Got bb7 road brakes with compressionless cables – so the feel of the brakes are great. But the howl and squeak in the rain. Running G3 rotors as I know the older rotors were prone to this but still howling.

Stock avid pads are terrible. Switched to sintered pads on one brake and seems better but still howls until the rotor is clean and cleared of rain (from the braking heat).

Any ideas or cures?

Btw – I’ve not tried organic pads as I’ve not used them for years as they don’t seem to as good or last anywhere near as long as sintered (weeks rather than six months)

Anybody?

Funny, I just fitted one to my CX yesterday and it squealed like a bugger too. Then just stopped about 5 mins into the ride and hasn’t made a sound since.

Are you certain that everything’s clean?

They squeel, end of I’m afraid. Sounds like you’ve done all you can – unlike hydralics, there are more slightly wobbly bits in a mech caliper that can resonate.

Like you say, they go quiet once you get some heat into them.

Mine squeal for about 3 brakings after they get wet, then don’t.

I use avid organics, which last ok for me.

I have just put SS kevlar on the front but they have a slight squeal all the time.

I clean my G2 rotors and pads with MucOff disc brake cleaner at the end of a ride – spray it on the rotors and then ride and brake until the squealing stops.

try copaslip on the back of the pads, try cleaning / sanding discs and pads to remove contamination. try filing a tiny chamfer on the leading edge of the pad.

In general use you should not have to clean brake discs and pads – they rely in part on a build op of deposits of pad material on the disc surface. some cleaning agents can make squeeling worse

I’ve been running road BB7s for about 4 years – stock Avid pads.

They do develop a squeal – I’ve always assumed from contamination off the road. I cure it by simply getting them really hot once in a while. My last commute had one really good hill that I could pelt down and do some demon braking. That would sort it for another week or so.

Will have a go with the advice – cheers

Ashima semi-metal pads made a difference to mine, however yes, they do wear faster so you find yourself adjusting them more often.

Mine were howling like Banshees after being ridden in the snow.

I was wondering if an ultrathin smear of silicon sealant on the back of the pad might fix it.

Might be worth a quick check that they are [still] set up 100%.
I sorted a howling front out with a quick tweak of the set up (and a 1/16 more torque on the mounting bolts the 2nd time around 😉 ).