Thinking of getting away from hydraulic brakes.....Avid BB7?

Sick and tired of messing with hydraulics trying to get them tuned, etc. I've read a ton of 5-star reviews for the Avid BB7 mechanicals. Any thoughts?

Also, can I just buy a set of "brake cables" in order to set them up?? Everything I see says "v-brake cables".....I assume they can be used interchangeably with mechanical disc or there a length issue?

 

Been using the BB7s for over 8 years. No issues. Easy to setup, easy to change the pads, easy to adjust the pads for wear, just simple, highly effective mechanical brakes. I weigh 200lbs and make hard runs down the Luge. Gives you and idea of the use they go through. Running 180mm front and rear. Using one finger to brake.

Can't go wrong with them.

 

I'm gonna get flamed for this, but....I've owned BB5- Don't waste your money, single pad adjustment blows. I owned BB7- Fine.....For a mechanical disc brake, but, for less money and a bit more adjustment I found I prefer the Tektro IO and sold the BB7 cause people on the internet like them more....... Please keep in mind that I'm on a rigid single speed and a rigid geared. I'm all about climbing for fitness and descending slowly.
As far as cables.... They'll all work.

 

I have never used them so let us know how that works out. Personally I like tickering with my bike and most of my brake problems come from bent rotors. My thought is that if mechs where all that great we would see more of them being used.

 

i have bb7's on my singlespeed and the road version on my la cruz. they are very good brakes; i also had a set on my old yeti. i've found they are almost as good as most xc hydraulics if you use compressionless housing; like jagwire ripcord or nokon. a little more than some housing but worth it. i am using paul's levers as well and they work really well with the bb7; better than the avid levers in my opinion. the road version doesn't work as well as the mountain version, but i have still not put on compressionless housing. you can use any brake cables that fir your levers on bb7s. most cables come long enough now with enough housing to run full length since mechanical disk brakes are fairly common now.

 

Unless you race downhill, I say do it. I got tired of bleeding and tuning my hydros a few years back, so I simplified my entire bike, including going back to BB7s. The pull is a little less responsive, but like all things you get used to it and you'll be able to resume one-finger braking with no problems. Now I never worry about air bubbles, sticky pistons, $40 bleed jobs, leaks or damage when I'm out in the middle of nowhere. And I ride all the same trails that I used to with hydros with no issues at all. Good luck to you.

 

Sheesh...Which hydraulics do you guys ride?! I've not bleed a brake in years. We'll want to stay away from your models!

 

I set my son up with BB7's because I didn't want to be his brake guy. He is the "ride hard and put it away wet kind of guy". They really do work well. With a derailleur cable, and a set of pads in the Camelback for emergency's I'd say they're field serviceable. Great for those back country rides.

 

I used BB5 for a few yrs (never used BB7) and they worked good for mechanical. I still think that even though my Elixirs are high maintenance, the stopping power between those and the BB5 isn't even a comparison.. perhaps BB7 are alot better than BB5 (also depends on rider size and type of riding).. that being said, the Shimano mechanical brakes on my son's Kona are very good brakes also.. very easy to adjust and replace pads, and they seem to have solid bite on his 6 inch discs

 

I have to agree with you and Steppie on this one, Danielle. I've never had to tinker with my brakes on a ride, let alone keep having to bleed them. Using cable discs is almost like using V-brakes again! Going cheap on brakes is no way to go. -Lloyd :wave:

 

BB5 and BB7 are not even on the same level of stopping power, the 7's are so much better at just a little bit more money.

 

Have run BB7's with 160, 185, 203mm rotors.

They have thier place on XC bikes. I wouldn't run them on a trail/AM/FR/DH bike.

While they do work, under long descents you don't have the same advantage as Hydros....I found my hands to tire much quicker with mechanicals.

Once you know how to work on hydro brakes, makes it an easy decission.

 

I used to spend way more time fiddling with frayed cables, pad adjustment knobs before each ride, and uneven pad wear on my bb7s than I do on my Juicy 5s that I have not touched in 2 years. The pads last longer too.

 

Love BB7's. Very adjustable in almost every-way imaginable. There's nothing... and I mean NOTHING that can go wrong with BB7's that can't be fixed in about 2 minutes. The power is slightly below hydros, but still good for XC use.

 

Done. Ordered up some BB7s, Speed Dials and Jagwire. I'll let you know how they work out. The reviews I read on the BB7s went 98% 5-star on about 300 reviews. I've never seen a rating that consistently high on any component. I'll get back after a few weeks of riding.

 

I know you've already ordered and i think you're going to enjoy them, but, i wanted to point out a few things because i have just done this as well. I have Juicy 3's on my Trek HT and Juicy 5's on my rigid SS. The 3's are actually more powerfull than my 5's that i bought off of ebay (might need a rebuild since i've already done 3 bleeds). Both adjust easy enough since i'm used to it. Both are equally easy to modulate with one finger braking. Could be stronger at times, but, on dirt i would rather be cautious than over power the grip limit of my tires.

Now, whats different on BB7's?

- They are still going to take some tinkering and adjustments. Might even take more since they won't auto adjust for pad wear.

- They are heavier. I'm not sure by how much, but, i would guess 100-200grams for front/rear set.

- They seem to have equal power to my Juicy setup.

- Lever feel isn't as linear. You can feel when the pads start to touch the rotor. Hydro seems to feel similar between the no contact/contact point.

- Lever gets a bit squishy once the pads touch the rotor. I haven't noticed this as a "modulation" feel. More of a "stretch" feel.

- Level of modulation is much tighter. Its not an on/off, but, very close.

- Because of the modulation, i have noticed i grab too much rear brake often. I almost never lock up the Juicy's. I have yet to master the BB7 in a similar fashion.

- I mostly XC/trail ride, so, i haven't experienced the arm pump that some get. It might also be that my BB7's are new and require less grip pressure. I also haven't noticed fade. Only time will tell.

Enjoy your brakes.

 

The spring to retract the caliper back is kinda weak. Some people who don't route their cables well or have too much friction within the housing have trouble with having the caliper retract back. I have in the past put an extra spring in line with the cable, right after it comes out of the housing and before it is attached to the caliper, to help with that. Otherwise their trouble free brakes that are better in performance than vbrakes but may not be as good as hydros

 

I got a set of bb7s about a month ago after losing patience with my noisy and crap avid elixr 5s.

So far, I've been very happy with them.

Very easy to install, and their stopping power is quite good.

I ride very steep and technical ST and am on the brakes for 15-20min at a stretch.

With the hydros, I'd have brake fade and cramps within 10min. No so with the bb7s.

I'm putting a set on my other bike asap.

R

 

Update on BB7s

Put a few rides on the Avid BB7s. For me, I don't think I'll ever go back to hydraulic. They are just as powerful as any hydraulic I've used. Of course, not being fluid based, fade is not an issue. The adjustment capability and simplicity are the sellers though. No more dorking around with messy fluid...bleeding, trying to solve rubbing, rebuilding....etc. 1-finger operation on 7 miles continuous downhill. I'm sold:bang:

 

I too am with Steppie and un-kola,
I have a set of Magura Hydraulic Rim Brakes (yes, the originals) I had on my proflex 856, then transfered them to my 857 for over 17 years. I have as of yet even changed or touched the fluid (mineral oil) on them. My new XT ICE are so amazing and so light to the responsive touch. I can't imagine going back to stretchy cables.

Sincerely not bagging, certainly to each his own. But learning to bleed your own brakes is a youtube experience. It's not hard, just new if you never did it.
I think it's harder to get my Kenda's to seal tubeless on my rims then it is to set up my brakes.

I guess I would hate to see you change them out and find out you don't like them after dumping the duckets....

It' s just my opinion. I hope this helps.
~Mikie