[Closed] AVID BB7 - Viable alternative to hydro discs?

read this and decide:

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/cantis-cable-disc-hydraulics

other threads exist...

BB7s are excellent brakes. I'm not sure if I'd use them for downhill work, that's not what they're meant for anyway but for general XC and trail riding they work well. They are the most popular brakes on the MTBR site with nearly 1000 reviews and an average rating of over 4.5/5.

Maybe I was lucky with the set I had, and unlucky with the 10 or so sets of hydraulic discs that have also passed through mine and t'wife's bikes but yes ours were ace and stopped comparably to hydraulic discs. I used 160 rotors, sd7 levers and xtr outers and cables fwiw. They made a lot of noise when wet, but then so do a lot of hyraulic brakes. Maybe its a fashion thing, but I am often noticing them on bike websites fitted to obscenely expensive niche and full custom frames too.

They're great, enough power for me, good modulation and esy to fit and adjust

riding in yesterdays rain reminded me why some people complain they are noisy!

3 of my XC bikes run with them, I think they are great VFM

Think the noise is just down to Avid's crappy stock pads, I changed mine to Ashima semi metal and they were much better.

Shimano manage to make sintered pads that are quiet in the wet, shame Avid haven't caught up!

Great brakes otherwise etc.

I've one on the front of my off road commuter and that gets used a lot in all conditions and it has been great for the 3 years I've been using it. I've got hydros on another bike but if I were building from scratch I'd consider the BB7 for sure, plenty of stopping power for a lightweight xcer like me. Pad adjustment is simple enough and they are pretty easy to set up. I'm only running it with cheap cables and outers but others will tell that they are even better with good cables and especially good outers. I'll upgrade when needed but after 3 winters the original cable still work fine.

Another happy user here. I couldn't get on with the faff of hydraulics and couldn't spot the difference foir the riding I did.

Powerful and no hassle. And you can continue to use the fancy STI levers you bought all those years ago...

but I am often noticing them on bike websites fitted to obscenely expensive niche and full custom frames too

how much is obscene?

I have one with a 160mm disc on my hardtail and it stops me as well as the 203mm Juicy 5 on the front of my full sus.. I haven't used it on "proper" downhill I guess but its got enough stopping power to stop me from going into the bog after the step down near the entrance to Woburn 😆

got them on my HT.
Plus points.
easy set up
virtually maintenance free
If you do have to service them they really are easy

Negatives
Can be a bit noisy..
That's about it
I have a 160mm rotor front and back and tbh I'd like a bigger front rotor.
IHN of this parish runs a 203 with his BB7 and seems to have plenty of stopping power. Mind you he's never going that fast...
I must sort out a 185 but I have to say as a set of hassle free disk brakes you can't beat them

how much is obscene?

oooh, about $4000 frame+fork?

[img] [/img]

If you fit $100 of brakes to a $3-4k frame, they must be good! 😆

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socks and croc's???

13thfloormonk - Member
Think the noise is just down to Avid's crappy stock pads, I changed mine to Ashima semi metal and they were much better.

cheers will try that

IHN of this parish runs a 203 with his BB7 and seems to have plenty of stopping power.

I have 203 front 185 back. Hauls my 100kg down to zero in astonishingly quick time, limiting factor being tyres, even sticky high rollers. I've had worse motorbike brakes.

I have BB5's on my commuter and they are really good. And only £15 from crc a few months ago