Good cable disc brake recommendation

Hi all,

Currently the ‘cross bike has BB5s. They’re ok, but not that great, I find. Anything better out there that’s not too dear?

Avid BB7’s? 🙂

I have TRP Spyres. Not sure about them so far – now the pads and rotors have bedded in they’ve become a bit noisy and have an odd pulsing sensation through the levers, which I think is the pads hitting the arms on the rotor. I’m going to try some sintered pads with a smear of grease on the back to see if that helps.

what he said, or change the cable outers for betterer, less compressible ones. Makes a lot of difference.

Avid BB7s? I don’t think there’s much better than them.

Edit… Beaten to it….

Cool, will get better cables and BB7’s.

I have BB7s and am not a fan. Stopping power is ok but getting the pads set up right is a pain in the croutons.

I find the same issue with BB5s stevious.

Hayes mx-5’s aren’t too bad, similar performance to BB7’s.

As above – decent outers and clean undamaged inners are crucial.

Hi,

If by “cross” bike you meant CX bike with STI or any other drop bars, road pull levers I would avoid BB7s.

Setting to achieve reasonable lever travel is a pain in rectum as already mentioned.

You can do it, but you rotors must be perfectly straight.

I’m trying Promax Renders for last month and a half. They are definitely more agricultural built and look wise than any Avids, TRPs or Hayeses but setting them with 105 5600 series STIs proved to be much easier and lever travel is much more acceptable.

Also heard from bike mechanic friend of mine that Hayes CX is also easy to set-up, but can’t say from my own experience.

Alternatively if you are not using STIs you can match MTB pull levers like Tektro RL520 with BB7s. Had it before with quite nice result…

Cheers!
I.

I have BB7s and am not a big fan. Stopping power is ok but excellent and getting the pads set up right is a pain the easiest thing in the croutons world.

🙂

[Oops, idiotic post now deleted]

Oh for heathens sake why cables? Hydraulics. Every. Single. Time.

It’s not 1992.

Obvious troll to provoke this response?

Oh for heathens sake why cables? Hydraulics. Every. Single. Time.

It’s not 1992.

Obvious troll to provoke this response?

Maybe cos hydros for drop bar bikes cost upwards of £400, limited to Sram or Shimano (11 speed only for Shimano) and have been available for 2 years, rather than 23.

In 1992, I was using cantilever brakes on my mtb, same as everyone else.

Fasthaggis – do tell. I’ve been arsing about with mine using about 5 different online how-to guides and STILL can’t get the pad clearance right.

Oh, and stopping power is roughly on a par with the ultegra rim brakes on my roadie. Good, but miles off a decent set of hyrdaulics.

Oh, and stopping power is roughly on a par with the ultegra rim brakes on my roadie

Providing it is dry :p

On the first sign of rain, mud, sleet, snow, ice all rim stoppers are as useful as a nipple on the breastplate…

Cheers!
I.

Ivan, thanks for the condescension, but I’m aware of how my brakes work in bad weather (which is actually pretty well).

Back to the OP: When I get the time/funds I think I’ll either look at spyres (both pads moving should alleviate some of the set-up issues) or sell a kidney for some hyrdaulics.

I would have said bb7s as well.

I have hy-rds but have issues with the fact there is a lot of lever movement. The newer ones are apparently better but I have no idea how much better.

Mine are noisy as well.

ironnigel – Member
Oh for heathens sake why cables? Hydraulics. Every. Single. Time.

It’s not 1992.

Obvious troll to provoke this response?

I’m not sure if this was directed at me or not, nige, but as others have said- I’d rather not have to shell out on a whole new set of shifters and brakes when all I need is brakes. Maybe you’re made of money? Sadly I’m not.

But thanks for your valued input, I guess.

Oh, and thanks to everyone else, some good ideas. Might plump for BB7’s after all.

ive got MTB BB7s and Vbrake pull brake levers on My trucker. Means i have bar end shifters, but i understand the Road BB7s are a bit wooden in comparison. Also saved myself a small fortune on brifters.

Hi,

If by “cross” bike you meant CX bike with STI or any other drop bars, road pull levers I would avoid BB7s.

Setting to achieve reasonable lever travel is a pain in rectum as already mentioned.

You can do it, but you rotors must be perfectly straight.

Fasthaggis – do tell. I’ve been arsing about with mine using about 5 different online how-to guides and STILL can’t get the pad clearance right.

Are you both using BB7 road not BB7 MTB brakes ? Only used BB7 on the MTB and they were excellent and easy to set up , I assume the road version will be the same . Have TRP Spyres on a cross bike that I use for commuting and they really are not very good,that could be because of not using compressionless cables or something else but I can’t lock the back wheel and the front is not much better . .

My CX has BB5 at the front and BB7 at the back. Can’t tell the difference between the 2 in operation. The 7 is slightly easier to set up. Still find them a bit daffy though. As above getting decent lever pull with brake run is difficult !

juin tech brakes bit expensive, c£150, but imho well worth the money. Got them on my cross bike and the wifes previuos cx bike. No faffing involved once fitted

Well for balance…

I have road BB7’s on one bike and they are pretty good but with quite a lot of lever travel. OE pads, Shimano cable, Versa 8 levers.

I have Spyres on another and they are great. OE pads, Jagwire cable and 105 levers. Perfect.

IME the Spyres are bit lighter and more elegant than the BB7’s, a fraction easier to set up but there’s not much in it performance wise.

If it has to be cable, I’d go Spyre otherwise Shimano 685/785. I wouldn’t piss about with the cable/hydro hybrids now Shimano 685’s are about.

Ivan, thanks for the condescension, but I’m aware of how my brakes work in bad weather (which is actually pretty well).

haha… Always ready to serve Sir 😉

BB7s road are not bad. Providing you can accept occasional rubbing of the pads on the rotors or not bothered by long lever movement they are good as gold.

Regular BB7, the MTB version is fit-and-forget stopper. No problems, no rubbing, nice and short lever action, decent modulation…

Road version unfortunately is not in par with MTB… That is quite surprising given fact that apart of torqu arm travel it is same brake…

That’s why I recommended Renders. A bit like poor relative of Avids but much shorter lever travel, similar stopping power and modulation even with organic pads – that are same like BB5s – and so far good reliability…

Also was reading good things about Juni Tech, but only on the tinterweb…

Apparently, improved version of TRP Spyre is Rever mcx1. Also only a word from others but claiming that they are much nicer than original…

Cheers!
I.

Have TRP Spyres on a cross bike that I use for commuting and they really are not very good,that could be because of not using compressionless cables or something else but I can’t lock the back wheel and the front is not much better . .

Something is wrong with your setup or they are faulty.. Spyres are simples to setup. Have you got the cable fixed the wrong side of the anchor bolt / crap cables / bad alignment / pad contamination ?

boblo – Member

If it has to be cable, I’d go Spyre otherwise Shimano 685/785. I wouldn’t piss about with the cable/hydro hybrids now Shimano 685’s are about.

Shimano 11 speed isn’t really an easy cheap bolt on upgrade though is it?

Is that what the OP is looking for? ‘Good cable disk recommendation’ is this thread. Start your own ‘easy cheap bolt on upgrade’ one if you like 😀

I wouldn’t stick £150 into something heavily compromised like the HY/RD or the latest ‘me too’ products. All the complexity of hydro, all the compromises of cable and hydro and for Juin Tech’s, no history, no critical mass for support/repairs/parts. They were relevant before hydro STI’s less so now unless you’re looking for a ‘budget’ solution that is inherently compromised.

Got a bb7 on the commute hack.
Works great pad rattle is enough to drive you insane though and you can never get the wheel/ disc inbetween the pads.

I had BB5 which I really didnt like compared to my mtb hyrdo brakes

Upgraded to TRP Spyre mechanical which were much better

But recently upgraded again to these

Juin Tech R1 Hydraulic Cable Pull Disc Brake Set Red

Which are lighter and better than the spyre

boblo – Member
Is that what the OP is looking for? ‘Good cable disk recommendation’ is this thread. Start your own ‘easy cheap bolt on upgrade’ one if you like 😀

the OP;

codybrennan – Member

Anything better out there that’s not too dear?

😉

Or

Good cable disc brake recommendation

😛

I have a pair of spyres for sale if anyone wants. Email in profile.

Yeah, should have clarified: a good, cable-based, disc-braking ‘system’ that can bolt on to my existing CX bike, which is one of those Boardman CX jobs.

I’m not wanting to change everything- its SRAM double-tap levers, I have a real budget of about £100, and I really just want to change the calipers.

Cheers!

I fitted Clarks sintered pads to my Spyres last night. First impressions are improved initial bite and they’re quieter. There’s still a bit of pulsing on the rotor so I’m going to install some Shimanos and see what happens.

My road BB7s on Ultegra levers were excellent, although I do like a longer lever pull I could still set them up for less pull if needs be.

Like all disc brakes I’ve ever owned though, they would occasionally develop squeel which would require a clean and readjustment to get rid of. No biggy but I’m really fussy about squeeling brakes, especially on a road bike!

I’ve always though the Shimano Ultegra offerings (CX75?) would be the best out there, apparently function just as well as BB7s, lighter, and you get the excellent shimano pads with them too which in my experience are the best* all weather sintered pads you can buy

*i.e. least noisy 8)

I think the CX75’s were recalled, 13thfloor, and have been replaced.

Road BB7s….hmm.

Right you are, they’re CX77s now, come supplied with Resin pads apparently but sintered pads exist.

If I was in the market for cable discs they’d be my first choice anyway, not that I am in the market, still prefer to suffer ‘delayed’ wet weather braking for no squeel and no disc rub 😀

i’d use about a 3rd of the budget to fit some compressionless cable outers and see what improvement you get no idea what outers Boardman’s come with but I doubt if anything in the performance category

not run bb5’s used bb7’s but got fed up with adjusting, personally i can put up with the squealing in the rain – useful ped’ alert

currently running Hy/Rd’s which are over budget but a lot cheaper than going 11 speed hydraulic and despite being a hybrid system really do work well