There are two main types of disc brakes: mechanical, which works with cables (just like rim brakes), and hydraulic, which replaces the cables with hydraulic fluid in a fully sealed line. Pull or release the brake cable through the caliper. Loosen the bolt on the brake caliper to readjust.
One try and you’ll wonder if the BB5s are really entry-level brakes. Tighten or loosen the barrel adjuster accordingly. Avid BB5 MTN Mechanical Brake Caliper/Rotor.
How to adjust your brake cables Pull the brake lever to judge how tight or loose your brakes are. Hydraulic systems are more efficient than mechanical disc brakes so you need to apply less pressure at the lever for an equal level of braking power.
Hydraulic brakes are higher end and they perform better than either rim brakes or mechanical discs in just about every respect, but they’re more expensive. I could hear a distinct noise and the wheel didnt rotate more than two or three revolutions when I picked that side up and tried to spin. Are they the same bit of kit for both road (CX) and MTB I have a set of BB7 MTB calipers that I want to put on a CX bike, but keep reading.
If these came on your bike upgrade these to BB7 when economical. In my excitement I didnt notice it in the shop. Avid BB5/7 road/MTB brakes query bullheart. do not last as well as Avids BB7, which for a few dollars more is a much better brake. However the left brake was scraping or rubbing against one or both of the pads when I brought it home. The right brake works great and is silent. Increasing rotor size probably would fend off that situation for another 1-2 minutes and increase braking power, but using an adapter just adds another piece that increases the chance of brake rubbing.Are hydraulic discs better than mechanical? I am the proud owner of a new Trail which has Avid BB5 brakes. With BB5/BB7s, if you ever decide to ascend 1500' and find a nice long 2+ mile descent that's relatively rocky and not straight, I can foresee you losing brake power near the last third, find that you are unable to use just 1 finger to brake, switch to two or more fingers, and start hamfisting that brake, which tends to lead to a bad situation. The fluid is designed to take away some of the heat from the brake system. The set comes without brake levers and cables. The mechanical system is easier to adjust and maintain than a hydraulic disc brake and is also convincing in wet conditions.
I think the biggest advantages hydraulic brakes offer is more brake force, relative to how hard you squeeze the lever, and better resistance to fading. For lovers of mechanical disc brakes: the Avid BB5 MTB Disc Brake The BB5 MTB is a no-compromise disc brake for riders looking for a system without hydraulics. There are other ways to tune out brake rub, which are also considered better. After one use of this brake caliper youll be wondering if its under. This mechanical disc brake comes with an advanced, yet simple to setup alignment system and an adjustment knob to let you dial in your preferred bite point. Not sure what the purpose of having 2 adjusters is for, besides the convenience of tuning out brake rub on the trail, without tools. Although the BB5 disc brake falls within the 'entry-level' range of Avids brakes, there is nothing entry-level about its braking power. Isn't the only difference between the two simply the ability to fine tune the distance of between both of the brake pads and the rotor, where the BB5 only allows you to adjust one side? Those big knurled knobs at the side of calipers that you screw in to adjust? Just puzzled by the hype implying that the performance is so much better.