Looking for some budget brakes.

Already have Juicy's on another bike, so for compatability of pads, looking at Avid.

Which are better Juicy 3 or BB7?

BB7- a lot less hassle!

I've got a set of each on two bikes and I reckon I'd go for BB7s. The Juicys are a bit more powerful when they are working right (though that might be explained by bigger rotors) but they seem to need regular bleeding in order not to have loads of lever travel.

The bite point isn't adjustable on the Juicys – whereas the BB7s with some old LX shifters are really adjustable.

Juicy 3 are quite different from the Juicy 5/7/Carbon/Ultimate, which are all reasonably similar.

I've got some on my wife's bike, there reasonable powerful but much heavier and not as easy to set up as the other avid hydralics.

I'd be tempted to say the BB7 out of them 2 or save up for some Juicy 5/7's

The only real problem with the BB7's is they are not as easy to modulate.

Esp on the rear wheel if your light and use thin tyres (like my wife).

I had them on my bike for a long time and did nt really have a problem unless it was very dusty.

Light and thin tyres is not an issue for me!!

A friend of mine had Juicy 3s and hated them, but just wanted to see if that was just him or more widely felt.

Sounds like BB7s are the better bet.

Just don't understand why they dont fit decent rotors to start with, i.e. clean sweep, as that is what is putting me off.

Plus by the time I have bought, levers and cables aswell, I might aswell go for 5's.

i've got juicy 3's on my hack about bike, and used to own bb7's.

I prefer the juicy 3's in terms of power & maintenance. the bb7's were good in the dry, but when pad wear is high in gritty wet conditions, I found myself continuously stopping mid descent if it's a biggy, and certainly several times per ride, to adjust the (really hard to turn when covered in cack and with cold hands) red knobs. after 18months use, the mechanism had worn out and they were consigned to the spares. where one caliper still sits (dunno why as it really is good for nowt now).

good for the dry, a nightmare in the wet & winter was my experience!

I use BB7 on the road bike. Pads last for ages. Very good control I find.

Having worked on Juicy 5 brakes over a season, I wouldn't touch them with my own money. Sticky pistons, pain to bleed, expensive bleed kit, and just not that reliable.

The BB7 don't come with clean-sweep rotors because those rotors are £30-35 each. Its not designed to be a high-end brake, it just works. If your bothered, replace the rotors with some Imperial ones from MTB-Direct.

I assume that if you get the speed dial levers, you can adjust the bite point on the "fly"

Remember to factor in the cost of a bleed kit (£30) for the juicys if you haven't got one already. I have found the threes prone to sticky pistons, and the more you mess with them to fix this, the more they need bleeding.

I've had one set of BB7's for 6 years – not a bother on them ever.

I was so impressed I sold my Juicy 7's on the other bike and replaced them with a new set of BB7's and haven't regretted it.

I'd be inclined to also look at Deore hydraulics- yes, different pads but they'll run for ages without needing any attention. Bleed kit and oil for less than £10 too.

Cheap brakes? Deore or Magura Julie. Both bombproof. Forget Avids.