Comments on: Avid BB7 Mechanical Disc Brakes - Gear Review http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/ What gear are you in? Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:35:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jason Mitchell http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9355 Jason Mitchell Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:32:01 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9355 Sorry to hear that, Keith. Your local bike shop hasn't been able to resolve it? Seems like if the brakes are defective, Avid should take care of you. But, if you didn't purchase it from a local shop, you don't have any local folks on your side. Avid is a good company. I'd contact them and see if they can give you some tricks and/or the ability to return them. Mechanicals are nice for many people, but I still stick with my hydraulics. Sorry to hear that, Keith. Your local bike shop hasn’t been able to resolve it?

Seems like if the brakes are defective, Avid should take care of you. But, if you didn’t purchase it from a local shop, you don’t have any local folks on your side. Avid is a good company. I’d contact them and see if they can give you some tricks and/or the ability to return them.

Mechanicals are nice for many people, but I still stick with my hydraulics.

]]> By: keith http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9354 keith Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:53:41 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9354 The brake levers that came with the bike are Avid Speed Dial levers, which I gather is the lever recommended for this brake. I paid a substantial upcharge for the disc brake option on my new bike, ordered from a non-local dealer. I can't feasibly take the bike back to the selling dealer to have this resolved. The manufacturer of the bike says that they've had great success with this brake on their bikes, suggests that I should contact Avid as it may be a warranty issue. This is on a bike for which I paid over four thousand dollars. Nearing 70 years old, this was to be my "dream bike", probably the last new bike I'll ever buy. I like the bike, but this brake issue has made me think I should have stayed with my old bike and saved my money. The brake levers that came with the bike are Avid Speed Dial levers, which I gather is the lever recommended for this brake.
I paid a substantial upcharge for the disc brake option on my new bike, ordered from a non-local dealer. I can’t feasibly take the bike back to the selling dealer to have this resolved. The manufacturer of the bike says that they’ve had great success with this brake on their bikes, suggests that I should contact Avid as it may be a warranty issue. This is on a bike for which I paid over four thousand dollars. Nearing 70 years old, this was to be my “dream bike”, probably the last new bike I’ll ever buy. I like the bike, but this brake issue has made me think I should have stayed with my old bike and saved my money.

]]> By: Jason Mitchell http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9352 Jason Mitchell Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:21:50 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9352 There are any number of factors that affect how your brakes work. Sometimes it's in the levers or cables. With the BB7's, the lever is nearly as important as the brakes themselves. I'm sorry you've had such a bum experience with them. The set I've got is absolutely solid still--after 4 years. BUT... for goodness sake, don't even think about going to V-brakes!!!!! There are plenty of great, lightweight options in hydraulic disc brakes, which I whole-heartedly recommend over the BB7's anyway. <a href="http://www.gear.com/gear/pricepoint/prp/shop.php/SEARCH-1/search_results.html?st=disc+brakes&search=Product+Search" rel="nofollow">Search for disc brakes on GEAR.com</a> There are any number of factors that affect how your brakes work. Sometimes it’s in the levers or cables. With the BB7’s, the lever is nearly as important as the brakes themselves.

I’m sorry you’ve had such a bum experience with them. The set I’ve got is absolutely solid still–after 4 years.

BUT… for goodness sake, don’t even think about going to V-brakes!!!!! There are plenty of great, lightweight options in hydraulic disc brakes, which I whole-heartedly recommend over the BB7’s anyway.

Search for disc brakes on GEAR.com

]]> By: keith http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9351 keith Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:42:35 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9351 This is about what I've experienced. I ordered the bb7 rear brake upgrade when I ordered my new bike. The selling dealer replied that I needed to let the brakes "wear in" when I wrote him at about 50 miles that the braking performance was very poor. At 1,500 miles on the bike there's been no improvement. It's not possible to lock the rear wheel on pavement, even on wet asphalt. Had the bike in a local shop last week, the service department said the pads needed to be replaced because they had little material left. Shouldn't this qualify as being "worn in"? So now I've got new pads, and the performance is worse than it was before I took the bike to them. I'm seriously tempted to switch to "V" rim brakes. Fortunately the bike came with mounting posts and cable guides for rim brakes as well as being equipped with the disc brake. I had bb7 brakes on a Rans F5 Enduro a couple of years ago, and they worked great. I could lock the rear brake with one finger on the brake lever, and had to exercise care in the amount of pressure on the front brake handle to avoid locking the front wheel. This is about what I’ve experienced. I ordered the bb7 rear brake upgrade when I ordered my new bike. The selling dealer replied that I needed to let the brakes “wear in” when I wrote him at about 50 miles that the braking performance was very poor. At 1,500 miles on the bike there’s been no improvement. It’s not possible to lock the rear wheel on pavement, even on wet asphalt. Had the bike in a local shop last week, the service department said the pads needed to be replaced because they had little material left. Shouldn’t this qualify as being “worn in”? So now I’ve got new pads, and the performance is worse than it was before I took the bike to them. I’m seriously tempted to switch to “V” rim brakes. Fortunately the bike came with mounting posts and cable guides for rim brakes as well as being equipped with the disc brake.
I had bb7 brakes on a Rans F5 Enduro a couple of years ago, and they worked great. I could lock the rear brake with one finger on the brake lever, and had to exercise care in the amount of pressure on the front brake handle to avoid locking the front wheel.

]]> By: Jason Mitchell http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9117 Jason Mitchell Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:24:15 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9117 Carlos... sorry you've had such a bad experience. Were these installed stock on your bike, or did you buy them aftermarket? It sounds like they are just not adjusted properly as I've ridden tons and tons of hydraulic brakes and have found the Avid BB7 to be nearly as good or just as good as any other hydraulic I've used. Yes, there is a slight drawback without the hydraulic fluid in the lines in that you do have to pull the lever a bit harder. But, I've got a pair on a bike right now and they clamp down and stop just as good as anything out there. Sounds like you've either got a bum set of brakes, or they are just not set up properly. Carlos… sorry you’ve had such a bad experience. Were these installed stock on your bike, or did you buy them aftermarket? It sounds like they are just not adjusted properly as I’ve ridden tons and tons of hydraulic brakes and have found the Avid BB7 to be nearly as good or just as good as any other hydraulic I’ve used.

Yes, there is a slight drawback without the hydraulic fluid in the lines in that you do have to pull the lever a bit harder. But, I’ve got a pair on a bike right now and they clamp down and stop just as good as anything out there.

Sounds like you’ve either got a bum set of brakes, or they are just not set up properly.

]]> By: carlos http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9116 carlos Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:38:28 +0000 http://www.gear.com/avid-bb7-mechanical-disc-brakes-gear-review/#comment-9116 I, honestly, have to say that, in my experience, riding these brakes has been very dissappointing. They don't have nearly the power that I thought disc brakes would have. Rim brakes actually stop when you pull the brake lever... disc just keeps going. I've even able to hold them down and still pedal. I've followed guides on adjusting them, I've had them adjusted at the local bike shop, and they just don't stop.... unless you're pulling really hard on the lever. But then your hand starts to hurt and you realize you should've never left rim brakes. Since the front brakes always perform better than the rear, I've been riding using front brakes... and I've paid the price for it a couple times too. If my new frame would take rim brakes, I'd go back in a heartbeat. I, honestly, have to say that, in my experience, riding these brakes has been very dissappointing. They don’t have nearly the power that I thought disc brakes would have. Rim brakes actually stop when you pull the brake lever… disc just keeps going. I’ve even able to hold them down and still pedal. I’ve followed guides on adjusting them, I’ve had them adjusted at the local bike shop, and they just don’t stop…. unless you’re pulling really hard on the lever. But then your hand starts to hurt and you realize you should’ve never left rim brakes. Since the front brakes always perform better than the rear, I’ve been riding using front brakes… and I’ve paid the price for it a couple times too.

If my new frame would take rim brakes, I’d go back in a heartbeat.

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