Disc Brakes

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  • April 7, 2014 at 2:14 am #915082
    rcannon100
    Participant

    I go through Brake pads like chicklets. And that also means I am going through rims.

    My Canondale is built for either cantilever or disc brakes. So I was thinking of taking the plunge.

    Jeff (volunteer from the Saturday Phoenix rides) recommends

    AVID MTB BB7 Front & Rear Caliper 160mm

    Does that sound good? And what do I need to know? That will fit my Canondale Bad Boy? Is there something I need to check?

    Jeff says they are not too hard to install?

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  • April 7, 2014 at 3:39 am #997891
    vvill
    Participant

    @rcannon100 81737 wrote:

    I go through Disc Brakes like chicklets.

    I assume you mean brake pads.

    BB7s are a good choice for mechanical disc brakes, and easy to install (I upgraded my MTB to use a front BB7 a couple years ago.) 160mm is a standard rotor size.

    What you’ll need is a wheelset with hubs that allow you to bolt the rotors on, if you don’t have them already. The rear hub for disc brakes is usually 135mm wide on hybrid frames. There are two standards for attaching rotors to hubs – ISO/6-bolt, and Shimano’s Centerlock. BB7s come with ISO/6-bolt rotors so it’s best to make sure your wheelset supports this (you can get adapters, but easier to stick with the same standard).

    April 7, 2014 at 11:43 am #997897
    Rod Smith
    Participant

    Good info from vvill. I would measure the rear spacing before buying wheels. One of my hybrids is 130mm. “Flat bar road bike” style hybrids are often 130. Newer hybrids and all terrain type hybrids mostly 135.

    April 7, 2014 at 12:30 pm #997899
    vvill
    Participant

    @Rod Smith 81750 wrote:

    I would measure the rear spacing before buying wheels. One of my hybrids is 130mm. “Flat bar road bike” style hybrids are often 130. Newer hybrids and all terrain type hybrids mostly 135.

    Yes, check the specs on your Cannondale! I’m also not sure if the Bad Boy is built around 26″ or 29″ wheels.

    April 7, 2014 at 12:30 pm #997900
    rcannon100
    Participant

    Yeah, my bike is just sitting there looking pretty waiting for discs. Both hubs and frames is disc ready.

    Thanks!

    April 7, 2014 at 12:34 pm #997901
    vvill
    Participant

    @rcannon100 81753 wrote:

    Yeah, my bike is just sitting there looking pretty waiting for discs. Both hubs and frames is disc ready.

    Thanks!

    In that case, go ahead and get the BB7s! Oh and if your multi tool or whatever doesn’t have a Torx wrench you might want a dedicated one. They’re used for the rotor bolts and can be used for pad adjustment too.

    April 7, 2014 at 1:02 pm #997902
    Steve
    Participant

    @vvill 81754 wrote:

    In that case, go ahead and get the BB7s! Oh and if your multi tool or whatever doesn’t have a Torx wrench you might want a dedicated one. They’re used for the rotor bolts and can be used for pad adjustment too.

    Yes on this! I especially like using a longer Torx screwdriver for this. I got one at the hardware shop in Westover for a couple of bucks. Bascially the interior brake pad adjustment requires the torx head (T25 I think, but I can check), and so adjusting in when the wheel is on means going thru the spokes or around them somehow. With my rack, fenders, seat stays, etc., I found it much easier to use a long torx screwdriver and just going thru the spokes than trying to use any sort of wrench in there.

    I hope that makes sense, rcannon.

    April 7, 2014 at 2:09 pm #997912
    DaveK
    Participant

    Depending on how you ride, why not go “mullet brakes” – disc only in the front? You only have to buy one wheel, caliper, and rotor that way.

    April 7, 2014 at 2:51 pm #997919
    mstone
    Participant

    If you’re using the existing wheels, make sure they’re built for discs (no radial spokes, preferably 28 or more spokes). If you’re building new wheels due to rim wear, then just mention that you’re going with discs.

    April 8, 2014 at 2:27 am #997999
    jnva
    Participant

    Now these are disk brakes!

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]5149[/ATTACH]

    April 8, 2014 at 7:43 pm #998089
    krazygl00
    Participant

    I did the “mullet style” conversion DaveK mentioned, and can attest that it is worthwhile. However, I only did that option because I was able to swap in a disc fork but my frame has no disc mounts. rcannon100’s frame has disc mounts so he might as well do both. If I had had that option I would have.

    Also, mine is a bit unconventional, as I opted for BB7 Mountain calipers as opposed to Road and I run them with STI levers. Yes, I know there is a cable pull mismatch there, but I found the BB7 Road calipers’ stopping power underwhelming, so went with the increased torque of the Mountain caliper. The downside is you have to keep them very much in adjustment or you’ll bottom out your levers. But the stopping power is amazing.

    April 8, 2014 at 11:46 pm #998100
    hozn
    Participant

    @krazygl00 81949 wrote:

    Also, mine is a bit unconventional, as I opted for BB7 Mountain calipers as opposed to Road and I run them with STI levers. Yes, I know there is a cable pull mismatch there, but I found the BB7 Road calipers’ stopping power underwhelming, so went with the increased torque of the Mountain caliper. The downside is you have to keep them very much in adjustment or you’ll bottom out your levers. But the stopping power is amazing.

    There are adapters to correct for the cable-pull mismatch.

    http://problemsolversbike.com/products/travel_agents/

    April 8, 2014 at 11:59 pm #998104
    hozn
    Participant

    Yeah, Avid BB7 mtb brakes are awesome. And Avid SD7 levers are a good match, though anything will work well, I am sure. It is worth having good cable housing and running a solid length of housing to the rear (and front, of course) brake. If your bike has cable stops for the brake you can get problem solvers adapters for cable “guides”.

    Edit: of course just use the levers you already have, what was I thinking.

    April 9, 2014 at 2:29 pm #998137
    vvill
    Participant

    I have a mullet conversion on my beater too although only because I’m lazy and never got around to installing the rear disc on my beater. Actually I think at some point I was using the disc mounts for a rear fender, since the MTB doesn’t have any fender mounts.

    April 17, 2014 at 8:10 pm #998863
    notlost
    Participant

    I should have mentioned that you should get mountain calipers to go with your mountain levers!

    April 18, 2014 at 4:18 am #998879
    Bruno Moore
    Participant

    Those of you running the mullet setup: why put the disc up front? I know that on tandems (at least according to Santana), you put the disc in the back to provide drag and articulation, but run a high-power canti up front for pure stopping power. I’d think you’d want the sensitive, easily controlled brake in the back, the powerful brake up front—but, then again, on a not overloaded single-passenger commuter bike, it might not make that much of a difference. Is there a rationale or set of arguments for putting a single disc brake on either the front or rear wheel?

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