any feedback?



    Hey @spreader

    I don’t think this will matter, I hang my bikes, alternating front/back wheel, vertically on hooks. How this affects the system will depend on brand, just like bleed procedure would. If the system is properly bled, I don’t see how this would matter.

    I’ll tag the man @matty-f (Just ask Matt) on this one but I think as long as you don’t actuate (squeeze the lever) while upside down, you’re good. A solid bleed means the system is purged of air and should not be affected, if its not 100% you would have issues for sure. Though there may be some nuance at the reservoir, I’m not aware of. What we’d be talking about is a system that has bubbles or contaminates which would move those issues to the lever or calliper, depending on orientation, and cause distinctive issues depending on the system. (Shimano or Sram)

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    Matty F

    As long as the brakes are properly bled you shouldn’t have any issues. I’ve always hung my bikes on end and have worked in shops that do the same. It’s not exactly the same as hanging them completely upside down, but hanging a bike upside should actually cause less of an issue for the rear brake than just hanging it up by the back wheel. Theoretically there is a chance that if an air bubble does exist in the system it could migrate its way into a corner of the caliper where it could be hard to work back out. But I’ve never run into that issue from just hanging up a bike.

    1 user thanked author for this post.


    Thanks. You’ve more or less confirmed my suspicions. Hang it upside down and if the system is tight there won’t be any issues. If they’re mush when the bike is flipped right side up – time to send them in for service.

    Funny enough a couple bikes hung up off the floor and it really doesn’t feel as if there’s any extra room!

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