disc brakes verses rim brakes discuss!

[velomaniac]

Alternatively do the weirdo thing and fit Drum Brakes, heavey and not as good as discs and v-brakes but certainly retro.

I have a set, front Sachs and rear Sturmey Archer, just got to find the right bike to fit them to.

I know stupid, stupid, stupid :roll:

 

[Neil G]

Discs all the way for me, just so low maintainance and great in all conditions.

Having to run Vs though as my bike doesn't have disc mounts....brought the best I could get (XTR)

 

[Kona Paul]

I use xtr V's for the rear on my SS and disc on the front. Mixing them is nice too. You get stopping power up front where it really counts and save weight at the same time. In the dry the V's are fantastic, work well in the mud but make that horrible sound :?

 

[dirtjumper_dmr]

DISCS ... Hayes-9s haven't needed touching in a year of riding.

Gonna go brake-less like Chris Akrigg on my new jump/park bike... see you in A+E

 

[Russell]

Cantilevers fine, V-brakes great, but for riding in the UK, which means pretty much riding on wet trails all year round these days, its got to be discs.

 

[South Bound]

I use xtr V's for the rear on my SS and disc on the front. Mixing them is nice too

Same here, I am hoping to put a disc on the front of my Explosif, just as soon as one of you guys sells me a setup!

 

[doogie]

I always said that I would never need disk brakes when they first appeared. I was happy with v brakes and cantis offered some amount of braking eventually ! Both the above are good in the dry but when they get wet or covered in mud then braking can be laughable especially with the cantis :shock: I have since tried disks and I must admit that they are great and no matter what weather you chuck at them, they still stop you on a sixpence. Recommended to you all !

 

[yo-eddy]

I used 90's XT non-low profile brakes with four finger lever on the Grove in the USA this summer. Good enough for me in dry conditions but in the wet I really had to put inmense effort (and energy :roll: ) in controling the speed at steep rocky descents (Monarch Crest and the like...)
Ended up with very sore arms and hands and started thinking about my Groovy with Magura HS33 firmtechs at home a lot.... from there on started to consider discs in a later stadium also..... I'll end up being modern :roll: (but still rigid all the way ) So to hack this thread ....... What kinda discs should I consider??? Function is way more important then light weight for me
cheers Roy

 

[dookie]

no need for high-dollar hydros. BB7 mech discs are lighter, cheaper, easier to setup/maintain, and work just as well.

 

[Andy R]

no need for high-dollar hydros. BB7 mech discs are lighter, cheaper, easier to setup/maintain, and work just as well.

I'm using Magura Marta disc brakes on two of my bikes (RM Blizzard has 180mm front, 160mm rear and SS Explosif has 160mm front and rear).

Both sets were bought new on Ebay and neither set cost me more than £150 (but then I don't mind "grey imports" and lack of manuals etc). I don't think that Avid BB7's are lighter than these and as far as setup/maintenance goes, the Maguras are just "fit and forget" in my experience. No maintenance apart from pad changes...
I think feel and modulation is far better with hydraulic disc brakes than with cable too.
One advantage of the Avids is that you can use matching levers for a front disc and rear V brake, although with a steel frame (unless it was really valuable or rare) I'd just put a rear caliper mount on and run discs all round.

I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again - disc brakes were the best thing to happen to the off-road world, on two wheels or four