# Dura-Ace brakes (7700 vs. 7800)



## eurorider (Jul 10, 2005)

What's the difference in these brakes besides appearance and the small (5 g) weight savings? The 7700 is also dual pivot right?


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## t-moore (Jan 1, 1970)

7800 brakes were much improved in the area of stopping power.....Pricey though


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## odeum (May 9, 2005)

improved to the point of being almost as good as 7401's.




t-moore said:


> 7800 brakes were much improved in the area of stopping power.....Pricey though


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## odeum (May 9, 2005)

improved to the point of being almost as good as 7401's in this same area.




t-moore said:


> 7800 brakes were much improved in the area of stopping power.....Pricey though


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

had 7401s back in the day. Great brakes. Went to 7700...crappy brakes. The calipers are so cut out for weight savings that they flex something terrible. haven't tried the 7800s, as I moved to Campy following DA9. Please bike companies, give me beefy brakes that work, that's one place I don't care about the weight. 

brewster


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## odeum (May 9, 2005)

still use my 7400s on my training bike, they are superb, and been through lots!

as for the 7700s, they were more flexible, all shimano calipers were, all claims to increased stifness aside.
the 770os had probs w/ the orig pads, they would gum up and dissolve, shim came out w/extreme condition pads to cover this failing up...ultegra pads, the older ones with integrated cartridge/pad are excellent, and make a nice upgrade from anything else shimano offers, as their other pad comounds are not great, and the thickness of the pad is reduced, so they are thrown out sooner.

i have record now, and they may be slightly better than the 7400s.





brewster said:


> had 7401s back in the day. Great brakes. Went to 7700...crappy brakes. The calipers are so cut out for weight savings that they flex something terrible. haven't tried the 7800s, as I moved to Campy following DA9. Please bike companies, give me beefy brakes that work, that's one place I don't care about the weight.
> 
> brewster


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## shawndoggy (Feb 3, 2004)

I've ridden all three of the brakes being discussed here (7401, 7700, and 7800). 

I have (had... just sold) 7401s on a training bike and have had 7700s and 7800s on the race bike. The 7401s and 7700s weren't really distinguishable in braking power. But it's a different story with the 7800s. 

Honestly, the stopping power (or more correctly, the amount of force that needs to be exerted on the lever) with the 7800s is so much greater (i.e. less force on the lever) that it's really not a comparison. I actually had an "oh [email protected]" moment when I did my first ride with the 7800s where I wasn't ready for that much power out of the front brake and nearly went over the bars. The brakes are that good.

As for the rest of the 7800 grouppo, I give a solid shrug. I still think my 9 speed stuff shited a litted better. But the brakes rock.


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## eurorider (Jul 10, 2005)

So do I need to worry about any problems with 7800 brakes and 7700 brake levers as far as cable pull is concerned?


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## odeum (May 9, 2005)

your impression of the 9 spd stuff as shifting better is quite interesting, there are still lots of serious riders/racers still on the 9 spd, more, i would say, than the number of those still on 8spd after 9 spd was out for as long...






shawndoggy said:


> I've ridden all three of the brakes being discussed here (7401, 7700, and 7800).
> 
> 
> As for the rest of the 7800 grouppo, I give a solid shrug. I still think my 9 speed stuff shited a litted better. But the brakes rock.


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## eurorider (Jul 10, 2005)

Does anyone know?


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*No problems*



eurorider said:


> Does anyone know?


There are no incompatibilities between standard road levers and standard road brakes, pretty much regardless of model/brand.


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## Clevor (Sep 8, 2005)

That you-know-who magazine did a review of the 7800s back in 2004, and they said the stopping power was second to none. Their previous standard was Campy Record. Apparently Shimano also came out with a new brake compound. The 7800s incorporate a differential setup.

I switched from the OEM pads on my carbon fiber brakes (Tektro/Sampson?) to the 7800 pads and whoa, what a world of difference!


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