Solution to foot hitting quick adjust on disc brake

[huskerdont]

@hozn 138889 wrote:

Note that a MTB BB7 is not the same as a road BB7. If you just mean to check the clearance, that is probably reasonable; I don’t know if the calipers are actually shaped differently (but cable pull / actuation is different).

Good to know, thanks.

[vvill]

@huskerdont 138905 wrote:

The hydraulics on my old Gary Fisher Tass went on me (a leak). Bought the fluid and everything to fix and just didn’t like fiddling with it so converted to BB7s. I didn’t notice any difference in braking ability between the mechanicals and the hydraulics, so I was happy to switch. (Note that it took me a while to notice my brakes were rubbing on that ride on the towpath, so I may not notice subtle differences very well.) The braking with mechanicalis is so much better than with standard brakes, I’m happy enough with them.

I wasn’t bowled over by the hydros on my 29er (Shimano SLX) but they do feel more powerful (easier with one finger braking) and a little less grabby than mechanical discs. Not really a game changer though. The TRP Hylex brakes on my SSCX though, those are what won me over to hydros. I do think perhaps that road BB7s were never really designed from the ground up for road bikes, so the improvement from MTB mech => hydro was less pronounced than that for road brakes.

[vvill]

@huskerdont 138905 wrote:

The hydraulics on my old Gary Fisher Tass went on me (a leak). Bought the fluid and everything to fix and just didn’t like fiddling with it so converted to BB7s. I didn’t notice any difference in braking ability between the mechanicals and the hydraulics, so I was happy to switch. (Note that it took me a while to notice my brakes were rubbing on that ride on the towpath, so I may not notice subtle differences very well.) The braking with mechanicalis is so much better than with standard brakes, I’m happy enough with them.

I wasn’t bowled over by the hydros on my 29er (Shimano SLX) but they do feel more powerful (easier with one finger braking) and a little less grabby than mechanical discs. Not really a game changer though. The TRP Hylex brakes on my SSCX though, those are what won me over to hydros. I do think perhaps that road BB7s were never really designed from the ground up for road bikes, so the improvement from MTB mech => hydro was less pronounced than that for road brakes.

[hozn]

I will say that my mechanical (BB7) setup on the MTB was really good. Using good housing, etc. the difference in stopping power and even lever feel was pretty close to the SLX hydros I have now. So I agree that on MTB it may not be a huge difference. That said, the SLX definitely stop with [a lot] less finger force and the modulation is better. So not night & day difference, but was well worth it for me. — And that’s saying something, since that was my first experience with disc-brake bleeding and it was a learning experience, to say the least.

On the road, however, hydraulics make a very substantial difference, in my experience. For mechanicals, I have used BB7s and Spyres. Spyres are a little nicer (once you swap out the TRP rotors), but neither provided the power and crisp engagement of BB7s (or certainly hydros) on the MTB. And lever would always end up pretty close to the bar when I needed full braking. Single-finger braking was a tall ask on the road — and really not a good option from the hoods, both for the force needed and the fact that the engagement was so close to the bar that my other fingers gripping the hood would be in the way of achieving full braking. On my road bike I run TRP Spyres with Yokozuna Reaction housing, which is really expensive but gives the best feel (i.e. is most compressionless). On the commuter I was using Jagwire Ripcord which despite being great on the MTB always felt spongy on the road levers.

Anyway, my general dissatisfaction with disc braking performance on the road bikes has been completely addressed by the SRAM Force 1 (L) / S700 (R) hydro setup I have now. Braking is on par with MTB hydro performance. Full braking happens long before levers are touching the bar — and swapping wheels [with the same hubs] seems to auto-adjust as I was hoping it would (w/ mechanicals I had to run them a little more open since even with same hubs and rotors there would be tiny spacing differences). Only downside I have yet experienced (besides the fact that they have to be bled) is that there is some rotor rub noise sometimes after torquing the front wheel (e.g. out-of-saddle climbing); it goes away shortly as the pads auto-correct. Or can be cured by hitting the brakes briefly. I imagine this would not be an issue if I had a thru-axle fork.

To be clear even the “inferior” braking performance of BB7s or Spyres is better than rim brakes. (And vastly better than rim brakes on carbon.)

[huskerdont]

After two commutes using a lower-profile shoe, my foot hasn’t hit the barrel adjuster once, so perhaps I don’t need to remove the adjuster. As long as I can remember to use the right shoes.

[Vicegrip]

Back the adjuster all the way out and wrap 1 or 2 turns of Teflon plumbers tape around the threaded portion. Reinstall and done. The adjuster will still turn when needed but not as easily.

[huskerdont]

Reviving because the solution turns out to be to replace the Promax brakes with TRP Sypres.

The Masi still has the Promax, but I had the same problem on a Cannondale Synapse with Promax brakes. Put on some Spyres, and the problem is gone. The Promax brakes jut out past the chainstay, but the Spyres sit nice and pretty over top of the tube. So they’re a little bit lighter, they don’t get hit by my shoe, and they actually do the job they were designed for. Will replace on the Masi too once funds become available.

[Author]

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