Apologies if this has inevitably been asked before:

I have hayes stroker trail on my hardtail / commuter and formula oro k18’s on full sus.

I want brakes to commute with with the following characteristics :::

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1: Adjustable bite point so when pads are thin there isn’t too much lever throw – also to prevent new pads rubbing. formula fail / hayes stroker fail

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2: Have enough space between the pistons to accommodate pads from say superstar which often seem a bit wider. formula fail

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3: Easy to change pads – no really frigging annoying retaining clip marketed as ‘toolless’ pad change. Yes watch that clip fall out and try to change the pads with cold hands. hayes stroker fail BIG TIME

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4: Not cost the earth.

Avid BB7?

BB7 + 1

A hydro disc brake working properly should self adjust as pads wear. If lever throw alters something is wrong.

BB7s definitely.

4th bb7’s (or bb5s) though what TJ says is correct.

+1 BB7, just for good measure.

On or off road ? Experiances with fixing folks hydro brakes on commuting bikes are severe salt damage to pistons …..

Bb7s are where my money would be

I’d not touch BB7s with someone else’s barge-pole. I found them to be grabby, wooden…..basically, a bag of sh1te. They came as standard on my
456 C2W bike and I couldn’t get shot of them quickly enough.

In terms of quality, value and easy pad replacement, it’s hard to look past SLX.

I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to buy BB7s for all the reasons above, except that my old Shimano XTs have been so reliable it would be daft to replace them.

Without having used them, I still think NickF might be in the minority who dislikes them, I’ve used cheaper BB5s on new bikes which felt pretty good, chuck some good levers at them and learn how to set them up and I reckon BB7s are a winner, shimano XT and various Avid V levers all have modulation adjusters which I reckon would make a big difference, they make a noticeable difference with Vs as it is.

Monk, the BB7’s I had came with adjusters, which I was fully capable of using. I just found them to be hopeless compared to hydo brakes which, in the main, I’ve had very few problems with.

For commuting purposes I’d accept that salt may be an issue, but quite honestly I’d rather swap out a set of brakes on an annual basis if that’s what it takes.

My commuter uses V brakes……terrible compared to discs, but then I don’t tend to brake anywhere near as much as I do off-road.

On point 3- why not just buy proper pads from a reputable retailer instead?

BB7s do sound like what you need.

I dindn’t like bb5s – plenty of power but a total fidle faddle to set up and sdjust. replaces with a set of hope minis which I got secondhand and find much better. Fit and forget in 2 years of commuting

Its hard to argue with shitmano tho fore value so long as yo will accept cheap and cheerful = disposable not repairable

learn how to set them up

Sorry NickF, I wasn’t trying to imply you couldn’t set up brakes 😀

What I was getting at is that if the innit_gareth bought cable brakes, he would need to spend more time adjusting them to get the best out of them.

BB7 here too.
Had them and loved them as much as my Hopes. Then one day a thieving scummer stole my bike 🙁
Easy to set up, work like a dream and adjustment is done in seconds by turning a dial on the caliper… Simples!
Would definitely use them again.

bb7..

Avid BB7! Great brake and so easy to set up. Stops just as well as my Juicy 5 but without the need for messy bleed procedures! Lever feel isn’t any where near as nice as the hydraulics though. Also there’s a little more faff for when the pads wear/cable stretches as it won’t self adjust.

Might be selling my front one + shimano levers as I don’t have a bike for it any more.

TJs right. Any brakes if working correctly should have none of those problems. Do you have any silicone spray? Do you lube the pistons occasionally? you have to use silicone as its designed to lubricate rubber, which is what the piston seal is made from.

Commuting can be harder on disc brakes than MTB’ing because the road salt corrodes the pistons, makes them stick, and causes the problems you’ve mentioned. This will happen to pretty much any disc brake, with the possible exception of cable discs like bb7s.

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like its well worth looking into the BB7’s.

Re a couple of the points:

Prefer to use pads from superstar etc. In my experience I find that they cost 1/2 the price and last almost, if not, as long.

I’ve read a few posts where the k18’s lever throw extends too far when the pads are pretty worn – because I’m tight (see point about superstar pads) I like to ride them pretty much to the metal.

My main gripe is the retaining pin on the hayes pads to enable the toolless pad change – very fiddly and almost impossible with cold hands.

bb7 for me aswell will be getting some when my pads run out currentley using a old deore front disc and tekto io rear(bag of ****) even on the road let alone off rd

BB7