Spongy brake lever feel usually means one thing: air bubbles in the system. Bleeding hydraulic disc brakes isn't complicated, but doing it cleanly requires the right tools. The Shimano TL-BR Professional Disc Brake Bleed Kit bundles everything you need to service Shimano hydraulic brakes on both road and mountain bikes—funnels, syringe, hose, and bleed blocks all in one package. The only thing you'll need to add is Shimano mineral oil, which is sold separately.

The kit includes two different funnels because Shimano uses different thread sizes on road and mountain brake levers. The TL-BR002 funnel has an M7 thread that fits road STI levers with integrated hydraulic shifting and braking. The TL-BR003 funnel uses an M5 thread for mountain bike brake levers and trekking setups. Both funnels are clear so you can see the oil level and watch for air bubbles during the bleed process. Each funnel comes with its own oil stopper and base stand, which keeps things tidy when you're working and prevents spills when you set the funnel down.

The TL-BR001 syringe connects to the caliper end of the system via a tube and bleed nipple tool. A hose clip lets you block oil flow when disconnecting the syringe, preventing the mess that happens when you pull a fluid-filled tube off a fitting. The one-way bleeding method Shimano recommends pushes fresh mineral oil up from the caliper while air bubbles rise naturally into the funnel at the lever—gravity does most of the work once you get the system filled.... Read More