[Southern Man]

It seems there are a lot of people in the market for Juicy's at the moment, so I thought I'd post my impressions, versus my trusty Louise FR's.

My Juicy Sevens are apparently the 2005 model, but they have a split clamp, and the rotor is very slightly different than my 2005 Juicy Five's so who knows, maybe I have the 2004, or 2006 model.

THE GOOD.

1. Looks. I am a long-time Magura user, and swear by them, but these Juicy's look sweet, with a nice clean lever design, and shiny caliper.

2. Truly Ambidextrous lever. Even the pad contact dial can be changed around when you flip the levers. I run moto style, so it's a pain that I always have to bleed the lines, and swap the levers when new. Granted, you usually have to shorten the lines at the same time, but the Juicy's can be ridden out of the box for me.

3. Lever feel. I like the lever feel probably even a little more than my Maguras. The pad contact dial, is also nice, but I doubt I'll use it much.

4. Replacement brake pads are cheaper than Magura's and they seem to last longer too. Magura pads start adding up at $50 every 6 months or so.

5. Price. I bought the extreme version (185mm/160mm) through Bolloxbikes on eBay for $240 with shipping. With a name like that I wondered if they would even arrive , but two days later they were here.

THE BAD

1. The weight. Unfortunately I didn't write down the weights. But I remember the 185mm front being around 510g. That's around 70g heavier than my Louise FR. The rotor was heavier (170g vs 152g) as were the lever/caliper. The 160mm rear was around 460g I believe. The rotor was 15g heavier than the same size Juicy Five rotor. (125g vs 110g).
No big deal maybe, but this was for my Single Speed, which I was trying lighten up. Instead, I've increased the weight.

2. Drag. No matter how hard I try, I always seem to get a little bit of drag. Not a show stopper but still.....I had the same problem with the Juicy Five. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but others have looked at it too. Maguras by contrast have absolutely no drag.

THE UGLY.

1. I swear my Maguras feel more powerful. But as this is purely subjective, and others will no doubt disagree, I'll leave it at that.

2. Post mount system. Some swear by it, but I think it's a royal PITA. With IS, assuming the tabs are straight (if not use a grammomat to fix). it's pretty much set and forget. Use a couple of shims if you like, and it's all go. I can't get used to this post mount system. Seems to fix a problem that doesn't exist to me, and I'm constantly adjusting the caliper to try and remove any drag.
I had no choice but to go post mount, as I'm using an ENO Disc Eccentric on the rear, but wish I could have stayed with IS.

3. Strangely enough the 185mm Post mount - IS adapter for the front did not work with my Marzochi fork. I just couldn't get the wheel in before the rotor hit the caliper body. I used a 160mm rear adapter, which works fine, but go figure. Anyone else had this problem?

4. Noise. That topic has been thrashed to death here, so suffice to say Stealth mode is not an option with Juicy's

There you have it. One mans totally subjective comparison.

 

[westin]

Helps explain why the 7 is selling so cheaply on eBay. Can't give 'em away.

 

[Warp]

Should I add the Louises are cheaper at its normal price?? That's when neither brake are on a gargain deal.

I gotta disagree with you on the IS / PM stuff... having used both systems and being in Mexico (where no shop has a Gnanommat or similar tool) I prefer the mounting system of the PM. IS has given me headaches. I spent a lot of time trying to properly set-up the brake with IS. On Avids, set-up is a breeze... it has to be done carefully though, but it's ubereasy and you need no shims.

Actually I'm stuck to only RS, Fox or older Zoke forks for my bike as the darn '02 Julies I have are IS only... But I love my Julies anyway. Nice brake.

 

[The Squeaky Wheel]

Nice write up.

I own both brakes and prefer the J7s. I find power & modulation to be equal on both but Avid's ergonomics are far superior. The minimal weight gain isn't a big issue but I honestly wouldn't choose either brake for a SS. I'm going to put either Hope Mono Minis or Formula Oros on my new SS build.
My J7s have been silent & maintenance free ever since I swapped the stock Avid pads to Galfer reds. Conditions here are dry which may be why my J7s are silent. Tscheezy has gone through both brakes and even though he prefers the J7s on all fronts he chooses to use Louise FR because they are silent. You may want to search the archives for his thoughts.

 

[PSI]

juicy stronger than louise? Help

hey, Ive had the juicy 5's (160/185) for over 6 months and loved everything about them except the rub and noise issue which drove me nuts.

recently i got 2005 louise's. no rub or noise issues, thank god. only problem is that i cant get the raw stopping power i had with the juicys. they modulate very nicely but dont bite at the end like the juicys.

ive bedded them plenty, burned the pads with methylated spirits a few times and i squirt water on them mid ride, but i still cant get full power. they are brand new and have the original pads. is there anything i can do like changing pads? help, i dont want to go back to 2 finger braking!

 

[Southern Man]

PSI,

Wow, I wish I could help, but can't say I've had the same problem. I have used two pairs of Louise FR's (the older and new model). Both have been great. One finger braking, and I'm 200 pounds. Friends of mine also swear by them.

Still, that doesn't help you much!! I've tried aftermarket pads (EBC, Coolstop and others), but keep on coming back to Magura pads. They just seem the best combination of durability, and low noise, at a reasonable price.

I have put my pads on the gas barbeque from time to time when they got contaminated, following advice from others. Burning off any grease etc. seemed to make sense.

I'd solicite the help of others such as some of the Magura Cult members. They may have some great ideas.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

hey, Ive had the juicy 5's (160/185) for over 6 months and loved everything about them except the rub and noise issue which drove me nuts.

recently i got 2005 louise's. no rub or noise issues, thank god. only problem is that i cant get the raw stopping power i had with the juicys. they modulate very nicely but dont bite at the end like the juicys.

ive bedded them plenty, burned the pads with methylated spirits a few times and i squirt water on them mid ride, but i still cant get full power. they are brand new and have the original pads. is there anything i can do like changing pads? help, i dont want to go back to 2 finger braking!

 

[Warp]

hey, Ive had the juicy 5's (160/185) for over 6 months and loved everything about them except the rub and noise issue which drove me nuts.

recently i got 2005 louise's. no rub or noise issues, thank god. only problem is that i cant get the raw stopping power i had with the juicys. they modulate very nicely but dont bite at the end like the juicys.

ive bedded them plenty, burned the pads with methylated spirits a few times and i squirt water on them mid ride, but i still cant get full power. they are brand new and have the original pads. is there anything i can do like changing pads? help, i dont want to go back to 2 finger braking!

I can't help more than this....

I can only compare the Julies to the Avid Mechs... and I just can't get the same bite with my julies even when modulation is unsurpassed and power is plenty.

If you want the bite of your Juicy's I find it hard you'd get it. It's different brake.

I'm happier with how the Julies work compared to the Avids. It's a more consistant all-arounder compared to the Avids... you'll love your Maguras on the wet. Much more effective braking thanks to better modulation.

Sorry for not being of much help.

 

[PSI]

PSI,

Wow, I wish I could help, but can't say I've had the same problem. I have used two pairs of Louise FR's (the older and new model). Both have been great. One finger braking, and I'm 200 pounds. Friends of mine also swear by them.

Still, that doesn't help you much!! I've tried aftermarket pads (EBC, Coolstop and others), but keep on coming back to Magura pads. They just seem the best combination of durability, and low noise, at a reasonable price.

I have put my pads on the gas barbeque from time to time when they got contaminated, following advice from others. Burning off any grease etc. seemed to make sense.

I'd solicite the help of others such as some of the Magura Cult members. They may have some great ideas.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

thanks. i guess im still waiting for them to kick-in, since im very happy with them otherwise. they seem to modulate and modulate indefinetly as opposed to the juicys that would modulate for a while and then just clamp down.
which magura pads do you use? (i know there are two kinds) and for that matter do you know what kind come standard with new brakes? do you recall them having an extra long bedding time?
also, whats the link to the magura cult members? im assuming this is a site/board..
thanks again, psi

 

[Schultz29]

This is what I have recently discovered. As my previous posts suggests I was having much difficulty with my Juicy's. They were squealing and pulsating horribly. However, I have since cured the problem by reinstalling new rotors and pads and being very diligent about bedding them in properly. All disc brakes require a gradual break in process and I was quick to hit the trail and start grabbing a hand full of lever. What I believe I did was to create hot spots on the rotors and grazed the pads. After installing the new rotors and EBC reen pads I went out on a solo ride in a controlled environment and spent about 30 minutes coming to a gradual stop. I increased the stopping power progressively and upon hitting the trail I made an effort to modulate myself to a stop and never locked them down. Thus far, the brakes are working better than ever with no squealing and excellent modulation. A friend of mine who races motorcycles recommended that I approach it this way and I believe he is correct. With previous brakes I had bedded them in a similar fashion and they always worked well. I think the Avid's might be more susceptible to hot spotting compared to other brakes I have used but I feel if you take the time they should perform as well as expected. Buying new rotors and pads is a costly proposition but it's worth it for peaceful riding experience.

I rode again today in complete silence and the brakes are just getting stronger. Looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[Southern Man]

Just google Magura Cult. It's the first page that comes up. Guys like Mike from MC also visit the brake forum AFAIK. I didn't know there were two types of pads. I've only ever used one type (Louise Performance).

thanks. i guess im still waiting for them to kick-in, since im very happy with them otherwise. they seem to modulate and modulate indefinetly as opposed to the juicys that would modulate for a while and then just clamp down.
which magura pads do you use? (i know there are two kinds) and for that matter do you know what kind come standard with new brakes? do you recall them having an extra long bedding time?
also, whats the link to the magura cult members? im assuming this is a site/board..
thanks again, psi

 

[The Squeaky Wheel]

stock pads are performance. Endurance pads, which pack a bit less power, are an aftermarket buy. I'm assuming you have stock performance pads.
I also found Louise to pack plenty of power. Assuming they are bled & installed correctly I really don't know what to tell you.
I was quite happy with Louise FR for 3 years but swapped to Juicy 7s for a change of pace and have had nothing but positive results with better ergonomics to boot.

 

[PSI]

problem solved

PSI,

Wow, I wish I could help, but can't say I've had the same problem. I have used two pairs of Louise FR's (the older and new model). Both have been great. One finger braking, and I'm 200 pounds. Friends of mine also swear by them.

Still, that doesn't help you much!! I've tried aftermarket pads (EBC, Coolstop and others), but keep on coming back to Magura pads. They just seem the best combination of durability, and low noise, at a reasonable price.

I have put my pads on the gas barbeque from time to time when they got contaminated, following advice from others. Burning off any grease etc. seemed to make sense.

I'd solicite the help of others such as some of the Magura Cult members. They may have some great ideas.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

got a (not so) LBS to use the Gnann-o-matic magura facing tool on the frame and fork and walla, all is good, sweet one finger braking, amen.
i thought it was just for noise, but man what a difference. it made the brakes come to life.