I don't like disc brakes

menthel

There, I said it. I find them a nightmare to keep in good fettle and not sounding like a knife sharpener. Unfortunately my Charge won't take normal, human brakes and that makes me sad. I see the possibility to N+1 but it would never fly unless I did a second hand self assembly job for £200-300. All I would want would be a steel frame with mudguard and rack points, wheels, gears, brakes and all the other trimmings! However, the wife would kill me, even despite the fact she owns 3 bikes vs my 2 and has only just recently got a new spesh (as in last weekend!). For full disclosure I do have to state that I also have a very nice condor italia but I don't want to commute that every day- it would spoil it for the weekend blasts!

meanredspider

Are you not just casting doubt on your fettling skills and therefore, by extension, your masculinity...?

menthel

meanredspider wrote:

Are you not just casting doubt on your fettling skills and therefore, by extension, your masculinity...?

Probably but as I can drink a pint in less than 3 seconds I am sure these things balance out!

I think I am mainly trying to justify my lust for a steel framed bike!

iPete

This does sound like a cry out for a trip back to Condor to get yourself a Tempo...

rubertoe

Croix de Fer is steel and has discs...

menthel

iPete wrote:

This does sound like a cry out for a trip back to Condor to get yourself a Tempo...

And a free castration courtesy of the wife! Anyways I am fancying a Bob Jackson Audax frame in yellow...

DrLex

Been very happy with my S/H Pompetamine Alfine 11 as foul weather bike (i.e. most days) - Shimano disks & dynamo hub. Only failing has been SKS mudguards snapping - nothing duct tape can't fix...

menthel

rubertoe wrote:

Croix de Fer is steel and has discs...

All good until the last word!

jonny_trousers

Genesis Equilibrium. The framesets are almost free.

asprilla

There are a lot of Dawes touring bikes out there on ebay....

menthel

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Genesis Equilibrium. The framesets are almost free.

Shame the rest of it isn't as well. They are very nice looking bikes- I had a quick look whilst the wife was faffinf around with her spesh in Evans the other day.

Asprilla wrote:

There are a lot of Dawes touring bikes out there on ebay....

A bit too grandad (and not yellow) perhaps!

asprilla

menthel wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Genesis Equilibrium. The framesets are almost free.

Shame the rest of it isn't as well. They are very nice looking bikes- I had a quick look whilst the wife was faffinf around with her spesh in Evans the other day.

Asprilla wrote:

There are a lot of Dawes touring bikes out there on ebay....

A bit too grandad (and not yellow) perhaps!

That's why you can pick them up for under £200 as a 531 frame.

Call it a fixed and it's £400.

menthel

Asprilla wrote:

menthel wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Genesis Equilibrium. The framesets are almost free.

Shame the rest of it isn't as well. They are very nice looking bikes- I had a quick look whilst the wife was faffinf around with her spesh in Evans the other day.

Asprilla wrote:

There are a lot of Dawes touring bikes out there on ebay....

A bit too grandad (and not yellow) perhaps!

That's why you can pick them up for under £200 as a 531 frame.

Call it a fixed and it's £400.

And get it resprayed...

Liking the thinking!

rubertoe

menthel wrote:

iPete wrote:

This does sound like a cry out for a trip back to Condor to get yourself a Tempo...

And a free castration courtesy of the wife! Anyways I am fancying a Bob Jackson Audax frame in yellow...

Like.

But like the others have said, wait for a bargain on e-bay.

or have a look at http://vintagebikecave.com/

menthel

rubertoe wrote:

menthel wrote:

iPete wrote:

This does sound like a cry out for a trip back to Condor to get yourself a Tempo...

And a free castration courtesy of the wife! Anyways I am fancying a Bob Jackson Audax frame in yellow...

Like.

But like the others have said, wait for a bargain on e-bay.

or have a look at http://vintagebikecave.com/

Thanks, interesting site!

rhext

Get some better disc brakes?

menthel

rhext wrote:

Get some better disc brakes?

I did, got some BB7s, still don't like them.

The Rookie

To be clear then, what about then BB&'s (which are generally considered to be the very best cable disc brakes) do you not like?

rubertoe

menthel wrote:

rhext wrote:

Get some better disc brakes?

I did, got some BB7s, still don't like them.

let me know if you are selling.

menthel

The Beginner wrote:

To be clear then, what about then BB&'s (which are generally considered to be the very best cable disc brakes) do you not like?

Their disc brakeyness. They are better than the old ones but still need constant adjustment. I am also not keen on the way they feel.

rubertoe wrote:

menthel wrote:

rhext wrote:

Get some better disc brakes?

I did, got some BB7s, still don't like them.

let me know if you are selling.

veronese68

menthel wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

To be clear then, what about then BB&'s (which are generally considered to be the very best cable disc brakes) do you not like?

Their disc brakeyness. They are better than the old ones but still need constant adjustment. I am also not keen on the way they feel.

Really? I only had to make a very minor adjustment when I borrowed Ugo's wheel, then adjusted it straight back when I got mine back. Otherwise no adjustments made since fitting and initial set up. I'm very happy with mine, they just work. Hydraulics may be better, but I'll wait until they come down in price.

The Rookie

My cable discs need maybe 30 seconds of adjustment every 2 months, hardly a killer!

Disc brakeyness is a plus point surely?

menthel

I don't know but perhaps it is just me and my inability to fit the bloody things. I will have a further fiddle once I have some time and see if I can get them any better.

Not stopping my N+1 yellow steel framed bike lust though...

asprilla

I don't like BB7s either. They sound like a knife sharpener or are no more effective than normal brakes.

I'd quite like to try TRP Spyres as they are proper two piston mechanicals and self centre as a result.

veronese68

I set mine up as per the Volagi video as recommended by MRS. Also watched a couple of others and read up on it a bit.
From memory it was something like release the cable, loosen the mounting bolts and wind in the adjusters to hold the caliper in place and in line with the disc. Then tighten up the mounting bolts gradually going from one to the other and back. Don't tighten one all the way then the other. Back off the adjusters just enough and refit the cable. Apparently it's good to have a bit of tension on the cable with BB7s as otherwise the actuating arm can rattle.
Mine were noisy but seem to have quietened down now. I'll get some Superstar organic pads for when I need them.
I like them, they work. There is a daft schoolkid somewhere in Twickenham that should also like them. He was walking along the pavement and then suddenly ran diagonally into the road in front of me with his headphones on and no backward glance. Luckily it was me and my bike and not a big red bus in the bus lane at that moment.
You should still go for n+1 though, especially as small competitive yoga female has more bikes than you. ;-)

menthel

Veronese68 wrote:

I set mine up as per the Volagi video as recommended by MRS. Also watched a couple of others and read up on it a bit.
From memory it was something like release the cable, loosen the mounting bolts and wind in the adjusters to hold the caliper in place and in line with the disc. Then tighten up the mounting bolts gradually going from one to the other and back. Don't tighten one all the way then the other. Back off the adjusters just enough and refit the cable. Apparently it's good to have a bit of tension on the cable with BB7s as otherwise the actuating arm can rattle.
Mine were noisy but seem to have quietened down now. I'll get some Superstar organic pads for when I need them.
I like them, they work. There is a daft schoolkid somewhere in Twickenham that should also like them. He was walking along the pavement and then suddenly ran diagonally into the road in front of me with his headphones on and no backward glance. Luckily it was me and my bike and not a big red bus in the bus lane at that moment.
You should still go for n+1 though, especially as small competitive yoga female has more bikes than you. ;-)

I know, she says she doesn't need another bike and then one appears!

I will have a google for the vid later- sounds similar to the installation instructions that come with but I have been tightening one bolt fully each time. That may cause some of the trouble.

rubertoe

Anyone seen the Spyres yet?

i see fatbirds list them but no stock yet.

Anyone know the release date?

ugo.santalucia

I think your brakes need better fettling... I have been a BB7 convert for a couple of years now. In traffic situations they are the dogs... with the right grippy tyres they can stop you so quickly that your eyes might pop out of the skull if you don't close them.
Noise level vary on temperature/weather conditions... right now they are pretty much silent

menthel

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I think your brakes need better fettling... I have been a BB7 convert for a couple of years now. In traffic situations they are the dogs... with the right grippy tyres they can stop you so quickly that your eyes might pop out of the skull if you don't close them.
Noise level vary on temperature/weather conditions... right now they are pretty much silent

Better fettling is also a given seen as I installed them. First time I commuted with the BB7s I managed to lock the back brake and skid on the wet, slick CS7 blue paint. Slightly embarrassing.

veronese68

menthel wrote:

I will have a google for the vid later- sounds similar to the installation instructions that come with but I have been tightening one bolt fully each time. That may cause some of the trouble.

Tightening the bolts fully can put pressure on the caliper pulling it out of line. Go gradually from one to the other, 1/4 turn at a time as you nip it up.
I think there was also an additional video from Volagi with a bit more information as well as the original.

menthel

Veronese68 wrote:

menthel wrote:

I will have a google for the vid later- sounds similar to the installation instructions that come with but I have been tightening one bolt fully each time. That may cause some of the trouble.

Tightening the bolts fully can put pressure on the caliper pulling it out of line. Go gradually from one to the other, 1/4 turn at a time as you nip it up.
I think there was also an additional video from Volagi with a bit more information as well as the original.

Thanks, I will have a look at them later.