BB7s for BB5. easy fit?

pbassred
pbassred Posts: 208
edited March 2017 in MTB workshop & tech
I don't have a problem with the Tectro Mechanical disks on my Trek, but the BB5s on my Boardman CX team are disappointingly juddery. (The new model has hydraulic disks). I bought the bike used but It hadn't been ridden much and just had it serviced, so I guess its normal for BB5s. I don't want to rip it all apart and fit a different brand or go hydraulic. I want a simple life!
Are the BB7calipers a straight swap? i.e. will the the mounting bolts line up? Would I need to change the disk as well?
I'm not after a huge jump in performance. Just performING would be nice!

Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Juddering is nothing to do with the BB5 and a lot to do with the install, fix the route cause nit change a part that may have no effect.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    Just go for entry level shimano hydraulics, they'll be compatible with the discs and the mounting points and you'll never look back!
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • pbassred
    pbassred Posts: 208
    Ok, thank for your post but you ignored the thread. 1/I don't want hydralic. 2/ I just had them checked and they are how they are.
    The answer to a thread about how do I do something is not:- "do something else".
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    Sorry, I do appreciate that. But it's fair to challenge why you don't want hydraulic as I've switched from BB5 to the cheap hydraulic shimano and it was both cheaper and easier to implement than buying new callipers and persisting with what I found to be difficult to manage cable operated disc brakes. I would strongly recommend looking into that before going ahead with just changing callipers.
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    CX bike will need road brakes as it has drop bars, so not quite as asimple or cheap.
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  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    Aha, missed the CX nature of the bike, that'll teach me to jump in!

    @pbassred - apologies for thread hijacking, your approach of just swapping calipers seems much more sensible now that I've been made to read your OP properly!

    Having said that, there's no reason why BB5 brakes shouldn't work, simply buying new calipers won't necessarily solve the problem you've got (as Rookie says). I had BB5 on my son's MTB and they were a pain to get consistently working well, but in the hunt for solutions I did come across plenty of people singing their praises too.
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • compuwiz_uk
    compuwiz_uk Posts: 139
    as mentioned above, i doubt the BB5s will be the route cause of your trouble ( although could be wrong )

    i say this as a 2014 boardman CX team owner that still has the BB5s on & working without any sign of troubles you describe ( well last time it was ridden anywhoo - alas the road & CX side of my stable have taken a backseat while i get some miles on the new additions on the MTB side :D )

    personally before going new caliper route i would try & see if the cause is something else like the rotor itself being slightly warped/bent/out of true ( BB5's only operate 1 pad & not both so a warp towards the moving pad could cause the feeling your getting etc.

    i had to straighten out a front disk on my latest MTB purchase - no juddering when braking on the 1.3 mile journey home but a very annoying rubbing noise per rotation ( shimano hydro brakes but straight out the box it had a bent rotor - i watched it get unpacked & built so nothing damaged by the shop & box undamaged so thats how it went into the box )

    also give the discs a dammmmed good clean with IPA or other such cleaner that wont leave behind a residue etc ( IPA worked a treat when i got some muc-off bike spray over my full suss brakes during a windy day cleaning after a ride )

    also could be worth giving the pads a bit of a sanding & re-bed them in after the disk clean - why not as its a freebie before spending dosh.

    also another thing i have found with the BB5's is that most bike shops cant ( or at least cant be arsed ) setting em up right - especially halfords if you dont get the staff working on your bike that know there thing - mine was built in a hurry when bought as they screwed up the paperwork & i rocked up to collect & it had not been built & was not on the build list at all so it got built by the manager & not the CX owning staffers & the brakes were OK but never felt right till the 6 week service was done by a chap who had a CX team himself at the time so was well up on the fiddly nature of BB5s & it was like another bike after that for a while ( till i tinkered when changing the pads lol - my god were they a swine to get back into the same feel as they were before but got there eventually )
  • pbassred
    pbassred Posts: 208
    Conclusion: I had forgotten all about this thread, so to cap it, I made the switch to BB7s. I won't say that its a night an day change but they don't sequel or judder and there is more stopping power. A few months in and they do everything I would want from a brake. I reckon it was the little round pads jumping about. These have rectangular pads with nearly twice the surface area. Easier to adjust too.
  • For improved braking on the cx remove the extra brake levers if you are not using them.
    Swap out teh brake outer for some compressionless housing