i've been riding my bike with the same BB7 brakes without maintenance etc for about 6 months and of course you get used to the performance, as Stu said when he had a go, "you have to plan a day in advance when you want to brake"
last night, not having that bike with me i used my Ex8 with well set up brakes and blimey what a difference! i became last of the late brakers, trails seemed a lot more controlable but at the same time i lost the front and rear end a couple of times going into corners (this may have something to do with riding 26" wheels for the first time in 6 months too)and it was a whole heap of fun.

anyway i must appologise to matt and Stu for putting their lives at risk when borrowing the Singular and vow to sort some decent brakes asap

If your BB7s are crap you've probably not set them up correctly. There is a reason why all the trials boys use them over hydraulics and why you see them on tandems.

You could get the same effect by winding in those little red buttons on the BB7s 🙂

If your BB7s are crap you've probably not set them up correctly. There is a reason why all the trials boys use them over hydraulics and why you see them on tandems.

Don't think I've ever seen a cable disk on a trials bike?

Edit: and the tandem thing is surely just for simplicity as running 2 levers off one calliper is a nightmare with hydraulic discs.

I know they are Crappy because I haven't set them up properly, that's the point

Don't think I've ever seen a cable disk on a trials bike?

You obviously haven't seen many trials bikes then. BB7s are arguably the next most common brake in the trials world after HS33s. Most people run them on the front only. They allow great bite and hold for front wheel moves. There is a little forwards/backwards play in them so not many people run them on the rear.Prime example would be here Check the vids for some the ridiculous moves that a BB7 allows.

Edit: and the tandem thing is surely just for simplicity as running 2 levers off one calliper is a nightmare with hydraulic discs.

What tandems have you been riding? Only the person at the front has brake levers. The person a the rear is only the stoker. They have no brake lever!