Old 05-06-20, 08:16 PM
  #32  
Kapusta
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Originally Posted by Trevtassie
Yep, there are fakes of both around. The fake Spykes seem OK when you open them up in terms of mechanics, but they seem to have forgotten to grease them and put loctite on the adjusting screws. Once you do that, they work fine. TRP say you can't dissasemble them, but there are instructions on line and it's as simple to do as a BB7. I use automotive disc brake grease, rated to 1600C, only a tiny amount, you can buy little sachets from auto parts stores.. The stock pads were also junk. One of the things with Spykes/Spyres is that you shouldn't really need to adjust them that often, TRP say to take up pad wear with the cable adjuster. Pretty well I've just used the adjusters to set them up initially for different thickness discs then compensate for pad wear with the cable, which is different to the BB7s, you need to adjust them with the adjusters because as the pads wear the disc gets distorted more as it's pushed sideways onto the fixed pad. I think if you constantly used the adjusters on TRPs the loctite would eventually lose it's lock properties. Centering on TRP is done with the mounting bolts. I got a set of 2 with 180mm discs and adapters off Aliexpress for $80 including postage, so yeah chances of them being real weren't super high.. I also got a "cheap" BB7 from Aliexpress.. It was somewhat similar to the fake TRPs, virtually no grease inside and some fairly average mechanics, works OK with a service... I run Spykes on the front and BB7s on the rear of our touring bikes, just because that's what I had lying around.
I'd say that any mechanical brake needs servicing, all the genuine and non genuine I've opened after some use need some grease in the balls and ramps. On the BB7 the moving pad pivot could do with some grease too.
Huh. I have several sets of BB7s in service for years (one set are actually BBDBs from around '01 or '02) and they are all smooth as silk. Never really had to do much maintenance on them. The BBDBs I've broken down maybe 2 times. Just cleaned and shot some lube in the body.

With the bearings feeling the way they did in the Spykes, no amount of grease was going to save them. They were crap. Even bone dry, new bearings should feel better than these did. If I decide to try them again, it will be from a reputable known dealer. Even if they do cost more.
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