hmm .. 1 reason why cantilever+v-brakes are better than disc

[Russell]

During my all to brief stint in 'the industry', hydraulic disc brakes were the most frequent issue with customers. When the warm weather hit in March, we had loads of bikes with expanded fluid and jammed on calipers.

Leaky seals were an issue, expanding pistons and the most common: oil saturated pads where the customer allowed spray lube to contaminate them.

New bikes went out perfect, customer puts bike in car, bangs disc, customer comes back a few days later complaining if rubbing or squeaky brakes because they've bent the disc or not refitted the wheel properly.

I could go on.

I am happy with my own brakes whatever they may be as they are set up properly, unfortunately not many can be bothered to do that.

I'd love to hear from anyone on this site who uses hydraulic disc brakes who hasn't been able to ride their bike in warm weather because the fluid had expanded too much. Likewise, given that both cars and motorcycles use the same system, surely this must be an issue for them aswell?

Oil saturated pads where the customer allowed spray lube to contaminate them? User error due to 'not being bothered to learn how to set them up properly' surely.

Puts bike in car, bangs disc...rubbing or squeaky brakes because they've bent the disc or not refitted the wheel properly? User error because...

I've used hydraulic discs since 2004 and in all that time I have never had a leak or a seal go or a piston sieze or nicked my hose and lost my brakes, because like you, I can be bothered to learn how to maintain my bike.

Whilst you're constantly telling everyone how cantis are the best if you take the time to set them up and maintain them, you're forgetting that disc brakes, given that same level of care and maintenance that you lavish on your cantis, outperform every other type of brake in every way.

fine if you've go the money to throw at them but a £2.99 cable usually sorts a duff set of canti/ v-brakes for us spend thrifts.

Sums it up, and relates nicely to my earlier point...

... myth that the luddites like to put about to justify not spending money

 

[hydorah]

Russell, I wouldn't take it too far it's different opinions

And you quoting yourself has reminded me that you accuse anyone who doesn't think disks beat cantis and Vs in all regards of being a luddite

You're not a luddite if you just don't see the need for something and think it has some drawbacks. I would use the term common sense

What's the word for what you're doing? Blindly grabbing onto the latest thing and preaching that it's the answer to everything?

Your weight argument wasn't really that satisfactory, where was your effective counter to the KCNC brakes? but I didn't badger on about it, you have an opinion, fine

LGF made a good point about the value in terms of money, hadn't thought about it, but there it is

Perhaps you can do a comparison on that metric?

 

[Russell]

I wouldn't take it too far it's different opinions

 

[hydorah]

Yeah sorry, my post was a bit erm.... w@n*

 

[Baulz]

for 5 minutes until something leaks on it or the seals go or the pistons seize or you find you cant get the pads anymore or you nick the hose and lose your brakes out on the trail.

fine if you've go the money to throw at them but a £2.99 cable usually sorts a duff set of canti/ v-brakes for us spend thrifts.

Depends on your brakes. I bought some used Hope Minis 5 years ago and never had a problem, original fluid and changed pads once. Bought some brand new M970 and the rear has been a constant pain.

 

[dyna-ti]

I really hate setting up canti's :x 10mm spanner plus an allen key to hold it straight.Tighten up only to find its moved :evil:
A nightmare :shock:

Nooooo! Don't do that fit your cantis with no pads in them and get the angles all nice and symetrical and the slot for the pads standing roughly vertical

Pull your levers a good few times so you can see the arms move toward the rim roughly the same rate and that the system moves back to a good symetrical state with the slots vertical again

fart about with the dinky allen screw that acts on the little cam to get the spring balance right...

Then: Dial up about half the adjustment on your levers, then fit the pads and mounting hardware get it finger tight

Using your favourite finger push the front of the pad against the rim, making sure the pad is on the braking track of the rim all along it's length (don't use pads that someone has let get worn cock eyed, I have been known to dress XT pads with a file to rescue them)

then with your other set of finger get your ten mm spanner and secure the pad

Wind off some of you adjustment to acheive the desired clearance and that is it. beautiful superb canti performance is achieved

Pressing the forwards/front area of the pad also sets toe-in, rotation of the wheel will drag the pad when it acts on the rim. If you fit them entirely square the rear of the pad will work harder than the front... another toe-in method is to pop a bit of card (rizla packet thiscness) between the rear of the pad and the rim, no need just press the front of the pad

 

[Russell]

I bought some used Hope Minis 5 years ago and never had a problem

You're in Ontario, where the temperature has been know to vary by 60 degrees from Winter to Summer, and you're telling me that your disc brakes worked all year round?

I don't believe it!

 

[Lid]

The basic principal of C's and V's is moronic: You use the actual structure of the wheel as the braking surface. Eventually leading to weakening and FAILURE.
I used to get maybe two years out of a set of wheels. $Chaching$. My disc wheels last forever.

 

[Baulz]

I bought some used Hope Minis 5 years ago and never had a problem

You're in Ontario, where the temperature has been know to vary by 60 degrees from Winter to Summer, and you're telling me that your disc brakes worked all year round?

I don't believe it!

I don't ride nice bikes in the winter, that's what the old Mongoose is for. It had Hayes brakes, they either didn't work or locked up my wheels

 

[Russell]