Fitted a pair of brand new bb7’s (mtb callipers/speed dial levers) on 160mm discs to my surly, they are surprisingly lacking in power?

New cables/outer, pads set nice and close both sides to give a nice bite but not much friction?

Cheers

Bedded in yet? They take a few hard stops to really get going.

Are all the outer ends absolutely flat ? – this can make a huge difference on cable brakes.

i shall have a look smokey

commuted in on it this morning with several hard stops but not increase in power

compression-free casing ?

(& hard stops)

try fiddling with the speed-dial lever adjusters too

Are the rotors new as well ? If not, are they in decent nick ?

If the curves on the cables are too tight then you could be generating a lot of internal drag. Aim for wide radius curves.

Changed my pads the other day and didn’t do the whole heating up and then cooling with water. I remembered this as I rode straight into a gate. 🙂

Bought a new set off ebay last month and they are now as good as my hydraulics – so I’d say they definitely will get there.

Some good advice here:

http://howtosetuptheavidbb7.weebly.com/how-to-set-up-the-avid-bb7.html

This plus Jagwire Ripcord cables works well for me.

I also use gear cable inner in a brake outer to lessen the inherent friction in the cable. Never snapped a cable yet.

Don’t normally have to bed pads in on my BB7’s either. They do get a little bit better after a few hard stops but they work fine out of the box.

Cable outer makes a big difference if you’re running full outers between the levers and the calipers. Use Gore Ride-On with mine, and they work brilliantly.

that is an excellent link thank you!

and will invest in some decent cables 😀

cheers folks!

Try using solid outers on the bits of cable run that don’t have to be flexible.

I use aluminium tubing from B&Q and for a liner teflon airhose. You get a feel very close to a hydraulic brake.

If you look at this pic, you get the idea – it’s the lighter coloured looking cable along the toptube, and I’ve used flexible at each end. Makes a huge difference.

smokey_jo – Member
I also use gear cable inner in a brake outer to lessen the inherent friction in the cable. Never snapped a cable yet.

How do you fit a gear inner into a brake lever ?

Oops double post .

I had the same issue, I just followed the “Setting up the pad distance on the Avid BB7” part of of Jim’s link and it made an unbelievable difference. So try that first and save yourself some money!! 🙂

epicyclo are those drum brakes?! 🙂

smokey_jo – Member
I also use gear cable inner in a brake outer to lessen the inherent friction in the cable. Never snapped a cable yet.
How do you fit a gear inner into a brake lever ?

The gap at the lever is only as wide as the cable so any sized nipple will be prevented from pulling through. Only lever it doesn’t work on is the Shimano Lx v-brake ones.

shermer75 – Member
epicyclo are those drum brakes?!

Yes. They were my secret weapon for a few StrathPuffers. They outlast disk pads – the linings are barely worn after 4 years use in bogs and mud. When you’re solo and unsupported, the last thing you want to be doing is changing disk pads at 3am in subzero when your fingers are like sausages. In a muddy race I reckon they’re worth a lap to me. With solid outers, they work pretty well.

These days with pads that can be changed without taking the callipers off and with sintered pads it’s not such a problem.

The link from Jim above is the way to go.

One thought that springs to mind is that you may not have the inner pad set close enough to the disk, or not protruding enough beyond the caliper body. I’ve experienced that a couple of times on both BB5s and BB7s.

Yes. They were my secret weapon for a few StrathPuffers. They outlast disk pads – the linings are barely worn after 4 years use in bogs and mud. When you’re solo and unsupported, the last thing you want to be doing is changing disk pads at 3am in subzero when your fingers are like sausages. In a muddy race I reckon they’re worth a lap to me. With solid outers, they work pretty well.

These days with pads that can be changed without taking the callipers off and with sintered pads it’s not such a problem.

Interesting stuff! Thanks!! 🙂

Epicyclo…you are the reincarnation of Sheldon Brown. 😀

Love the solid tubing idea.

BB7’s here on the SS.
Yes, a few rides to get them bedded in. They are easily as powerful as my XT hydros. I actually prefer the feel of them. 😕

Get one of these too for faff free perfect alignment

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/hayes-pad-rotor-alignment-tool/rp-prod35769

theonlywayisup – Member
…One thought that springs to mind is that you may not have the inner pad set close enough to the disk, or not protruding enough beyond the caliper body…

That’s very important and an excellent point.

The BB5 & BB7 work by the active pad flexing the disk into the static pad, so the less distance the disk has to flex, the better the brake will feel.

Epicyclo, I love that aluminium tube idea, although realistically doubt I’ll ever find the time to try it myself.

However, just in case I do, how do you mate the end of the flexible cable to the end of the aluminium tube? I imagine that area could get a bit ugly if you didn’t finish it neatly.

13thfloormonk – Member
…how do you mate the end of the flexible cable to the end of the aluminium tube? I imagine that area could get a bit ugly if you didn’t finish it neatly.

The tubing is the same size as outer, so it’s simply a matter of using a connector as used for connecting 2 pieces of outer, or even Middleburn oil ports.

Or you could simply buy the next size up of tubing that fits snugly over and make your own (bit of instant epoxy will hold it in place).

They are easily as powerful as my XT hydros. I actually prefer the feel of them.

I agree, especially after I ditched the BB7s and ‘upgraded’ to XT’s. There may be some XT’s on the classifieds soon…