# BB7 front brake



## bradXism (May 10, 2011)

My ancient Hayes front brake is finally getting to the point where the calipers will not separate enough to clear both sides of the disc. Has anyone used a BB7 with a 203 disc for a front brake. I use this brake on single track and really go not see a down side to the system.


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## mibike (Jun 5, 2008)

Yes. I have a tandem and a triplet with BB7 and 203 disk on the front and rear. They work good if I was getting a new bike I would order it with them.


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## bradXism (May 10, 2011)

I didn't really see why not but I didn't want to rig one up and find out that there was something nasty what didn't work. My current Hayes are not quit to par when it comes to aligning so the pads do not drag.'

Thanks so much for your reply.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

It will probably be fine.

That BB7 is easilly the best mechanical caliper available.


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## bradXism (May 10, 2011)

I am using it on my cross bike that sees road use only, and a full suspension that sees easy single track at the worse. Thanks for the input. It is also the least expensive I can find too.


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## stevoo (Oct 26, 2011)

The Avid BB7 works very well. It is well suited to tandems and is very reliable. Go with the 203mm G2 cleansweep rotor. Please follow the instructions carefully and offset the caliper as much as possible to expose lots of inner fixed brake pad. That will keep you from running the rotor into the caliper body as many folks have done as the inner brake pad wears between adjusting. Sounds funny but I have seen this as folks do not realize that there is only one piston that moves when applying the brake and they have centered the caliper and quickly burned up the inner pad only to have the rotor start grinding away on the metal caliper. I would also strongly advise only using the OEM sintered metal Avid pads or EBC gold as they will continue to work even at super high temps. The best thing about the mechanical caliper is that you can use sintered high friction HH rated pads because there is no fluid to boil. It is a beautiful thing. Organic pads will fade and fail under extreme conditions. They will work around town but not in the mountains under severe conditions.

Of course everyone has different needs but I am sharing what I have found during many years of testing this little gem of a brake on road tandems.


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## Weaklink (May 26, 2006)

*My Cannondale Tandem has BB7s*

Work wonderfully. We ride up to 50mph in the hils and have never needed "more" brake. We are a 325# team.


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## RevX (May 4, 2012)

yay fun


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