Hook up a brand-new set of Avid Speed Dial 7 Brake Levers to your linear-pull brakes and head for the mountain. Your old ones were bent all to hell, and the Speed Dial makes swapping as simple as possible. Reach adjust and a leverage adjustment let you customize the feel with precision.
Submitted by
HaxEJxuK
a Weekend Warrior
from Malvern, PA
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2012
Strengths: - Easy to set up even for a noob(I am)
- Smooth action
- Feels it has little more braking power
- Light for price
- Price is pretty cheap that most places sell it for $20
Weaknesses: - I expected too much from reading all the reviews.
Bottom Line:
Front brake of my stock brake which is BB5 felt it's not stopping fast enough or not as fast as it used to. I've tried many things to get improve/get stopping power back and read review about SD7 that it improves braking power. Before I spend lot more money on new brake, I decided to try this after reading many reviews.
This is great lever! It feels better, more adjustable than stock(of course) and it feels stopping power has been improved although it might not be. The reason I say about braking power is that when I was installing this, I had to loosen up everything and doing so got rid of any slack so it could just be that readjusting all the cables might have improved braking power.
Still, knowing everything I know about this lever now,I would still buy it again if I had to buy another lever. Not just based on little increased braking power(again, I can't say it for sure) but feel of it and adjustability along are good enough reason for me. Just don't read all other reviews and expect Oh this lever will stop me so fast I'll OTB. :)
If you want to improve modulation for mechanical brake or feel of it in general, get this lever! Great lever!
Similar Products Used: One that came with my bike.
Bike Setup: 2012 Hardrock Sport Disc 29, Time ATAC Alium Pedal, Phenom Comp Gel Saddle, Wellgo MG-1 and Speed Dial 7
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Submitted by
Too_Fast_46
a Weekend Warrior
from Grand Rapids, MI
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2011
Strengths: - Speed dial gives the perfect range of leverage
- Smooth action
- Built in return spring
- Surprisingly light
- Lever shape is just right
- Fair price
Weaknesses: None so far.
Bottom Line:
I was hesitant to buy these because I thought my stock levers worked just fine; man was I missing out. These levers with BB7's gives you the ability to adjust from full modulation to full lock-up. It is truly surprising how a few clicks on that magic red dial can change the feel of your brakes.
Strengths: Feel, look, adjustability, price and the weight is decent.
Weaknesses: Possible future bendage.
Bottom Line:
Love these. Super cheap in price only! These are superior to others due to the adjustable leverage. The build is great-no slop, attractive, textured handles. These appear to be shaved down dramaticly compared to my old SD 5's which means lighter weight but also less stout, which is fine for me cuz I'm not doing any hard-core trails and I use bar ends that help protect these from direct impact.
Bike Setup: old 92 RM Team Comp rigid for street/city.
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Submitted by
ProjectDan35
a Cross Country Rider
from Pascoag, Rhode Island. USA
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2010
Strengths: Great adjustability, look's great, easy to set up, works with many brakes, NOT just rim brakes!
Weaknesses: None!
Bottom Line:
Bottom line. They rock! I have them coupled with my BB5's and they work great. The little red knob is the wonder of it all, adjust your modulation, and how much power it takes to lock up the wheels. I personally nearly have the knob screwed out all the way, for tons of power. They looks great too, metallic charcoal!
Bike Setup: 2010 Rockhopper Comp, spesh captain sport tires, odi rogue grips with blue locks, carbon seatpost, sd 7 levers, sun ringle zuzu pedals, alligator serration rotors. etc.
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Submitted by
eggroller
a Weekend Warrior
from Bellevue, WA
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2010
Strengths: Quick adjustment for pad engagement (Speed Dial)
Excellent leverage
Lightweight
Solid construction
Replaceable lever
Inexpensive
Weaknesses: none, yet
Bottom Line:
These levers are the missing link for my BB7s. I had some 1997 Shimano XT combination lever/shifter on the bike before upgrading to these levers. Now that I have the Speed Dial 7 levers on the same brakes with the same old cables...wow. I would go so far to say that they feel better than all of the hydraulic systems I listed in the Similar Products section!
Buy these and get the BB7 adjusted correctly...you won't be disappointed!
Submitted by
BokorSolo
a Weekend Warrior
from Prince William, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2009
Strengths: Cheap, adjustable knob on lever is functional and looks cool, light weight enough.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
Great deal. Pair these with some BB7s or you favorite set of v-brakes and you got a super adjustable combination of braking awesomeness. If you still are kicking it with the mech brakes these are the best. They are a great deal, buy the SL version if you are big on saving weight. In my opinion (I own and use both) there is no difference between the two products. Best in house for value and performance for sure.
Submitted by
MTBng4fun
a Weekend Warrior
from orange couty, CA USA
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2008
Strengths: Great adjustability. Can adjust the reach and pull force. Lightweight.
Weaknesses: The "bend zone" is a bad design concept. I took a spill and found the lever was bent up. It is light weight, but the thin-walled body is not durable enough. While riding through the trails in the San Gabriel mtns., the rear brake started acting up. After the ride, examined the brake lever and found that it had smacked into something. The body split open where cable slit was. The barrel adjuster fell out. It is lightweight, but not durable at all.
Bottom Line:
The product did not last one month. All it took was one ride through some demanding singletrack to bend one lever and bust the housing on the other. I received some Cane Creek levers and upon examination, the housing wall is almost double the thickness. Awesome! It is heavier and doesn't have the "Speed dial" feature, but after using the Cane Creeks, who cares. 4 chillis for value. $25 for levers with features (beneficial or not) not found on other levers. 1 chilli for durability.
Strengths: -Great Feel -"Tunable" modulation -Improves stopping -Last year, hit a tree hard enough to spin the bar, crack the shifter, and crack a rib. The lever didn't break.
Weaknesses: -none that I can see
Bottom Line:
Bottom line: I had one of my bikes at the shop about a year ago. When handing the bike back to me, the mechanic said, "These are the best feeling disc brakes EVER. Not just the best feeling mechanical discs but, the best feeling discs, period! Everyone in the shop tried them and said the same thing." I think that says it all.
I let someone borrow one of my BB7 equipped bikes yesterday. When he returned the bike he said, "I have BB7's on my bike but they don't feel as good and stop as well as yours. Those levers are the best I've ever used. I'm getting rid of my Paul's."
Lastly, I put these on my kid's xc bike (she's 8). She can stop the bike with one finger.
This is a cheap way to improve an important part of your setup.
Similar Products Used: XT, XTR, Other Avids, Cane Creek (dc), Tektro
Bike Setup: I have 4 bikes with these levers- 2 with BB7's, 1 with Avid SD SL, 1 with XT
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Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Frances, Ontario
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2008
Strengths: Light, easy to adjust reach, compatible with both V-brakes and mechanical disc brakes
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
I used these with V-brakes all last season and they were noticeable stiffer than the SD5s on my commuter MTB. The modulation is smoother, the response is more crisp and I just felt more in control with them.
This year they're on my new El Santo and paired up with BB7s, and so far they're just as nice. Definitely money well spent and a worthy upgrade over SD5s (which are already really good themselves).
Strengths: easy install, fairly light, very adjustable, solid feel
Weaknesses: none yet
Bottom Line:
great value, looks great in the darker color version, adjustability is super! shop around online and you're sure to find 'em for under $25... great, cheap upgrade to mech brakes!
*some people still don't think they work w/ disc brakes... where they got this from I don't know???? I'm running them w/ BB7's and the work fantastic!
Submitted by
Barry Leigh
a Weekend Warrior
from South Orange, NJ
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2007
Strengths: Sturdy. Feels well-built. The "one finger action" sales pitch is true. Works great with mechanical disc as well as V-Brakes.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Bottom Line:
The 2008 models have a great feel (easy clerance between the shifters and the brake levers) and great looking in charcoal grey. Have the LBS install and adjust. No problem to adjust to achieve great touch without flying head-over-heels over your handlebar.
Similar Products Used: Stock levers that came with the bike. Boy, were they clunky and definitely low end!
Bike Setup: Kawasaki KDX2 Full suspension. Promax front disc brake. Avid Single Digit 7 Rear V-Brake. Rock Shox Dart 2 Fork with Cane Creek headset, SRAM trigger shifters, derailleur and 7-Speed cassette. Tried and true Shimano square taper BB and crankset.
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Submitted by
Collin Papke
a Cross Country Rider
from SC
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2007
Strengths: Durable, good feel and power
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Great levers, I have had them 5+ years...lots of miles on them with no complaints. Pivots are now worn to the point that I am ready to replace them.
I liked the feel of the XT levers better but they are hard to find as levers only.
Similar Products Used: Generics, Shimano, older SDs and older Avid levers.
Bike Setup: SD7s with SD SL vees and Straight Jacket cable/housing.
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Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Hagen, NRW, Germany
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2007
Strengths: relatively lightweight, look, feel, speed dial to even up my brakes
Weaknesses: they easily bend (have seen 'em bent on other bikes after contact with trees or crashes)
Bottom Line:
They are great levers in look, feel and cost - better than all the Shimano levers I had by now. Speed Dial is a GREAT thing to have. If you got mechanical brakes (VBrake or disc) get 'em!
I need to pick up a new set of mechanical brake levers. Based on popularity and price I was going to pick up a set of Avid Speed Dial 7s. I have read a few reviews on here that som Read More »
Anyone know how 'long' the levers are? I'm looking for something short (2-3 fingers). Price is right to replace my stock set-up, but need to make sure they aren't monster levers. Read More »
I understand Speed Dial 7 levers offer increased or decreased modulation by turning a knob which changes how much brake cable is pulled via a given amount of lever throw. That mea Read More »
