# Best brake levers for mechanical discs?



## rckhopper87 (Jan 25, 2008)

I recently got new brake levers for my mechanical brakes and am not so sure of the performance of them. They are hayes that are all black except the lever is silver. Other than that I can't seem to find any names on them or anything. I have adjusted the brakes a couple times and played with the barrel adjusters but I feel like the brakes still feel a little spongy. I was originally going to go with the speed dial 7's but my LBS told me they were for v brakes only. I also found the FR-5's but am not sure of the performance either. Anyone know which brake levers I'm using or have any awsome recommendations for me? Thanks


----------



## FlatFender (Aug 28, 2006)

speed dial 7


----------



## markf (Jan 17, 2007)

i heartily agree. avid SD-7


----------



## nspace (May 25, 2006)

I really liked the speed dial 7's I used with my BB7, felt really nice. Although I never rode my own bike with them, my friend used some XTR levers on his and they felt even nicer, they sort of stiffened up as they got towards the bar. For the price though you can't be the SD7's.


----------



## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Avoid the FR-5 levers only because they have not leverage adjustment. Any of Avid's Speed Dial brakes (including the Ultimates) are great. I'd also be curious to try Shimano's newest XT levers.


----------



## crisillo (Jul 3, 2004)

Speedub.Nate said:


> Avoid the FR-5 levers only because they have not leverage adjustment. Any of Avid's Speed Dial brakes (including the Ultimates) are great. I'd also be curious to try Shimano's newest XT levers.


ditto! :thumbsup:


----------



## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I have FR-5 levers on one bike (discs) but I do not really like the shape of the levers: too square. The Shimano levers that I have on a couple of other bikes feel nicer to my fingers.


----------



## Manmountain Dense (Feb 28, 2007)

I run XTR V-brake levers with cable discs on two bikes, and they work flawlessly. Generally I hate Shimano, but these levers are solid, light, and reliable. One pair is from 98, the other is from 2007, both work great.


----------



## GRAVELBIKE (Oct 7, 2006)

The Avid levers with the Speed-Dial feature work best, IME. I've tried XTRs, but I don't like the initial "jump" when you first pull the lever (if you have the leverage dialed all the way in). I've set up a couple of bikes with Speed-Dial Ti levers from eBay, and they worked great. Recently I tried a pair of Avid Ultimate levers (another eBay find), and they feel _slightly_ better (could be the shape of the blade, though).


----------



## wadester (Sep 28, 2005)

rckhopper87 said:


> I was originally going to go with the speed dial 7's but my LBS told me they were for v brakes only.


What no one has actually said is that mechanical disc brakes use V-brake levers, or rather that they require a similar cable pull/leverage.

Speed Dials are great levers, and the adjustability is icing on the cake.

If your brakes feel spongy, you might look at your cables - make sure there is no movement as you put pressure on the lever. Routing needs to right. You may also want to consider the Avid Flack Jacket or Full Metal Jacket cable/housing systems which have less flex to them. Or are you saying that the lever assembly itself flexes?

Final comment: for a good solid lever with some color, try DangerBoy BMX levers


----------



## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

has anyone used the dangerboy bling levers for mech. discs?

i've always used Avid SD-7 and loved them.


----------



## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

ferday said:


> has anyone used the dangerboy bling levers for mech. discs?


I'm gonna bet that's what wadster's got going on, because his fork's brake bosses certainly look empty.


----------



## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

rckhopper87 said:


> I was originally going to go with the speed dial 7's but my LBS told me they were for v brakes only.


Every mech brake I've seen uses the same levers as v-brakes. Maybe Hayes is different, but I don't think they are. Either way, that was a really stupid thing for them to tell you. SD 7's and BB7 discs are made to work with each other.

Chances are, if your braking feels spongy it is not the levers, but the cables/housing.


----------



## willtsmith_nwi (Jan 1, 1970)

wadester said:


> What no one has actually said is that mechanical disc brakes use V-brake levers, or rather that they require a similar cable pull/leverage.
> 
> Speed Dials are great levers, and the adjustability is icing on the cake.


I'm very fond of my SD-7s. I'm fascinated with Shimano's servo wave concept? How can I tell which of their lever's have this feature.

BTW, are those bars from ENO? Where can I get them?


----------



## cdburch (Apr 25, 2007)

were the hayes levers more expensive than the avids? if so my advice is to never go back to that shop again. i've been running speed dial sl 2.0s with my 185mm bb7s for a year now and its perfection.


----------



## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

I'm running Avid Ultimate with my BB7 disks. Pretty much same as Speed Dial 7 but a little Guccier .


----------



## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

willtsmith_nwi said:


> I'm very fond of my SD-7s. I'm fascinated with Shimano's servo wave concept? How can I tell which of their lever's have this feature.
> 
> BTW, are those bars from ENO? Where can I get them?


Is "servo wave" the feature where the rate of the cable movement changes as you squeeze the lever? If so, I have a set of XT levers with that feature. It's a great idea in concept to have the cable travel farther (less leverage) when the pad is far from the rotor/rim and travel less far (more leverage) when the pad is close to, or contacting, the rotor/rim. Unfortunately, the execution is not all that great, at least on mine. Worked fine for a while, but as the cam and roller got worn it became pretty clunky. My LX levers are several years older and without this feature. At this point they feel much better than the XT's.


----------



## Lefty'sLefty (Mar 17, 2006)

*2008 Xt*

I'm running 2008 XT levers with BB7's on my tandem. really like'm


----------



## wadester (Sep 28, 2005)

willtsmith_nwi said:


> BTW, are those bars from ENO? Where can I get them?


The bar is an Echo trials bulge bar - 6 colors and 29" wiiiiiide. Get em here:
http://www.webcyclery.com/product.php?productid=16642&cat=416&page=1

Oh, and I am indeed running BB7 mechanical discs.


----------



## willtsmith_nwi (Jan 1, 1970)

wadester said:


> The bar is an Echo trials bulge bar - 6 colors and 29" wiiiiiide. Get em here:
> https://www.webcyclery.com/product.php?productid=16642&cat=416&page=1
> 
> Oh, and I am indeed running BB7 mechanical discs.


I'm running 28" Azonic strip bar (31.8). Unfortunately, they tapered the bar and it causes some probelems fitting everything I'd like: Grip Shifts, brake levers lock-on grips and bar ends. Something a bit wider would help.

I did note there green would be a perfect match for 9er Kermit Green frames.


----------



## GRAVELBIKE (Oct 7, 2006)

Show and tell:


----------



## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

HAs anyone tried Cane Creek Direct Curve levers?

I like the look and they seem simple enough for my brain to cope with ...


----------

