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I semi-annually service two mates’ Spez entry-level hard tail commuters. Nearly 15 years old, live outside, never been bled, have gone through several pads and rotors, still working fine.
I’m hoping to be out of town when they finally need a bleed. I tried to replace the headset on one and couldn’t get the steerer out of the head-tube with a 5lbs mallet. Don’t even want to try bleeding the brakes.
Well yeah, it's worth doing sometimes, moreso with DOT brakes and those that get proper use and get quite hot. But your general commuter tektros or whatever definitely don't need an annual bleed, or at all really unless there's something up with them. I changed the fluid on my GRX I've had for at least 2 years the other week and it wasn't really necessary, they've been used a fair amount too.
I also see old juicys that are working ok for a commuter and bleeding would probably cause more problems than it solves, whatever the black gunk they're running on is doing a good enough job to stop someone on the flat from 12mph without boiling, and when they go wrong they'd be better off with some new brakes.