cynergy

Hi Folks,

I have a Trek FX 7.2 Disc bike that I've recently started using as a commuting bike. The bike is a couple of years old, but I haven't started riding it too much till this past year. I live in NH and ride in some relatively hilly areas.

I was planning to do some maintenance on the bike and did some searching online. I wanted to inspect/replace the brake pads on the mechanical Tektro Novela Disc Brakes. I did some Googling and found several negative comments on these brakes. Folks indicated that if the pads wear too low, the brakes can fail and not provide any stopping power.

This is my first bike with disc brakes. I am comfortable maintaining the cantilever and side pull brakes that I have on my other two bikes. However, I am not as familiar with the mechanical disc brakes.

I'm thinking about replacing the Tektro Novela brakes with a set of Avid BB7 mountain (or road) brakes.

Are the Avid BB7's a drop in replacement for the Tektro Novelas? Can I use the same rotors that I currently use with the Tektro brakes or do I need to replace them? Also, my bike came with Shimano brake levers... I assume that I can continue to use them with the BB7's, is that correct?

Thanks for your help!
Cynergy

jimc101

Are you having any issues with yours? if not, just keep them.

What all mechanical disc brakes have issues with, is wear, and they need to be manually adjusted, unlike hydraulic discs, which have self/auto-adjust for wear.

For pads and stopping, are the rotors bedded in, pad can be replaced with better (sintered) ones.

If your looking to replace with BB7's (you would just need to match the caliper mount, which will be Post or IS mount with adapters, road or MTB will depend on the levers your bike has currently fitted) would just go hydraulic, as a low end set of Shimano will be better than any mechanical, and the cost will be very similar/the same.

For reviews, the Novela seem to get a mixed bag, some from here from last year

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...rakes-bad.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...sc-brakes.html

cobba

Let the pads wear down on any disc brake and you'll have stopping problems.

You'd need the mountain version.

Yes but the BB7 uses mounting bolts that are about 10mm longer because of the cup and cone washers that are placed above and below the caliper when it's mounted.

Yes you can use the old rotors.

Yes as long as you get the correct BB7 version.

fietsbob

and the mounting adapter shorter ?
for the same reason. the thickness of those cup & cone washers
(or is the post mount tabs higher on the Avid caliper ?)

another place where 1st hand measurements help.




....

cobba

Post mount adapters are a standard size.

The mounting tabs on the BB7 and other CPS calipers are lower then standard calipers, CPS calipers need the 5mm stack of washers beneath the caliper to lift them to the same height of a standard caliper, without these washers a CPS caliper will bottom out on the rotor.

fietsbob

Cps?

cynergy

Thanks for the replies. I am actually happy with the performance of the brakes so far, and I understand they should be maintained. However, I've read (and seen some YouTube Videos) of some "catastrophic" failures (zero braking force... the brake cable slips out of place and does not pull the pads together) and I was more worried about that. I'm going to take a look at my brakes and possibly replace the pads, and then consider upgrading to the BB7 mechanicals later on. Thanks again for your replies!

Cyclist0108

If you do decide to replace the brakes, might I suggest that you replace them with something definitive like Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes. You can find pre-bled assemblies for about $100 (or less) each on the internet if you shop around. Also get the XT brake rotors to match. Then you can put your worries behind you.

cobba

Caliper Positioning System
https://www.sram.com/avid/technologi...tioning-system

If the brake mounts on the fork/frame are out of alignment, the cup and cone washers above and below the caliper allow you to attach it on a different angle to the mounts that you're attaching it to.
* these washers should never be used below a standard caliper

Avid/SRAM mounting chart: https://www.sram.com/sites/default/f...r_mounting.pdf
* there is one mistake on that chart, the CPS 20P adapter doesn't have the washers below the caliper like it should.

cynergy

Thanks everyone for your replies. I just wanted to update this thread. This past weekend, I took a look at the Tektro Novela brakes on my bicycle more closely and they seem fine. I think with proper maintenance they will do well. I am deferring any upgrades to the brakes or any other components until the factory-provided ones wear out. I bought some replacement pads this week and will replace them this weekend. I looked at the Tektro documentation and some YouTube videos and it seems like a straightforward process to replace and adjust them.

Troul 

The inner pad is supposed to self adjust when the pad is squeezed against the forward moving disc. The set screw from behind is magnetised to hold the pad from chatter. It still allows it to easily screw inward pushing the pad closer with each rotation forward during a stopping event. The magnet impedes the screws ability to back out.