All of this theory about cable-tying the lever or putting rubber bands on it overnight reveals a mystifying lack of understanding of the (reasonably simple) hydraulic system. If doing such things has actually worked for you, then it was more by accident than design.
Hydraulic systems are not complicated. Tying levers overnight is about as useful as sacrificing virgins or dancing naked widdershins around a yew tree.
Here's a few basic tips:
1. Holding the brake lever in closes off the pressure relief orifice in the master cylinder. There's no way air can escape from the system unless you have dodgy master cylinder seals. This is not a method for bleeding hydraulic systems!
2. Speed bleeder gadgets are nothing more than a non-return valve that attaches to the bleed nipple. It allows flow out of the bleed nipple, but not back in. When you press the brake lever, it forces fluid (and any entrained air) out of the bleed nipple. When you release the brake lever, the valve prevents air being sucked back in through the bleed nipple. You can do exactly the same thing by closing the nipple before you release the brake lever. A wee bit of coordination between pumping the lever and opening/closing the bleed nipple will avoid the need for any speed bleeder gadgets. They're more useful for bleeding car brakes when you can't reach the bleed nipple while pumping the brakes.
3. Gravity is your friend. Bubbles in fluid systems tend to rise to the top. If you can configure your system so bleed points are at the top, then you're making life easier for yourself. Note that bleed points are not necessarily where bleed nipples are fitted. Look at your system. The highest point might be nowhere near a bleed nipple. You can bleed a system by cracking a banjo joint just as well as opening a nipple. Just have some rags around to catch the inevitable brake fluid leakage.
4. Whenever you use a bleed nipple, attach a clear hose to it and look for bubbles as you bleed. Cessation of bubbles escaping is a good thing. This is brake bleeding elementary class. Needs no further explanation unless you're a moron. I that case, take your bike to someone else to fix.
5 On the subject of bubbles, getting rid of them is good. If you see bubbles coming out of a bleed hose or percolating up through the M/C reservoir, be happy. Keep doing whatever you're doing until there are no more bubbles
6. Braided lines? Yes, No? They don't make a whole world of difference for general road riding, but they do improve the transmission of brake lever effort to the slave cylinder. You might notice the difference when riding, but you might not. Depends on how fiercely you use your brakes. But if you're doing a brake refurbish, the old rubber lines well beyond their use-by date, so get rid of them and update to braided. There's an advantage to be gained and no disadvantage. You probably won't find anyone making non-braided hoses these days anyway.
