Just have a look at number of reviewers, along with the average rating, for Avid BB7’s.

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/brakes/disc-brake-system/PLS_1507crx.aspx

That is quite convincing. I’m assuming a level of bias due to average USA weather conditions compared to UK?

But, quite impressive…what say the STW massive?

But what about Hayes brakes getting 4.3 with over 400 reviews: I think Shimano are vastly superior to Hayes… go figure.

Those are pretty meaningless stats to be honest.

people tend not to ride lots of different brakes and as a result have little to compare with. People also tend not to mention when they bought crap, if it is likely to make them seem stupid for doing so.

People know what they’re getting from BBs, it’s a brake you buy for specific reasons. So not a surprise they get good reviews from the people who want exactly what they do. I’d give my carbon rigid forks top marks but that doesn’t mean they’re better than my Revelations 😉

What mrmo said. The myth of putting a silver spoon the neck of a bottle of champagne to keep the fizz still persists, simply because barely anyone ever has two bottles of champers open at the same time.

And people at school kept telling me their Sega Saturn was great.

This kind of owner review is generally very unreliable, so my view is that it’s best to do a bit of poking about. I was once in the market for an old Merc. A poke about some Merc forums told me how bombproof they were, along with “Watch out for XY&Z”. A bit of questioning revealed running costs due to common faults that would shame far less prestigious marques.

Or to translate that into bike brakes – everyone says their brakes are great, but if you look for the folks who say they never have to do anything to them, the answer is generally Shimano or Magura.

haha hayes!!! i would not of even voted for them! i think they are SHIT!!! i had nothing but problems with my strokers untill then sent me a complete new set which are brand new in the box.

3 guys i ride with have also ripped them off their bikes and gone for avids or hope.

but obv there is alot of people liking them. fair play, but ill still with my code 5’s 😉

All judgements are relative. Some (all?) BB7 users may be coming from roadie rim brakes for all we know, in which case discs will BLOW THEIR MINDS!

Everything depends on what you’ve tried before. Look at the 80s – I thought they were great. The vids tell another story and are hilarious.

Great comments, the search continues 🙂

My Hayes stroker have been going strong for about 4 years
Don’t believe everything you hear 😉

just my experience… 😉 do you want some spares 😉 i got 2 sets of brand new pads if you like? 😉 need some new pads for mine 😉

I had Hope Minis for years, went to Shimano and Magura, played with Hayes 9 and… back to Hope and Hayes. Shimano was been poor, Magura – didn’t like it.
At the same time my wife and my dad chose Shimano, my great mate rides Magura.
BTW I tried Avids and hated them. 3, 5 and 7 were abysmal. Poorly performing, couldn’t trust their performance, screaming when wet. Loads of people said theirs were fabulous though.
All it proves is the fact you can never have a large number of people happy with the same product. Be it coffee, bikes, cars, tyres or jeans we all disagree.

My bb7’s were just as good at stopping as my juicy 5’s, though with the same pads and rotors that is pretty understandable. I also had speed dial 7 levers so feel and grabbiness could be adjusted much like avid did with the more expensive versions of the juicy and elixir. They also did not/could not boil, and were easy to set up and maintain. Unless you go through a set of pads in one downhill run, then weight is the only disadvantage to these brakes. They are nothing like the bb5 (different pad shape and less adjustable), that’s like comparing a hope mini to a hope moto.

[edit] funny, hairychested, my juicy 5’s were the quietest of the 8 sets of disc brakes I have owned. Had a ride on a mates bike today and his elixirs don’t like wet much though 😕