Avid Disc Brakes: What does the bb mean in the bb5/bb7?

[icalebkim]

Title explains all except: I've heard that there are avid ball bearing disc brakes for 99, and they are good. Very good. So, I looked up on JensonUSA, and Googled it, but I COULDN'T find the ball bearing brakes. Does BB mean ball bearing?

I want these brakes:

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/brakes/disc-...6_1507crx.aspx

[Seb71]

Does BB mean ball bearing?

Yes.

Avid has BB7 and BB5 disk brakes, in Mountain and Road versions. Go for BB7 (Mountain version).

[chris_uk]

Are Avid BB's beter than Avid Juicy?

[zebrahum]

Are Avid BB's beter than Avid Juicy?

Not usually, but many people prefer the ability to have a system you can have a little more field serviceability from. If you're out in the woods and you blow a hydraulic line, well there's very little you can do. If you mess up a cable brake well maybe you could ride with a spare brake cable and some wire cutters or something.

Personally, I would rather have a hydraulic brake to a cable brake. Far less fussing with pads because the hydraulics self adjust for wear. On mechanicals you need to manually adjust for pad wear with the dials and barrel adjusters.

[Squash]

Yes the BB in the BB7 and BB5 names stands for Ball Bearing. The torque arm that the cable connects to is connected to a plate with 3 tapered groves in it. The plate rides on 3 ball bearings. As the torque arm rotates the bearings in the counter clock wise direction the groves get shallower and force the outboard pad mount into the rotor until the rotor hits the inboard plate. Up until Avid came up with the ball bearing system, mechanical disc brakes had very a very poor heavy feel at the lever. The BB system smoothed out lever pull and made for a feel that isn't any different than a set of good Vbrakes. It's actually a very simple system and very reliable.

The brake that you link to are BB7's. Though the picture isn't accurate anymore, they're no longer silver in color. Current BB7s have a dark gray finish. If you want mechanical disc brakes though, there isn't a better brake out there.

Good Dirt

[Chuey83]

bb=better brakes

[nachomc]

Big Black

[bad mechanic]

If you mess up a cable brake well maybe you could ride with a spare brake cable and some wire cutters or something.

It's not that it's easier to fix in the field (though it is), it's that a cable can take much more damage before the brake is disabled. If a hydraulic cable even gets nicked, the brake is out of service.

[ryball]

Big Black

win.

[jeffscott]

It's not that it's easier to fix in the field (though it is), it's that a cable can take much more damage before the brake is disabled. If a hydraulic cable even gets nicked, the brake is out of service.

Yeah that is it....5 years on hydraulic brakes no leaks or damage yet....

Would have had to replace cables several times due to salt in the winter.

[bad mechanic]

Yeah that is it....5 years on hydraulic brakes no leaks or damage yet....

Would have had to replace cables several times due to salt in the winter.

Yes, and if your bike were subjected to the wear and crashes of singletrack riding, then maybe you'd have had more issues. If you rode singletrack you'd probably have fewer problems with road salt eating your cables as well .

Personally, I've had my brake line nicked in a crash and consequently lost my front brake.

[jeffscott]

Yes, and if your bike were subjected to the wear and crashes of singletrack riding, then maybe you'd have had more issues. If you rode singletrack you'd probably have fewer problems with road salt eating your cables as well .

Personally, I've had my brake line nicked in a crash and consequently lost my front brake.

Yeah I never ride single track.

But then you seem to crash a lot.

[bad mechanic]

Yeah I never ride single track.

But then you seem to crash a lot.

Then what value does your experience carry if you don't see the conditions the vast majority of mountain bikers ride?

So? I push myself, and it means I sometimes crash. Again, if you rode singletrack, you'd probably crash more as well.

[kubikeman]

If you want BB7's, go to Blue Sky Cycling (link below). They have a combo deal that's impossible to beat. You get Speed Dial 7 levers, Front and Rear BB7's, an upgraded pair of 160 mm G2 rotors, and Shimano cables! For $120! I picked up a set just to have. I'm a little frustrated with the current offering of hydros on the market (waiting to see what comes out for 2011).

http://www.blueskycycling.com/produc...-Combo-Kit.htm

You won't be disappointed.

[bad mechanic]

If you want the brakes to feel really good, then make sure to use compressionless cable housing, like Jagwire Ripcord or Avid Flak Jacket. It makes the brakes feel more firm, and will give you more power.

[jeffscott]

Then what value does your experience carry if you don't see the conditions the vast majority of mountain bikers ride?First of all the vast majority of mountain bikers donot ride single track

So? I push myself, and it means I sometimes crash. Again, if you rode singletrack, you'd probably crash more as well.

Yeah I never ride single track and I never crash...

Oh yeah and I have never cut a hydro hose, nor seen anyone else cut hose...

But I sure have seen mechanical cables requiring replacement.

[bad mechanic]

First of all the vast majority of mountain bikers donot ride single track.

It's sad you think that.

[BushwackerinPA]

I own

BB7 Mtn, BB7 Road, Juicy 5s, and Elixer CR

The hydros are much less maintence than the mechanicals and the only issue I have ever had was broken lever due to a crash into a tree.

[Tony2x]

If you want BB7's, go to Blue Sky Cycling (link below). They have a combo deal that's impossible to beat. You get Speed Dial 7 levers, Front and Rear BB7's, an upgraded pair of 160 mm G2 rotors, and Shimano cables! For $120!

But check the prices on the individual pieces first. I picked up a set of BB7's with SD7's from Blue Sky with the Jagwire instead of Shimano cables for just a few $$ more.

[the-one1]

Yeah I never ride single track.

But then you seem to crash a lot.

I'm not a mountain biker, but I play one on the interwebs.