Disc brakes on a touring bike

[midliferider]

I used to tour with a Specialized sirrus elite. My reason for using this bike was..
It is light, I can carry it on my shoulder once packed in to a canvass or soft bag. I can easily fit different tyre sizes (28 to 40) depending on the terrain that I intend to cycle.
Very simple, it has rim brakes, simple mechanics. I can repair it myself if something were to go wrong. Otherwise, any local bike shop is likely to be able to repair it.
Sadly, this bike was stolen and now I am looking for another bike. New Specialized Sirrus Elite and Boardman hybrids, Trex Fx come with disc brakes.
My question is

Are disc brakes more likely to be damaged in transport in soft bag than rim brakes?
How easy it is to fix if it does break down?
All your replies will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Are disc brakes more likely to be damaged in transport in soft bag than rim brakes? No.
How easy it is to fix if it does break down? Cable discs are the same as cable calipers or Vs. Hydraulic slightly more complicated, but neither will break down, especially hydraulics.

Get the bike.

 

[raleighnut]

Get the bike.

It's easy with heavy handling to bend a disc in a soft bag, admittedly it's also easy to bend a wheel in the same scenario but it's far easier to get a buckled wheel true again than straightening a brake disc.

 

[midliferider]

It's easy with heavy handling to bend a disc in a soft bag, admittedly it's also easy to bend a wheel in the same scenario but it's far easier to get a buckled wheel true again than straightening a brake disc.

Fortunately, I have never had any damage to my bike in the soft bag. Furthest I have taken is to Chicago through Dublin.

 

[Cycleops]

Easy enough to remove the discs to avoid damage. I’d be more worried about fluid loss, one reason I’d always choose mechanical.

 

[midliferider]

Easy enough to remove the discs to avoid damage. I’d be more worried about fluid loss, one reason I’d always choose mechanical.

I need to learn more about disc brakes.
Perhaps this does not apply if you have mechanical disc brakes?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I need to learn more about disc brakes.
Perhaps this does not apply if you have mechanical disc brakes?

Buying a new bike with mechanical disc brakes is like buying a new Mercedes and specifying a 2-stroke engine. Fluid loss and all the other supposed maladies of hydraulic disc brakes are vastly exaggerated.

 

[chriscross1966]

I've had a TRP Spyre2 on the back of my highly modified Brompton for about a year now. It gets on and off a bus twice a day most days of the week, adn also occasional trips to London in the hold of coaches in a soft bag. No issues with the disc getting bashed and it is on the exposed side when the bike is folded. Buying a tourer and fitting an hydraulic disc to it is like buying an expedition 4x4 and fitting carbon-ceramic brakes.... yes they are very good, they're also totally inappropriate for the location. Spyre mechanical discs are twin-pot and combine a lot of stopping power with easy modulation and bags of feel.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

How well do bicycle hydraulic hoses hold up to abuse? I know someone who shipped a bike with Magura hydraulic rim brakes and the baggage handlers damaged one of the lines. Getting it fixed in a foreign country was a pain although I'd imagine it would be easier these days. Perhaps this was a freak occurrence though.

Bowden cables are pretty tough and chewy. Perhaps they hold up better?

 

[steveindenmark]

I ship my bike in a cover made of spinnaker cloth, very thin material. I have never had a problem. You can always make a cardboard cover and tape it over the discs. But I dont.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

You can always make a cardboard cover and tape it over the discs. But I dont.

I am sure that would resist bending from impact.

 

[Cycleops]

The Merc with the 2 stroke engine thing doesn’t hold up as they don’t off that option, a better comparison might be to compare getting one with a manual rather than auto box. The smoother auto may suit the older drivers that patronise Mercedes, both will work fine.
I have cheap Tektro units on one bike but they are powerful and trouble free.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

How well do bicycle hydraulic hoses hold up to abuse? I know someone who shipped a bike with Magura hydraulic rim brakes and the baggage handlers damaged one of the lines. Getting it fixed in a foreign country was a pain although I'd imagine it would be easier these days. Perhaps this was a freak occurrence though.

Bowden cables are pretty tough and chewy. Perhaps they hold up better?

Most foreign countries have people who can deal with such eventualities. Hydraulic hose isn't exclusive to one or two countries. If you have ever had to work with plastic hydraulic hose you will know that it is extremely tough. An accident that damages a hose is bad enough to break a frame or other components if it were directed differently. I can produce anecdotes that prove steel chains with a tensile strength of 35000N have been broken.
It isn't an issue.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The Merc with the 2 stroke engine thing doesn’t hold up as they don’t off that option, a better comparison might be to compare getting one with a manual rather than auto box. The smoother auto may suit the older drivers that patronise Mercedes, both will work fine.
I have cheap Tektro units on one bike but they are powerful and trouble free.

And there I was under the impression that it was an option. Live and learn.

 

[davidphilips]

Not sure about the bikes you are looking at but some bikes that are advertised as having hydraulic disc brakes are actually cable operated with hydraulic calipers.
So take a good look at the bikes and check owners reviews.

Only my view and i am sure theres many that will disagree but good rim brakes are hard to better, check out the new dual mount calipers (need the right frame for these), good hydraulic brakes work best of all but add some weight, cable operated hydraulic add weight work some where between rim and full hydraulic brakes but perhaps cost less than full hydraulic.