Budget winter bike build sort of thing?

Mechanical BB7_Road work with standard road brake levers, can be tricky to set up just right and doesn’t offer as much pad clearance as hydraulic, but work nicely if you get it right.

Thanks. Will have a peep at those.

I have bb7s on my Kona Dew drop originally with Sora shifters but now with shimano brake levers and bar end shifters.

They aren’t hard to set up at all once you get the knack.

aye road bb7s and standard road levers, have used some tektro levers and older shimano STIs with mine. The newer shimano SLR units have different pull/leverage so will make a difference… how much I’m not sure, I think someone suggested the mtb bb7s would work better, dunno tho.

Are you using brifters? If so, road BB7’s. If you’re using bar end shifters, get a pair of Tektro 520’s or Dia Comp 287v levers plus mtb BB7’s as the latter are a bit cheaper than the road versions. Depends what you’re mating the brakes too really.

I think the new Shimano hydraulic ones will be £150 on CRC for levers and callipers. They’re compatible with 105 up.

I have a set of BB7 roads for sale if you’re interested… Work perfectly.

If you’re after just brakes, then TRP Hylex brakes are a full hydraulic system fro £125 an end. Good comments from where they’re fitted to full bikes (ie Pinnacle Akrose 2).

TRP Spyres get rated on a par with BB7 Road calipers, and cost the same.

My only piece of advice (based on OEM BB5s) is DO NOT put a 140mm rotor on the back – chuffing useless.. Stick with 160mm. I can’t even lock the back wheel in the wet with slick tyres on BB5’s and 140mm rotors..

Oh, but as above, if you’re going mechanical brakes only route, buy some MTB calipers and “V” Brake drop bar levers.. Probably the cheapest and best way to fit discs to drop bars.

All IMHO of course..

I found 140 ok actually and I’m really quite heavy. I only changed to 160s as I got some floating rotors cheap and that’s the size they were.

I think the new shimano is 11-speed only, and from £175 per end, so may be a bit bling for a commuter…shimano r517 calipers worth a go with shimano levers..?

TRP Spyres get rated on a par with BB7 Road calipers, and cost the same.

I’ve just fitted a set of Spyres and they’re really nice. Similar level of performance to BB7s but dual-piston so easier to set up and less fiddly to adjust for wear. They use a Shimano-compatible pad as well, so aftermarket pads are no problem plus they’re slimmer and lighter than BB7s.

All imho etc. Maybe a little expensive for a commuter, but I guess that’s a bit of a relative thing.

You could use normal hydraulic ones by mounting the levers on the downtube, like they used to do with shifters.

I can’t even lock the back wheel in the wet with slick tyres on BB5’s and 140mm rotors.

That’s BB5s, not rotor size.

thestabiliser – Member
You could use normal hydraulic ones by mounting the levers on the downtube, like they used to do with shifters.

This is a joke?

this may be a silly question but what is the difference between the road and mtb bb7’s?

cable pull / leverage. Mtb cable brake levers pull more cable than road ones.

iirc different length arms and different internals. Each made to work best with the relevant brake design.

Problem solvers do a conversion doo-dah though.

Not very budget unless you have some existing shifters/levers, but hope V-twin kits aren’t extortionate on ebay.

Depends if you already have STI’s/mechs/etc, if not then new 105 might not be that much of a premium, considering it’ll be a sealed system with less to go wrong, no adjustments etc. I’d pay the extra for that reliability on a commuter bike.