Avid Mechs
 

Ok, being now a little fed-up with my vee-brakes, I've finally decided to get some disc. Now despite the merits of hydros, I've got my eye on the Avid mechs, in fact they seem to be selling them pretty cheap now - like US$134 for the pair. But just as I'm about to place my order, what do I see floating on Avid's site? 2 different grades of mechs - 5s and 7s. I always thought that Avid only had one grade of mech discs - does anyone know if this is a new thing? More importantly, anyone tried them and know the diff b/w 7s, 5s and the plain ol' 2003/2004 mechs?

no dont know anything of mech disc i ride the SAINT 8" hydro disc and man go hydro disc you will like it alot better plus you will be able to stopp faster....that and your cable wont stretch .. the fluid just runs out...and either way your screwed if your line brakes on the mechs or hydro...

hydro is the answer hands down for stopping power


an6's .02

Its called brake regulation, anybody can lock up the front or rear with hydro or mech. So how in can the hydro have more stopping power? No one is MAKING you jam on the brakes, so with a little skill (which some people obviously dont have) either brake can stop you quick-smart.

I have mechs, yes. Because i am too lazy to change brake fluid on my race bike AND pushie. My bike stops just fine, when you are going 270kmph on a pushie, then start worrying about which braking system to get, pushies are slow.

whoa - wrong side of bed today for some? chill, mate... didnt want a hydro vs mechs flamewar here, just wanted to know anyone with info on avids... personally i'm too lazy to bother with brake fluid either, i figure i'll work out the moderation problem later/next time so mechs for me still.

From Avid's website regarding the Ball Bearing 5:

"Basically, the same outstanding brake as our regular BBDB without the outboard pad adjustment knob"

I am always adjusting both pad's. I don't see why anyone would buy these, maybe I'm missing something.

Well the avids can get decent modulation with the high end levers which allow you to more accurately control your modulating. Personally I am a hydro fan. Lots of dh and I am a heavy ass who like to have as much control over the brakes as possible. PErsonally...as of late, I am beginning to believe most people don't even need discs, v's work pretty well in most of the same conditions.

What hydros save on 'sometimes' is hand burnout cause your hands don't have to work as hard to lock the brakes over the long haul. Actual power is equal in the end. You can ONLY lock the brake...no more than that :)

i dunno mael, re: Vees the annoyance is when the rim is just off-true, i cant adjust the v calipers such that the pads almost touch the rim - there's always some rub. Why i want to do that is so i can get braking power with a quick and short depression of the levers. I thought disc would solve that problem? That and stopping power over wet areas.

Good insight provided OregonXC, after some research on avid's tech manuals i think i know the difference b/w the 5s and the 7s now. :)

I love my Avid Mechs.


A huge reason being that if I need to adust the brakes on the trail, I can just twist the two dials, and *BAM* all done.

Easier than V-Brakes in that sense!

Hydros will offer better "feel" and maybe more brute power, but my Avid's have all the modulation I could ask for, and will drag my 200+pounds down from ~35mph in a very quick fasion.


You mention very quick braking power with short lever pull. For a while I was riding with my Mech's so sensitive that my buddy trying them out threw himself over the handlebars at 8mph! My other buddy loved the fact that with that setup, the modulation was all there, just within about ~6cm of lever pull. I wound up going with a longer softer pull eventually though. I might switch back at some point.


I could not reccomend any product I own for any purpose more than my Avid Mechs for an XC bike.

I agree. Doesn't seem to make sense. So what's the street price for the '5' model? Maybe its intended for OEM use.

Dave

I did forget about that aspect. (although expect rubbing with discs too :))

Yes In wetness discs excel. :)

I, and a number of those I ride with, have used Avid mechanical disc brakes on our trail bikes - an Ellsworth ISIS, Joker 1.5, and a few ID's; a Santa Cruz Superlight; a Chumba Wumba; a Titus Racer X 100, etc - for some time. We've all had excellent reliability, no maintenance/service problems, and very good performance. Using Avid's Straight-Jackets and their disc brake recommended levers vastly improves braking effectiveness, making them close to hydraulics. The lighter weight, lower cost, and very easy set-up are also pluses. It's important to note we all use "fat" tires - Conti 2.3's or Schwalbe 2.4's - which likely helps braking efficiency. Regardless, keep the system clean and you'll be very satisfied with them.

The 5's came out recently to contend with lower end disc brakes. I have no idea how they feel but If you want the legendary power that everyone seems to be raving about. Go with the 7's.\

Apparently the 5's have smaller pad? The rotor seems to have a smaller surface.

thanks, posters all. FYI I've actually been eyeing a set of avid mechs on ebay for some time now, and the seller didnt mention anything about 5's or 7's so i got confused when i went to avid's site. seemed to me like a new model. whaddauguysthink - bid for the "older model" $135 the pair or wait and get the "newer" 7's? i dont think there's even any difference b/w the 7's and the "older" model.

the 7s are the oem style. the 5 is the Promax contender. I have avid mechs, weigh200 pounds,ride in slop and mud that at times goes above the rotor and say they are much better at stopping in bad conditions. if you ride flat,dry stuff only then stay with Vs but its good to have a brake that is better than your ability so you can improve into them without having to make a new monetary investment. if you go with the old style(or new 7s) you will be happy IMO. it may not seem like a huge difference at first but wait till you hit something new and have reliable stopping power in a condition you did not have before. I may never use the antilock featuer on the brakes on my truck but Im glad they are there in case I do. If you are gonna be downhilling go with a bigger rotor than the 165mm. Avid Mech are more than most people need as Maelstrom said but it sure is nice to have them when the pooh hits the fan @ 20+mph. the modulation only works good if they are set up correctly which is not hard to do if you follow the instructions and when set up correctly they rock. My new EBC golds have much better power than the C4s too

The EBC Golds really make a huge difference. I wish i would have put them on as soon as I got the brakes.

Try running the ebc reds :D

What headaches? Bleeding a Hybro brake is easier and quicker than changing a cable and I don't have to do it more tham once a year. Both have their merrits and Avid Mechs are a great option. I have Hope Mono Mini's and they are very nice and have great control. I do have to agree the benefit pof the disc for an XC rider is the wet braking control and the lack of V's rubbing the rim.

I would definitely sticlk with the 7's based on what I have read.

Snag a hose? It's take a large sappling to pull them loose. You carry an extra brake cable with you? Not a bad idea but I never considered carrying one.

On the flip side of that arguement a cable is going to come apart in a snag quicker than a hose I would suspect.

There are good and bad to both.

[sarcasm]Glad to see we are open minded about things around here [/sarcasm]

To each their own. Can't everyone be happy everyone has something they like and accept the way they like may not be the best way for everyone?

pardon my french, but wtf EBC gold/red?

in any case, i'll be buying them avids soon, just got to get off my arse and order it. thanks for all the help guys

they are for downhilling

the EBC is an aftermarket replacement pad that comes in 3 grades. the green is for a close to original pads. the red is Kevlar and has much better grip and heat resistence but will not last as long as the green.the gold is a longer lasting good gripping and great for nasty conditions pad. if you ride dry stuff green is fine. if you ride downhill red is the one. if you ride nasty conditions or have not been happy with the longevity of your stock pads then go with the gold. many companies make pads and these are the only ones Im familiar with other than C4s(stock pads).