Disc brakes?

[ededwards]

Possibly, actually probably, the wrong section, but tell me about disc brakes - cable v hydro, any particular recommendations etc.

 

[jonnyboy666]

what's wrong with you man?? :shock: :shock:

 

[Mr Panda]

I'm probably one of the few who prefer cable disc to hydraulic - have used both but simply refuse to accept hydraulic needed on a bicycle, unless Big Eck's San An :shock:

Cable is neat simple repairable and bicycle friendly. Hydraulic is marketing and difficult to fix in the field if it goes wrong - although everyone will tell you it won't go wrong - just like electronic Black Boxes on modern Land/Range Rovers - absolutely infallible until they let you down 40 miles from anywhere in the middle of a deep stream crossing :evil: Pish.

Plus I still have four/five motorcycles with cable/rod operated brakes

Roll on the abuse..................

 

[cannondale king]

gotta be said the avid bb5 and bb7 are the creame de la creame of cable disc brakes and they do weight less than most hydrolic brakes and work just as if not more powerful too.


i personal use shimano xt and xtr disc brakes they set up ok and work flawlessly they use mineral oil not dot fluid so a lot less faff and a lots less corrosive and need bleeding less.


hope this helps mate my 2p

 

[FairfaxPat]

I've been using Shimano XTR disc brakes for about 6 years now, with about 3-4000 miles a year racked up on the same set since new. One time the fitting at the caliper end of the back brake came loose and leaked a little, but that's it, and it still worked all the way home. I have replaced the rotors a couple of times and new pads maybe 3 times a year-but that's it. Working on them is easier than various Avid's on my friends bikes. Hydraulic brakes have been around so long now there are no bugs to work out, and work better than cable operated brakes IMHO.

 

[jonnyboy666]

personally i like hope brakes. you can get every single individual piece as a spare unlike most other brands. the others tend to sell assemblies like the whole caliper or the whole lever assembly etc

personally i am not a fan of formula, hayes are ok but i find they suffer with sticky pistons.

avid cable discs are good but i think their hydraulic brakes suck, and they are an utter bar steward to bleed! magura i think are good as are shimano

so if it's cable discs get avid bb5 or bb7

if hydraulic and budget get shimano or magura julie

if hydraulic and high end go for shimano, hope or magura,

stick with those and you won't go wrong. anything else and you'll struggle to get spares

 

[old_coyote_pedaller]

personally i like hope brakes. you can get every single individual piece as a spare unlike most other brands. the others tend to sell assemblies like the whole caliper or the whole lever assembly etc

Possibly not if they are older Hope brakes. I have XC4's I bought off eBay that started to leak at the seals. Took them apart to find that previous owner had used a pair of pliers to remove/replace pistons. Moron.
Anyway I phoned Hope to enquire about the availability of spares for them, they had stopped making them and have no stock of spares. This was about 4/5 years ago and the XC4's weren't that old then. Not good.
I like Hope stuff, I have a pair of 16 y.o. titanium hubbed wheels that are still running smooth, also I built a pair of Hope disc hubbed wheels myself with hubs off eBay, nice light wheels. Both bikes I have, have the older titanium BB's, Hope seat collars, Hope titanium skewers and one has a Hope stem.
I bought another set of XC4's that are OK and I think they are good brakes.

Did I mention I like Hope stuff?

 

[suburbanreuben]

I like Hope C2's. Plenty of power, feel and adjustability. They've been around for 15 years, and J.E.James may still have some in stock. Parts are getting a bit scarce, and finding decent used ones is very much a lottery.
Hope Minis are good, but Mono Minis are garbage, even for xc use. The disc is just too light to cope with heat, and they fade very badly.
I haven't used any other brand, but Mr Panda may well be right about cables.

 

[Scrat]

I'm probably one of the few who prefer cable disc to hydraulic - have used both but simply refuse to accept hydraulic needed on a bicycle, unless Big Eck's San An :shock:

Cable is neat simple repairable and bicycle friendly. Hydraulic is marketing and difficult to fix in the field if it goes wrong - although everyone will tell you it won't go wrong - just like electronic Black Boxes on modern Land/Range Rovers - absolutely infallible until they let you down 40 miles from anywhere in the middle of a deep stream crossing :evil: Pish.

Plus I still have four/five motorcycles with cable/rod operated brakes

Roll on the abuse..................

From what i've heard the Avid BBs are very good, But personally I hate the vague stretchy piano wire feel when you're riding proper full on terrain - like here. I've been on hydros since my first maguras in the early 90s

What ever you do, don't fall into the hype of having the same size rotors front and rear. All vehicles have bigger rotors on the front due to simple physics and forward weight transfer

 

[mikee]

hope mono minis and shimano's for me
avids and hayes are fitted with fasteners etc made from cheese
and dont like the winter ,corrode very easily

cables , the tekro aquila ones are good and cheap
one benefit of cable discs is you have a choice of levers