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Avid Juicy 7's

ThePriceSeliger

Mushhead
Mar 31, 2004
4,860
0
Denver, Colorado
Well I'm pretty tired of my Hayes with NO modulation, and I have herd alot of good things about these brakes, and was wondering about them.

Are they easy to bled and set-up?
Are they easy to maintain?

Thanks

P.S. My bike will be ALL SRAM if I get these.

P.P.S. This thread is open to all SPAM
 

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
I like mine. They have a nice light lever feel which means my hands don't get as tired and I can always 1 finger brake.
They are super easy to setup. Easier than hayes.
I haven't had to do any maintenance on mine yet.
 

intensified

Monkey
Mar 31, 2004
519
6
Canton,Ma
I just got 7's.. They have a lever adjustment the 5's don't. they came bled and ready to go. the price was $159 at supergo. I am using them at mt snow for the first time this weekend.... I did a search before buying ,,and decided the avids were the way to go for the $. There was a lot of hope fans that made a good and bad argument , but 260 bucks for one brake was to much for me.
I only used hayes in the past and they seemed good,but my rear lever was never where I wanted it to be, so the adjustment knob on avid's was a big plus for me.
 

Mutilatedjak

Chimp
Nov 25, 2004
25
0
as far as bleeding, they seem almost equivelent to hayes, in the amount of effort. You will need 2 syringes, and the bleed kit that my shop recieved only contained one. Everyone was raving how they are so easy to bleed, I mean they arnt hard, but its not that freakin awesome compared to hayes. Ive bleed a lot of hayes, and a few juicies, so I am no expert, but i do have some experience, im just puttin my 2 cents in
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
I got in a set to try, and man, they are pheonominal. Avid just rocks the house. When they do something, they don't bugger around...


The Avid's have excellent power, and even after being dragged all over the hill by my hack ass, they wouldn't fade, and the power stayed consistant. The levers have a brilliant feel to them too, your fingers just fall into place so naturally. Really an excellent brake all around.
 

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
If you have the bleed kit they are extremely simple to bleed - easiest brakes I've ever had to bleed. But then again all I've used before Avids are Hopes. But I really recommend getting the bleed kit...

I've been on Hope brakes for as long as I can remember. I’ve also been the most reluctant to change, since I’ve never had any problems with my Hopes – but I still decided to give them a try. These are first Non-Hope disc brakes I have ever owned - and they are pretty darn nice!!! So nice in fact that I upgraded all my bikes to Juicy’s!!

In short I love them - the 160's that I have on my trail bike are superb. Plenty of power for their size! I run the 203's on my DH bike, and I’m still trying to adjust to their brute power.

Don’t get my wrong, Hope’s are fantastic brakes. But I’ve NEVER been able to bleed them to the point that they would feel as crisp as the Juicy’s. Plus the Juicy’s are so damn easy to bleed (with the bleed kit) it’s almost fool proof. Honestly the crappiest bleed on the Juicy’s feel better than the best Hope bleed.

Another thing I like about the Juicy’s is that they are easy to center/mount. No shims and no special caliper halfs are required.

I’m not done, another thing I'm pretty anal about it the feel of the levers - one reason I like Hope's is that the lever feels perfect to me - well the Avid's feel as good, if not better.

my $0.02 worth..

==============================================================

Bleeding instructions for those interested:
** first, make sure you have spare compression fittings and hosebarbs BEFORE cutting any line.
** Cut lines at the lever, not the caliper

Bleeding:
- Fill one bleed syringe 1/2 full with Fluid. Then de-gas (get air bubbles out) the fluid by clamping the syringe off and pulling a vacuum. As you do this, you’ll see gas bubbles float to the top. Make sure you’re holding the syringe upright. Pull and release the plunger until no more gas bubbles appear. Un-clamp, remove any excess air, then re-clamp this syringe. Leave the other syringe empty and unclamped.

- Attach ½ full syringe to caliper

- loosen lever clamp – just enough to rotate, but not too much so it moves freely.

- position lever parallel to the ground

- attach empty syringe to lever

- position lever at 45 degree

- **Might have to open the lower syringe before doing this** Pull the brake lever completely to the bar and secure with a large rubber band.

- Draw a vacuum at the caliper. i.e. slowly and gently pull the plunger on the caliper syringe to draw a vacuum. Continue to draw a vacuum until no more air bubbles appear in the fluid.

- When no more air bubbles, close the lower syringe.

- release the lever (take rubber band off)

- Force fluid through the system by holding the lever syringe upright, release the clamp on the
caliper syringe and force fluid through the system into the lever syringe. Do this until the lever syringe is approximately 1/4 full, then re-clamp the caliper syringe.

- with both syringes closed, remove the caliper one and re-install the bleed plug

- Keep the top syringe upright, open it up and SLOWLY squeeze the brake lever halfway to the bar and release 5 or 6 times. This will displace any air bubbles within the master
cylinder into the master cylinder reservoir. If your bleed is right, it should be pretty crisp. You can also do the vacuum thing to make sure all the bubbles are out – but again be carful. While doing this step, you might want to also vary the position of the lever so to move all the bubbles out.

- Position lever parallel to the ground

- close and remove syringe

- top our the bleed hole and close.

- you are done.
 

Tom DH

Monkey
Apr 24, 2003
144
0
UK
I have just swapped a set of Juicy 7’s and a set of Juicy 5’s for 2 pairs of my hope brakes.
I defiantly had the better end of the deal and if I had to buy another set I would probably just go for the 5’s the 7’s are nice but the 5’s work just as well.
 

WheelieMan

Monkey
Feb 6, 2003
937
0
kol-uh-RAD-oh
Get the Juicy 5s. I love everything about mine. The lever feel is amazing, you don't feel as if your finger is constantly slipping off the lever like Hayes. Plus they are super easy to setup, adjust, and they have a banjo fitting which can come in handy for unusual routing.
 

oly

skin cooker for the hive
Dec 6, 2001
5,118
6
Witness relocation housing
I must be the only one who uses the red dial. If I'm riding mellower trails its easier on my hands to dial in... and when full power is needed, I dial them out.

Avids are so easy to bleed. Just get a kit, and do like Acadian says.
 

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
oly said:
I must be the only one who uses the red dial. If I'm riding mellower trails its easier on my hands to dial in... and when full power is needed, I dial them out.

Avids are so easy to bleed. Just get a kit, and do like Acadian says.
I also use the red dial...so you're not the only one.
 

Daver

Monkey
Jun 1, 2005
390
0
Shiddeny
I'm right there with you Acadian. I was a hope fanboy until i ran the new mono caliper ones (6Ti's) and that put me off hopes (I loved my old e4s and M4s). I ran Hayes for a bit and they were great, but i had the opportunity to get some Juicy 7s for cheap, and they are awesome already, and they're only 4 rides old (if they got much better i'd be scared).

I liked them so much i'm now running them on all my bikes...
 

thaflyinfatman

Turbo Monkey
Jul 20, 2002
1,577
0
Victoria
I have the 5s. Best brakes I've ever used, bar none. Power is sweet, lever feel is soft enough that you don't get tired but firm enough that they don't feel like they need a bleed, lever shape is PERFECT, and they BITE. Infreakincredible brakes.
 

bballe336

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2005
1,757
0
MA
how do hayes have no modulation? mine modulate just fine no complaints here. i would like to try a set of avids with all of these great reviews though.
 

thaflyinfatman

Turbo Monkey
Jul 20, 2002
1,577
0
Victoria
bballe336 said:
how do hayes have no modulation? mine modulate just fine no complaints here. i would like to try a set of avids with all of these great reviews though.
Unfortunately people often confuse "modulation" (meaning ease of control of power) with "lever squish". For example, Hayes have a pretty firm lever feel, so people say they have "no modulation" when what they really mean is "firm lever feel". Hopes have a squishy lever feel, so people say they have "lots of modulation" when really they mean "squishy lever feel".

The thing is, when people ride Hayes etc and find that surprise surprise, they CAN easily control the power, they get confused about what "modulation" actually is :)
 

Curb Hucker

I am an idiot
Feb 4, 2004
3,661
0
Sleeping in my Kenworth
If you have the bleed kit they are extremely simple to bleed - easiest brakes I've ever had to bleed. But then again all I've used before Avids are Hopes. But I really recommend getting the bleed kit...

I've been on Hope brakes for as long as I can remember. I’ve also been the most reluctant to change, since I’ve never had any problems with my Hopes – but I still decided to give them a try. These are first Non-Hope disc brakes I have ever owned - and they are pretty darn nice!!! So nice in fact that I upgraded all my bikes to Juicy’s!!

In short I love them - the 160's that I have on my trail bike are superb. Plenty of power for their size! I run the 203's on my DH bike, and I’m still trying to adjust to their brute power.

Don’t get my wrong, Hope’s are fantastic brakes. But I’ve NEVER been able to bleed them to the point that they would feel as crisp as the Juicy’s. Plus the Juicy’s are so damn easy to bleed (with the bleed kit) it’s almost fool proof. Honestly the crappiest bleed on the Juicy’s feel better than the best Hope bleed.

Another thing I like about the Juicy’s is that they are easy to center/mount. No shims and no special caliper halfs are required.

I’m not done, another thing I'm pretty anal about it the feel of the levers - one reason I like Hope's is that the lever feels perfect to me - well the Avid's feel as good, if not better.
 

quickneonrt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2003
1,611
0
Staten Island NY
only difference is the levers......I had hayes on all of my bikes, then i tried the 7's on my dh and I love them night and day difference. I also always use the red dial, if you are afraid of breaking them just switch them to the bottom of the lever, they come off with a c-clip. But at $200 a set forr the 5's you can't go wrong I will be ordering aset for my xc bike later today.
 

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
Curb Hucker said:
If you have the bleed kit they are extremely simple to bleed - easiest brakes I've ever had to bleed. But then again all I've used before Avids are Hopes. But I really recommend getting the bleed kit...

I've been on Hope brakes for as long as I can remember. I’ve also been the most reluctant to change, since I’ve never had any problems with my Hopes – but I still decided to give them a try. These are first Non-Hope disc brakes I have ever owned - and they are pretty darn nice!!! So nice in fact that I upgraded all my bikes to Juicy’s!!

In short I love them - the 160's that I have on my trail bike are superb. Plenty of power for their size! I run the 203's on my DH bike, and I’m still trying to adjust to their brute power.

Don’t get my wrong, Hope’s are fantastic brakes. But I’ve NEVER been able to bleed them to the point that they would feel as crisp as the Juicy’s. Plus the Juicy’s are so damn easy to bleed (with the bleed kit) it’s almost fool proof. Honestly the crappiest bleed on the Juicy’s feel better than the best Hope bleed.

Another thing I like about the Juicy’s is that they are easy to center/mount. No shims and no special caliper halfs are required.

I’m not done, another thing I'm pretty anal about it the feel of the levers - one reason I like Hope's is that the lever feels perfect to me - well the Avid's feel as good, if not better.

??? did you just copy and paste my post?