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Submitted by
fisher_rider05
a Cross Country Rider
from Welaka, Florida, USA
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Santos | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | powerful brakiing | | Weaknesses: | heavy | | Similar Products Used: | tektro | | Bike Setup: | gary fisher hardtail w/ sram drivetrain and downhill components | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are strong and smooth. Adding the rim wrangle pads puts these on par with the sd 7s. These were a major upgrade from the tektro brakes. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from JC, MO
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Landahl | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | does the job, if just barely | | Weaknesses: | wears down on your rims... just like all v-brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano, other avids | | Bike Setup: | SS rigid Surly KM, bontrager cockpit, race-lite rims, avid SD 5 | | Bottom Line: | I have to admit these brakes worked well in the learning phase of my riding, but now that I'm into intermediate and very hard trails, I am starting to ride alot more aggressively and these can barely slow me down to corner on quick switchbacks. Overall a good brake, it just seems like sooner or later, as an aggressive rider, you are just gonna have to make the leap to disc brakes. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zeke
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Outstanding value, great stopping power, easy to adjust. | | Weaknesses: | Didn't come with Kool Stop pads, easily corrected. | | Similar Products Used: | Dia Compe crap that came stock with bike. | | Bike Setup: | '99 Specialized Rockhopper. | | Bottom Line: | These perform great for the price I paid, $50 for front and rear brakes and Speed Dial 5 levers. It's one of the best upgrades I've made for my old bike. Stopping power was incredible when I first put them on and they only got better when I replaced the pads with Kool Stop V type replacements. The bike stops on a dime even in wet conditions.
I highly recommend these for anyone looking for a cheap and highly effective upgrade for their bikes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Plainwell Michigan
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Ft Custer Red Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Easy to install. Easy to set up. Easy to tune out any squeal (eliminate any pad toe in so the leading and trailing edge hit at the same time, or even let the leading edge touch first) With koolstops, they stop as well as discs with better modulation. Great price compared to discs. | | Weaknesses: | Not as trendy cool as discs. Scratchy noisy when wet, but still stop plenty well. Hard to find a modern frame to upgrade to that will take rim brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes Disc, Avid Juicy 5 - both a noisy mess with no ability to adjust the noise away. | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel | | Bottom Line: | Great for the person who isn't doing major downhill bomb runs or think the discs are a necessity, or just wants a simple brake system that gets the job done.
Discs were a nightmare for me. A noisy mess in the rear triangle. After trying a second brand of brake plus various pads, plus cleaning like crazy, plus replacement discs, plus insane bedding in tricks, plus hand modifying pads - all to no avail, I threw in the towel.
I am thrilled with these brakes. They stop great. They modulate well. And they are quiet. I did replace with koolstop mountain brake pads - a great combination.
Now, if only I can continue to avoid discs for the rest of my riding existence :)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Ok power would suggest disc brakes if you have the money | | Weaknesses: | Not nearly as powerful as disc brakes, rusts, locks up | | Bike Setup: | 06 Stumpy | | Bottom Line: | My LBS set up the V-brakes perfectly, but that was the only time they were good, and that was about a week. Then the brakes started to lock up and my sons cheap disc were way better than these.
Bottem Line: If you have the cash go for disc they are perfect for mud and anything really. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ramilcp
a Weekend Warrior
from Whittier
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | El Prieto | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Good stopping power, easy set-up, adjustable, lighter than discs. | | Weaknesses: | Weak modulation, not as light to operate or as powerful as discs. Not as strong in the wet. | | Similar Products Used: | Tektro Vs, Promax Vs, Shimano Vs. | | Bike Setup: | GT I-drive, Iron Horse hardtail, Fuji hardtail. | | Bottom Line: | I bought these as a set with Avid SD 5 levers. They are great for the beginner/intermediate cyclist: good stopping power, light weight, easy setup, and lots of adjustability. But as I got better and faster, I was reaching the limits of what these brakes could handle. And it takes a lot to stop a big guy like me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
A Jones
a Racer
from L'ville
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Duffield, Waverly, Otter Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | web | | Strengths: | They're Avid | | Weaknesses: | Springs are too weak, not enough strength to snap back after braking. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Single Digit 5s, 7s, Shim XT | | Bike Setup: | SS | | Bottom Line: | I love Avid Single Digits. I've even owned another set of Digit 5s (silver color, 2 years prior) that were awesome, but these seem to be much less than a superior product. I'm still going to buy a pair of 7s and give them a shot. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Don Valley | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | On Bike | | Strengths: | Braking Power, Adjustability. | | Weaknesses: | Squeal that took a week to diagnose, after different rims were installed. | | Similar Products Used: | XT V-brakes, Arch Rival 50. | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Coda with Ti Riser, Avid SD 5 Levers, XT Thumbies, Phil Wood BB, Ritchey Pro Rims, Kenda Supercross Tires, Terry Liberator Ti Comfort seat. | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are rock solid and easy to adjust! To save people some agony, here are some tips for getting them to stop squealing, (if they ever start). It took me a week of forum searching and talking to LBSs to finally cure a squeal, even in wet weather. It's rarely the fork, or posts, so don't waste your time with shims or washers. Most of the time, it is the rim, even if it looks clean, it's not. Clean it with rubbing alcohol, and you'll see. Tighten all bolts to the manufacturer's specs, usually 6 Nm will do the job for all brake related bolts. Clean the pads with sandpaper or file, and even rotate them left to right. Toe the shoes in if it makes you feel better. Done. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a
from Athens, Ohio
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Athens Bicycle (came on bike) | | Strengths: | Very strong stopping power, but if you pull too hard you can flip. | | Weaknesses: | Intractable queal!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | No-name v-brake on old dept. store bike... and it never made a sound! | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Ziggurat, stock except Rock Shox Duke fork. | | Bottom Line: | This brake is very strong, but alas the squeal completely spoils my enjoyment of the bike. It squeals so loud even when minimal pressure is applied - not even enough pressure to slow me down much. All efforts on my part and on that of the bike shop have failed to reduce or eliminate the noise. Toe-in, cleaning rims and sanding pad faces, changed to kool-stop pads... no effect. The ONLY thing that fixed squeal is when I greased the brake rims with chap stick (!!!), which although it made a mess, did not compromise stopping power, and it made the brakes totally silent. But that, to me, is extraordinary means, and is unreasonable. I will be replacing this brake as soon as I'm done with exams, that is over a week away, and I'm already fed up. Probably going to go for an old-fashioned, proven, cantilever type, ANYTHING but this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ron
a Cross Country Rider
from estonia
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | good braking power, nice looking, quality, price | | Weaknesses: | dont have cartridge type pad holders
| | Similar Products Used: | IKE comp | | Bike Setup: | Brake system: Avid SD5 with Ritchey Red pads + Deore BL-M510 levers | | Bottom Line: | best choice if buying a v-brake, very good price-quality proportion, but they weight too much if you are weight weenie :)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wim Urbanus
a Racer
from Culemborg, NL
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike2Build.nl | | Strengths: | Good braking, no screaming, not even in heavy rain, easy to balance (when properly maintained), good price for such quality, light weight. | | Weaknesses: | Steel parts get rusty after short time, some paint comes of due to slight corrosion of aluminium arms, rubber boot tears, noodle broke after 1 year. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Alivio (yak!!!!!) | | Bike Setup: | Gazelle Playa with all kind of components, XTR rear derailleur, XT front derailleur, FSA head set, Deore crankset, etc..... | | Bottom Line: | Really good brake performance, good value for money, but should be better resistant against mother nature, too much rust, corrosion, rubber overcoat and noodle that break after a short time. Noodle should be made completely of stainless steel, not partly aluminium. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alexis Contreras
a Cross Country Rider
from Florida
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Planet Bike | | Strengths: | ecxellent: design, braking power ,they even sound great | | Weaknesses: | Color, and bolts they get rusty, but like if i care , i took my shimano xt's bolts ,theyre black and really cool | | Similar Products Used: | shimano xt ,tektro | | Bottom Line: | excellent brakes , you will be really happy , i you get this brakes, theyre the same Avid's (Single Digit 7) only a few grams heavier and the color.
Avid ,,, Way to go!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nitish Nag
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont, CA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Super power for rim brakes (if set up properly). Lighter than Shimano. Cheap. Never breaks, Easy to service...what more could i say? | | Weaknesses: | WEll....... | | Similar Products Used: | Shiamno XTR discs, Deore brakes, Deore LX, Tektro | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Santa Cruz Blur, 04 XTR, 5th Element Air, Easton Carbon Cockpit, Thompson Stem, Python Air Lights, Mavic 317's, Eggbeater SS, Stans NoTubes. | | Bottom Line: | This is the best rim brake on the planet in terms of value oriented performance products. GET THIS if you like to have nice brakes but dont got an obese wallet. Ive used these for 2 solid years and they are going strong as ever. Dont fade that easy to. Way to go AVID! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stu
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego at the Beach
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Rose Cyn | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Mtn Bikewarehouse | | Strengths: | Brakes work great Have had no trouble stopping at all and haven't had to white knuckle them at all They do the job | | Weaknesses: | The steel. It rusts Shame on Santa Cruz for saving a few nickels The rust is apparent and ruins the look of a very fine machine. Shame on Avid too | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight | | Bottom Line: | The brakes do the job which I guess is the true bottom line. they work. They came with a bike which cost a lot. The rust makes it look cheap. I will upgrade just to go a little lighter and get rid of the rust and I will investigate the steel used to avoid the RUST. If you live in the desert or the Mtns maybe the rust wouldn't happen, but at the beach even quality stainless steel rusts. Only 4 chills for these guys and that might be high | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave C
a Weekend Warrior
from Chch, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Great stopping, strong accurate spring return, value for money. | | Weaknesses: | rubber noodle cracks. Not the lightest if that matters to you | | Similar Products Used: | lx, tektro, diacompe | | Bike Setup: | titanium\carbon training wheels and the smurf bell are the highlights of my hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Matched up with fibrax cartridge pads and SD levers, these are faultless v brakes for a great price. Very similar to the SD7 with a bit of extra weight.
Simple design built with materials that do not immediatly flex and create wobbly brake housing.
May change view after a year of use as I have only used them for a couple of months but in my opinion (a cheap student one) the SD 5's are not only the best value around but the best quality.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Grant
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Sport Swap | | Strengths: | Hmmmm... nice colour? Don't Squeal? | | Weaknesses: | -Don't stop that well
-Rubber noodle cracks | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8500 (hardtail) with Shimano XT levers | | Bottom Line: | These brakes came stock on my 8500. I don't know what they doing on a $2300 bike. Anyway, I had a set of XT's on my old (heavy) CrMo ride. Stopped it on a dime (and squealed alot, but that means they're working!).
Even with a great, light, Al frame, the Avids perform significantly worse. Riding the same trails as with my old bike, I notice an obvious reduction in braking power.
Plus, that stupid rubber thing has cracked, twice, even after getting a new one from my bike shop.
After a year of riding with these brakes, I think I'll upgrade to a decent set this season.
Bottom line: If you don't need the power and money is tight, buy 'em. But if you're willing to fork out a day's earnings for a decent set of brakes, don't look at these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
næstep
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area, California
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | $39 w/levers @ Supergo | | Strengths: | Solid action, good return, quiet operators | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | XT V's; Cane Creek DC-2; Avid Arch Rival, SD Ti, and Disc | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | What can I say? Great, no-nonsense brake with no slop, little squeel, and no set-up fuss. These brakes are every bit as good as the more expensive Single Digit TI's I used on another bike, even though the TI comes with Rim Wrangler cartridge pads and these have normal pads.
I get a moment of squeel every now and then on wet rides, but nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that doesn't go away almost immediately.
Because the slightly heavier weight (over the SD-7, SD Mag & SD Ti) and non-cartridge pads have no operational impact, and at a price that can't be beat, I've got to give these brakes a 5 chili rating in both departments. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Edick
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | "The Ridge", Victor Falls | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | *barkes came with bike* | | Strengths: | Very good stopping power. Very simple and effective design. Easy to adjust, and put new pads on. | | Weaknesses: | I havent found any weaknesses really. Aint great in mud, but what breaks are besides discs? | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | Prototype K2 ZED Team. (only one like it) Noleen Mega Air front shock, Panaracer Fire XC Pro, few costomizations... | | Bottom Line: | Great breaks, exelent value. These breaks have never let me down, so i completely recomend them. But, if your looking for the best breaks on the maket, i wouldnt necisarilly recomend these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from GA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | the free ones | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | strong, excelent fell, powerfull, don't sqeek once broken in, look good. | | Weaknesses: | not lienerpull, don't stop very well in snow(I live in Georgia like that matters other than 1 day every two years). | | Similar Products Used: | any avid v brake | | Bike Setup: | =Kona stuff | | Bottom Line: | buy these brakes if you want a cheap excelent working brake system. Don't buy them if you can get disk. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tom james
a Downhiller
from kingston washington
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | rut of doom; thors udnies; washington | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | good, simple pivot construction. strong pad braces. highly functional cable noodle. | | Weaknesses: | forged. should be cnc, bu8t what do ya expect from the middle of the line. | | Similar Products Used: | ummm.. there are others? | | Bike Setup: | santa cruz chameleon. nuff said | | Bottom Line: | These brakes are great, if you got the bones go for the 7's though. heres the deal, these brakes provide the best braking power of any brakes i have used yet, even better than the shimano xt's, you may want discs, and for the front end, so do i (go avid mechanical, they are better than most hydraulics), but they reeally arent needed, not with avids and koolstop pads, anyway. if you want to brake in the wet wet wet winters of washington you need nearly give the barrel adjustes two-three turns and squueze hard. it will thrioqw you over the bars jus as good as dics, just for less money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Manassas, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | fountainhead | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Performance Bikes | | Strengths: | great stopping power, dont squeak | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Bike Setup: | stock 2001 Giant xtc se 2 | | Bottom Line: | The breaks came w/ the bike. I dont even have to go that fast and if I slam on the front break, I can indo (which isn't cool when I'm clipped in). I wuz looking at bikes w/ discs, but I"m happy w/ what I have. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Valley of the Five | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$27.00 | | Purchased At: | United Cycle | | Strengths: | Very stiff and lots of stopping power once you get them dialed in! | | Weaknesses: | None so far, but i have only had them a few weeks. | | Similar Products Used: | Avid Single Digit 10, Shimano LX/XT V brakes | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Kona Cinder Cone | | Bottom Line: | Very good brakes at a great price. If your not looking to spend a lot of money but still want great performance then these would be a good choice. Simple design means less time adjusting your brakes and more time out there riding!
So far they have been great and have worked much better then a lot of the more expensive Brakes that i have tried. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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