BB7 Disc Brake Road - Setup

[lejogger]

I've spent a good couple of hours over the last couple of nights trying to set up my BB7 road brakes, and I just can't get them so that I'm happy with them. I'm actually at the point where I'm beginning to fear that my commuter bike might never get built up again, and I may just take up tiddlywinks instead.

I've followed the paper instructions, then given up and followed the youtube instructions (which were a lot better), I've tried with the bike on the stand, with it upside down, I haven't yet tried it underwater, but I'm watching a couple of scuba sets on ebay.

The main principle is to ensure the cable isn't attached and then centre the disc in the caliper. This is done by tightening the inner and outer dials while the bolts attaching the caliper to the frame are loose, then when everything is taught and the disc is in the correct position tighten them. You merely then need to slack off the dials a few clicks, tighten the cable and voila!

Yeah right.

It's a simple process but I'm always getting rotor scrape on the outer pad. Even when I dial it out completely it still happens. I then have to have another go at moving the caliper so that it's closer to the other side and everything goes wonky again.

On a couple of ocassions I have managed to get the rotor spinning through without any scrape on the pads, but then the amount of play on the brake lever is silly. I want to feel like a small squeeze is all I need to engage stopping procedures, but it's to the point where the gear shifter behind the brake lever is getting wedged on the bars it's so slack.

The only way I can reduce the slack is to shorten the distance the lever arm on the caliper has to travel, but that inevitably causes more scrape on the rotor and the youtube video seemed to suggest that I shouldn't have to move it that much.

Please (for the love of god), does anybody have any advice or knowledge on this, or any magical solutions?

 

[Andrew_P]

If they are brand new I would set them up with as little scrape as possible and then bed them in with a few rides.

I found loosen off the two bolts and centre the calliper with bot pads backed off with the eye and then tighten them up and gradually close the pads in one click at a time.

 

[lejogger]

If they are brand new I would set them up with as little scrape as possible and then bed them in with a few rides.

I found loosen off the two bolts and centre the calliper with bot pads backed off with the eye and then tighten them up and gradually close the pads in one click at a time.

Cheers Loco. How much did you lift up the lever arm when tightening the cable?

 

[Andrew_P]

Cheers Loco. How much did you lift up the lever arm when tightening the cable?

from memory I didn't do anything with the lever arm I had the cable tight and slackened off the two bolts and centred the calliper by sight with both pads backed off, I tried all the business card tricks etc but found it easier in good light to get it centred like above. The pads being new might have some ridges on them giving a regular scrape noise on rotation

 

[MrJamie]

I had the same kind of problem (although MTB BB7s), could hear the pads touching or the pads weren't close enough to give a good pull on the lever. I followed this guys instructions which are a bit different to the SRAM ones and they installed perfectly

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NasGJFtgq0A


Might be worth checking the rotors not bent too.

 

[NormanD]

Try to make sure your rotor is as true as possible before making any brake adjustments ... I do this by holding a black felt tipped pen against the fork leg, spin the wheel, then move the pen as close to the rotor as possible in small increments until it touches ..this should mark the warped section (bit like truing a wheel) .. I then us an adjustable wrench, jaws closed clamped over the rotor and move it in or out (depends on the pen mark) until I eliminate as much warping as possible.

I then do the brake adjustments ... hope it helps phil

 

[lejogger]

Try to make sure your rotor is as true as possible before making any brake adjustments ... I do this by holding a black felt tipped pen against the fork leg, spin the wheel, then move the pen as close to the rotor as possible in small increments until it touches ..this should mark the warped section (bit like truing a wheel) .. I then us an adjustable wrench, jaws closed clamped over the rotor and move it in or out (depends on the pen mark) until I eliminate as much warping as possible.

I then do the brake adjustments ... hope it helps phil

Cheers Norm,
So from what you're describing you're literally bending the rotor with the wrench to true it?

Commuted in this morning and they were fine. Scrape died pretty quickly, the stopping power is not great yet though, although I'll give them time to bed in. I certainly wouldn't be thrilled at the prospect of an emergency stop.
Gear shifting is very clunky, and I'm not sure whether this is in comparison to my best bike and it was always like that or whether there's something wrong. I don't want to take the bike off the road again for a major job, but while I'm in the mood I think I might replace all the cables and outers, and remove the top levers while I'm at it.

 

[NormanD]

Cheers Norm,
So from what you're describing you're literally bending the rotor with the wrench to true it?

Yes pretty much Phil, lots of pad rubbing is down to warped disks and people tend to forget to true them, eliminates a lot of hassle setting the brakes up

I replaced all my cable with Gore Ride-on but had to buy the tandem bike set to fit the Boardman CX rear brake, rather pricey, but I've had nothing but super smooth shifting a breaking since I fitted them.

 

[lejogger]

Yes pretty much Phil, lots of pad rubbing is down to warped disks and people tend to forget to true them, eliminates a lot of hassle setting the brakes up

I replaced all my cable with Gore Ride-on but had to buy the tandem bike set to fit the Boardman CX rear brake, rather pricey, but I've had nothing but super smooth shifting a breaking since I fitted them.

Cheers Norm.

 

[lejogger]

Yes pretty much Phil, lots of pad rubbing is down to warped disks and people tend to forget to true them, eliminates a lot of hassle setting the brakes up

I replaced all my cable with Gore Ride-on but had to buy the tandem bike set to fit the Boardman CX rear brake, rather pricey, but I've had nothing but super smooth shifting a breaking since I fitted them.

Hey Norm, was checking out those cables and saw this.
Might be worth looking into

 

[NormanD]

Hey Norm, was checking out those cables and saw this.
Might be worth looking into

Only affects campagnolo brake ends ..sram and shimano are unaffected by the recall

I have to say them Pro ceramic brake pads have phenomenal stopping power, I was stunned when I used them (almost a clipless moment)

 

[lejogger]

Only affects campagnolo brake ends ..sram and shimano are unaffected by the recall

I have to say them Pro ceramic brake pads have phenomenal stopping power, I was stunned when I used them (almost a clipless moment)

That's good to know... On both counts.
Might look to upgrade the sintered pads on the BB7 to something similar.

Have done about 35 miles on them now, and I'll be not far off 50 by tonight. They aren't scraping any longer so seem to have bedded in somewhat. Probably a good time to go through the set up process again to see if I can make them less spongy