Anyone know anything about disc brakes?

Top of the class!

I only mentioned it as when "Vernier" is used, people tend to be referring to the later (regardless of the scale used).

If I've underestimated the poster, I'll be the first to apologise. :0

Advice on speccing mechanical brakes for my tandem, please. Contenders are BB7 Mountain and Spykes.

• BB7 cons: single pad travel makes it harder to get rid of disc rub, old plastic body could melt
  
• BB7 pros: super easy to adjust cable tightness (pad travel), new metal body doesn't melt
  
• Spyke cons: adjustment screw comes lose, risking brake fade or kaputt
  
• Spyke pros: dual pad travel, more modern (and theoretically evolved) concept
  
  

I don't know how braking power compares between the two. From what I read around, it's compatible. The Spykes seem to be a better option (more recent, more expensive, dual pivot), but the adjustment screw issue makes it tough to trust.

Am I worrying for nothing? Alternatively, could I install an inline barrel on the cable itself, and use that to adjust pad travel? I could then loctite the shit out of the adjustment screw and never touch it again.

Alternatively, could I install an inline barrel on the cable itself, and use that to adjust pad travel?

Don't do this. Unless it's a cyclocross racing tandem used in sandy conditions.

@BareNecessities has MTB experience of the Spykes

Tandem: got a third drum brake on it?

The ease of adjustment on BB7s is important because you’ll forever be adjusting the bastard things so they keep working.

I had Spyres, used them happily for over a year and was impressed with their reliability and braking performance and this is the first time I’ve heard of the adjustment screw issue.

I use Spykes and Spyres and dont think adjusting them is tricky.

@ough apparently there's an issue with the original design something to do with the "pistons" coming out when the pads were too worn.

this is the first time I’ve heard of the adjustment screw issue.

There was a damning review in the previous Bicycle Quarterly, and you can find similar experiences online, as you can see on the comments here:

http://smutpedaller.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/trp-spyre-disc-brake-long-term-review.html

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The only issue I've had with my Spykes over the past two years was the original pads disintegrating rapidly. Nothing coming loose; even when I used them on a mountain bike at Bike Park Wales ( when I weighed 113kg ). If I decided to build up a more trail/enduro/DH type bike, then I'd go for the most massive hydros I could find, just for stupid amounts of power.

I quite like the fact that mechanical brakes need some regular adjustment, as it forces you to notice how much brake pad material you have left. Something that's quite important on the "what maintenance?" bikes I use them on.

Somehow managed to migrate a bubble from the top of the shifter into the hose / caliper. Braking force has disappeared. R8070

Bleed ports are buggered on shifters so can't open them up and am currently awaiting new shifters under warranty. Anything I can do to try to either get the bubble up to the top or out by only using the bleed port on the caliper?

@motoko would turning the bike upside down work?

Am I worrying for nothing? Alternatively, could I install an inline barrel on the cable itself, and use that to adjust pad travel?

Don't do this anyway, spyres and spykes have a barrel adjuster on the brake, but it's just to remove cable slack, they've got individual pad adjusters, like the bb7s, and like the bb7s the actuation arm should return fully and pad wear should be compensated for with the pad adjusters.

Quite possibly,

Could have been what got the bubble into the hose / caliper.

That would have the opposite effect. Air rises to the top...

Just adding another voice to the "haven't had the adjustment screw issue" with Spyres.

Also read that smutpeddaler review and was worried about it but haven't had a problem on mine or my partners bikes, both of which have been used and abused.

Perhaps they changed the design...

Stick the bleed block in then repeatedly depress the leaver to the bar in an attempt to burp the bubble back up to the reservoir. Will work better with everything off the bike and the leaver directly above the calliper with a straight run.

Failing that using a syringe you could force fluid in to the calliper in the hope that it takes the bubble/s with it. up towards the reservoir.

Cool.

Could try that.

Thoughts on inverting the bike and attaching a syringe with some fluid in it and trying to burp it out there?

Internally routed so getting hose straight will be tricky.

@Brookly_Bay
@BareNecessities
@TheShipwright
@snottyotter
@Andy
@Howard

Thanks for the comments, good to know firsthand experiences

Thoughts on inverting the bike and attaching a syringe with some fluid in it and trying to burp it out there?

You'd need the calliper bleed nipple to be the highest point in the system. If you let the pistons come out a bit you could then use them to try and force the calliper fluid - and maybe the bubble/s - out in to the syringe by pushing them in to the calliper. You'd need to rubber band the levers down first to isolate the reservoir .

But yeah what a faff

@howard
"Bleed ports are buggered on shifters"
I thought by turning it upside down the trapped air would be forced (possibly slowly) towards the calipers allowing trapped air to be released there. However thinking about it I guess the valves on the calipers are designed to be bled the right way up.

Yes you'd need something (more fluid or decreasing volume) to persuade the air to leave, as above.

The adjusters on my secondhand spyres were fine until I finally got round to stripping them down and cleaning them, then they unwound all the time. I would restrip and add some threadlock in the right place but I put some juintech R1s on the other week, they're really good.

In the off chance that someone googles can you fit Juin Tech R1 brakes to a CAADX and get the 160mm rotor on the rear.. then the answer is yes, just.

Infinitely better than the stock Promax Renders that I would rather burn than give away.

Asks about BB7 and Spyre
Buys Paul Klampers

Im sure this has been asked before but , what is the general consensus on the best alternative (read cheaper and not shit) to Shimano J04c pads for use with SLX calipers ?

Nice to try something different :)