If we really want to bring self-maintenance back we're going to have to have more gumption than this, and perhaps a special tool every now and then. The issue

If we really want to bring self-maintenance back we're going to have to have more gumption than this, and perhaps a special tool every now and then. The issue we're fighting isn't the battle against hard maintenance vs easy maintenance, it's against manufacturers deliberately making products that are expendable and not intended to be maintained. Hydraulic brakes are perfectly maintainable, you can even rebuild the whole system at home with a $6 pair of seal picks and a $12 seal kit, don't even need to be OEM seals.