Mountain Biking - Avid BB7 = win!

I just put some BB7s on my Stumpjumper hardtail today, to replace my horrifble v-brakes.

I never expected disc brakes to be such an upgrade. These things really kick ass. I like how when I pull the levers, my bike stops.

The auto-centering feature on the rear caliper didn't work too well though, and it took me and another guy damn near half an hour to get the thing positioned properly. But once it's dialed in, it's great. The pad adjusters are brilliant and easy to use.

I like these brakes a lot, they're a huge upgrade over regular v-brakes. They're not too expensive. They're kind of a ***** to install but that could well be operator error. Overall I'm happy with them!

I have them on my bike and my impression has been just "meh"
they seem to require frequent adjustments.

The auto-centering feature on the rear caliper didn't work too well though, and it took me and another guy damn near half an hour to get the thing positioned properly. But once it's dialed in, it's great. The pad adjusters are brilliant and easy to use.


Auto centering feature?

Auto centering feature?
+1?

if you loosen the IS bolts with the cable attached to the actuating arm, and then pull the brake lever, the calipers center themselves on the rotors. well they're supposed to... then you can tighten them that way and they'll be centered

it didn't work that way, and we kept screwing it on slightly crooked and then the rotor would scrape for a quarter or so of each rotation... it took us awhile to get it perfectly centered. like i said, this may have been user error though.

if you loosen the IS bolts with the cable attached to the actuating arm, and then pull the brake lever, the calipers center themselves on the rotors. well they're supposed to... then you can tighten them that way and they'll be centered

it didn't work that way, and we kept screwing it on slightly crooked and then the rotor would scrape for a quarter or so of each rotation... it took us awhile to get it perfectly centered. like i said, this may have been user error though.

That only works for calipers that clamp the rotor on both sides. Most hydraulic brakes (Hayes Sole excluded) are designed this way, as well as one mechanical brake (IRD dual-bangers). If you notice, only on pad moves on your caliper, the left side. If you tighten the bolts this way, the right side will always be in contact with the pad.

then it was definitely user error! thanks for the info.

That only works for calipers that clamp the rotor on both sides. Most hydraulic brakes (Hayes Sole excluded) are designed this way, as well as one mechanical brake (IRD dual-bangers). If you notice, only on pad moves on your caliper, the left side. If you tighten the bolts this way, the right side will always be in contact with the pad.

I've had BB7s on three bikes now. If you

1 unscrew the brake
2 tighten the pad adjusters according to the directions, tighten the brake bolts and then release the pads according to the directions...then the auto center feature works.

You don't grab the brakes and then tighten things up. The inner pad should be closer to the rotor when things are said and done.