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Just about to pick up a new hybrid with bb7's on. Are they any good? My intention is to swap them for some hydro brakes unless they are worth keeping.
If they have good levers and cables (and rotors maybe) then they can be excellent, with the advantage that you can have a bigger gap between the pads and rotors than you can with hydros.
Trying some XTs on my mtb now but normally have BB7s. The XTs are nice but not really any better.
As above really. A well set up set of BB7s can be as good as most hydraulics, it will just feel a bit different.
They're great if set up properly. Full routing and compressionless outers make a big difference. Also work best with Avid Speed dial levers.
I have them on both my bikes as I got fed up with bleeding hydros.
Couple of good how to guides on t'internet:
http://howtosetuptheavidbb7.weebly.com/how-to-set-up-the-avid-bb7.html
If you don't get on with them I'm sure you'll find a ready market of buyers to take them off your hands!
I use them on my main MTBs, a 5 and a Chameleon. They need carefully setting up, but if done right the performance is great, and obviously you need never bleed them.
one important point to note is that you should not accommodate pad wear by adjusting the cable's barrel adjuster.
hydros are fine but you get times where the bite point moves and sometimes changing pads can be a pain if the piston's seals stiffen up a bit and keep pushing the new pad on to the disc.
BB7s- very reliable, have used them on my commuter for the last 6 years, other than pad replacements haven't had to touch them.