Is there a significant difference? Does the little red dial do anything worth while or is something else that can break? It's for a commuter so robustness and longevity (and perhaps not looking too desirable!) are key, rather than cost or weight saving. They're gonna be used with Avid BB7s. Thanks! 🙂
I went for the Speed Dial 7s 🙂
the dial allows you to alter the pivot length, so you can tweak the modulation. Some like a soft lever with power, others harder and more linear. Others don't touch it or even contemplate such matters.
Been running a pair of Speed Dial levers for yonks - never touched the adjuster knob since I installed them - fit and forget.
Avid levers are ace. I had SDs, but I have to say the the old basics are pretty much fine. Do you really have an issue with brake leverage being akward for you? I'd guess most people just adapt in one or two minutes...
From a design PoV, most adjustment allows only for people to improperly adjust something. VBrakes have been around a while, the leverage is kinda sorted. Also, they're even the same brand, so it really should work fine.
So I just fitted the SD 7 levers. I also put in some new XTR brake cables (inners and outers) that I found by coincidence when I was looking for something else (sweet!). The difference is MASSIVE! Genuinely quite taken aback by the improvement in braking power. Currently running the little red dials on their weakest setting as the brakes felt waaay too much otherwise. One thing I noticed though- there's definitely a point with the rear brake where you get less return per increased lever travel- I'm guessing this is the inner stretching or outer compressing.