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BB7s are awful, needed constant adjustments to keep working and even then don’t stop well.
Perhaps your BB7s are like that but my experience is almost the opposite.
Once you have the technique sorted they are pretty easy to set up, easy to adjust when it’s needed - or wanted, it’s nice to be able to dial the pads in/out using the red knobs to adjust lever feel/rotor clearance. This is a feature that a lot of hydros don’t have - and are plenty powerful enough to over come the grip on 26 x 2.8 knobblies.
I will admit that I have owned one BB7 caliper that was horrendous. It came from eBay, arrived sans packaging and even replacing the pads didn’t help. I figured it was a fake. Looked real good, just didn’t work. I’ve probably owned 6-8 others that have all worked real nice.
Oh, I have noticed that often the tab on the outboard pad (nearest the IS adapter if you run one) hits the adapter and thus, the pad can’t sit flat in the caliper. I have taken to trimming the tab off and just grab the stump that’s left with pliers to remove it.
Of cables discs, only Spyres are okay, but the modulation of hydro discs is far superior in my experience. BB7s are awful, needed constant adjustments to keep working and even then don’t stop well.
I’d go hydro every time.