Brakes

[journeyman]

Trp spyke brakes - anyone still using them and still a fan? are there more durable pads; are TRPs own short lived pads which seems to get a few moans the only option. Or should i just bung on some hydraulics on i to replace my tired bb5s

[whitestone]

Trp spyke brakes - anyone still using them and still a fan? are there more durable pads; are TRPs own short lived pads which seems to get a few moans the only option. Or should i just bung on some hydraulics on i to replace my tired bb5s

Do they not take the standard Shimano 515/525 pads? I've the Spyres on my commuter and once the original pads wore out I just used those. Performance wise they are similar to Avid BB7s. The caliper body is slightly wider because of the inner movable pad and this can catch on spokes.

[Dave Barter]

I binned BB7's and replaced with the Spyres. I find them much much better as you can adjust both sides of the caliper, hence I could get an earlier bite. As Bob says I use standard Shimano sintered pads. I also had to shim the front disk a fraction to stop the spokes hitting when mounted on my Niner forks. They went straight on to my CX fork without issue.

[journeyman]

Good to know about sintered pads -and being able to make them good for spoke clearannce - thanks!

[ScotRoutes]

I binned BB7's and replaced with the Spyres. I find them much much better as you can adjust both sides of the caliper, hence I could get an earlier bite. As Bob says I use standard Shimano sintered pads. I also had to shim the front disk a fraction to stop the spokes hitting when mounted on my Niner forks. They went straight on to my CX fork without issue.

It must have been BB5s Dave. BB7s let you adjust both sides

We have Spyres on some of our hire bikes. As with other cable brakes, they benefit from using compressionless outer and adjusting for wear at the pad, not at the cable adjuster.

[Dave Barter]

They are BB7s ISTR that one side is fixed and this makes it hard to centre neatly. With the spyres both pistons move

[whitestone]

You can adjust both sides of a BB7 but there's only one piston that moves when you pull the lever. You don't actually "centre" them - it's more 2/3rds - 1/3rd.

[ScotRoutes]

They are BB7s ISTR that one side is fixed and this makes it hard to centre neatly. With the spyres both pistons move

Ah - I see where you're coming from.

[Pirahna]

Before I write my bit, for anyone that hasn't used cable brakes; they don't "self adjust" as hydraulic brakes do, they need to be manually adjusted. Which brings me to my gripe with TRP's. The adjustment is via small allen screws which is great in the comfort of your own workshop but the inside screw can be a pain in the arse on tour. It's worth carrying a dedicated allen key for this as I find multi-tools too clunky for the job. This is one area the BB7's score over TRP's, the big adjustment wheel on the inside of the caliper makes the job a breeze.

[Oli.vert]

I'm just bedding in my 1st set of spyres - and find the oddest thing is the pads seem to fit with a bit of fore-aft space that allows movement for and aft. Feels like an insanely loose headset if pull either brake and rock back and forth. Doesnt make me feel like trusting them, but heh, they do seem to work ok.
The tiny pad adjustment screw i find easy enough to access with a folding park allen-key set. Think I'm retiring my small all in one tool as I find it just a bit too fuckry for useful use. I like proper tools and don't mind carrying them. Taking less is one thing, but taking appropriate is another.
As for pad's to replace with, I read somewhere that the green Swiss-stop ones were the better upgrade - or is that just the old "More £$£ must be better" syndrome again?

[nedrapier]

They are BB7s ISTR that one side is fixed and this makes it hard to centre neatly.

And however often you adjust them, you'll still end up with pad wear on a slant as the moving pad pushes the disc in to the non moving pad.

Had my BB7s for 7 years and 15,000miles (??? ) on the commutey monstercross type thing and I keep thinking it would be nice to have something nicer, but then I'd get into new levers (I've got the MTN pull version) then start thinking about STIs (not that sort), new gears, price goes through the roof, and I come back to the fact that the BB7s work really quite well, and just carry on working really quite well. Less bother than the shimano hydros I've got on other bikes, on average.

replacement pads: I've been very happy with superstar organics. £20 for 4 sets, sometimes £15 or even £10. Quiet, brake well, and cheap enough that it's not an issue if they wear a little quicker than some others.

[Ray Young]

I've had my bb7's for about three years and straight from new the inboard adjuster on both calipers have been an absolute pain to turn even after dismantling and greasing them. I have to carry a torx key to adjust them when I'm out. After jamiep told me that the Shimano acera hydros worked just fine on a hardly used bike he'd bought I've now fitted a pair of them to mine. At a cost of £38.50 posted off eBay I thought they had to be worth a punt. I'll find out next week what they're like when I do my Jan bam.