I know it is supposedly an easy and stress-free setup, it seems I’m too stupid to get it right so any help would really help. Please and thank you (before I forget my manners).
Anyway, my Inbred (slotted rear) and a rigid Salsa fork got robbed of the Shimano XT brakes and I thought I would fit the BB7’s occupying the cupboard. New pads, new cables (basic but new and carefully prepared), Avid levers and rotors, and… I can’t lock the wheel, I can’t really stop.
Could someone point out what I might need to do to get the f~~~~~s working, please? I’m sure it’s been done many a time, sorry for being a yet another numpty.
BTW, when I asked at my LBS they told me Avid didn’t make discs 😯

You’ve wound the pads in, right?

http://howtosetuptheavidbb7.weebly.com/how-to-set-up-the-avid-bb7.html

Take your time ,and it will all be fine. 🙂

1) Set the inside pad as close to the rotor as you can get without it scrubbing.
2) Set the outside pads as close as you want it for decent lever travel/feel
3) Adjust your lever-end barrel adjuster so there’s no slack whatsoever, and then about half a turn more.

That’s the system that’s worked for me on both Road and Mtn BB7s. You do get a better/less spongy feel to them with ‘compressionless housing’, they can be a bit soggy feeling without, but I’ve never had an issue with them not locking up.

New pads … new … rotors

They may just need some more bedding in. Mine went from “barely enough to stop” when first fitted, to really quite effective after a thorough bedding in.

Otherwise set up is simple:

Tighten the cable barrel adjuster until the arm on the brake just starts to move. Then screw in the pad adjust on each side until it starts to rub on the disc, then back it off just enough that it doesn’t.

Thanks, what housing would you recommend? I need a full length of it, obviously.

I’m using Transfil Flying Snakes and they seem to work well for me.

they are mtb BB7s ?

and, yes, a bit of a burn in helps avids IME – unless the pads have been contaminated in storage somehow but I’m assuming they were sealed in the packet

(addit: compression-free housing is a good idea. I was sceptical before first buying some, but it does seem better)

that guide haggis links to isn’t a bad one. here’s another
haggis’ link mentions noise. typically this is the result of misaligned pads to rotor. people complain of this a fair bit with avid brakes but my feeling is that the washer arrangement allows you to get the alignment wrong, as well as right 😉

I’ll go with the pads not being bedded in first (never had a problem with cable stretch – run a full length outer to the rear caliper on both my bikes that have BB7’s using standard SP41 casing…)

…and as the other have alluded to, they are much easier to set up if you don’t run them so that the cable goes completely slack when you release the brake lever – pre-wind the outer arm and then nip the cable clamp up (maybe 5mm of cables worth).

Beyond that, er…..

Thanks guys, I’ll give it a go. I’ll check the pads, they were brand new but felt somewhat greasy on the outside (that’s how I got them). If I need pads, any particular ones for the “sunny” Ireland?

Usual avid advice is sell them on eBay and buy some trp spyres in this case

Usual avid advice is sell them on eBay and buy some trp spyres in this case

I’d agree with that for Avid hydraulics, but I’ve found the BB7s are great if set up correctly.

The link Del posted is the one I use.

Cloudnine approach is great for the mechanically inept

Means that those of us with the ability get cheap brakes.

3 sets here all work excellent. Only issue i have had is putting a fat wheel into maverick sc32s and due to the overall width of caliper i needed to space out the rotor so caliper didnt fowl spokes…… But 50p says that use wasnt part of the design brief

TRP Spyres have 2 moving calipers,piss easy pad changes and aligned in seconds… makes them a much better option IMO. Why struggle with rubbing pads, PITA pad changes and fiddly alignment?

“IMO. Why struggle with rubbing pads, PITA pad changes and fiddly alignment?”

I assume these are issues you have if you set em up wrong ?

TRP Spyres have 2 moving calipers,piss easy pad changes and aligned in seconds… makes them a much better option IMO. Why struggle with rubbing pads, PITA pad changes and fiddly alignment?

Seconded. I bought a new Dirty Disco frame from eBay, shifted a bunch of kit onto it from my old cross bike, but bought some Spyres. Easier to set up, lighter, narrower, prettier and work really well too. BB7s work okay, but they’re a PITA in so many ways.

I have to agree on the Spyre front. I know BB7s aren’t BB5s, but when I changed from BB5s to Spyres, it was night and day. BB5s were ok to a point – and what I thought was ‘acceptable’ for a mechanical road disc. The Spyres though – they just work very well.

For the money or if I had any, I’d buy old Shimano XT hydraulics. I’m beyond skint now, sadly.