disc brakes

[brucers]

My Boardman Comp hybrid has disc brakes. I don't quite understand why. My thinking being that the considered opinion seems to be that they are better at stopping than caliper brakes yet are heavier. Most racing/road bike have caliper brakes and I assume tend to be faster like for like than my bike. So if calipers are good enough for bikes built for speed then why were they put on my hybrid (which has road wheels/tyres)? Surely calipers would be fine and weigh less.

 

[Peteaud]

Because disc brakes are better for hybrids and MTB in muddy and rougher conditions.

Give it a few more years and road bikes will have them.

 

[fossala]

Because calipers are fine, just not good (mainly in wet). Since going to disc I won't go back, at least for my everyday commuting bike.

I think for a "do it all" bike, disc brakes are the way to go as it's not only stopping power benefits. Wheels can be a little out of true, you don't get rim wear, they involve less maintenance and last longer.

 

[screenman]

Which one will wear your rims out? I am sure with a little Google you will find a list of for and against. I must say I prefer the feel and efficiency of my hydraulic disc brakes on the new MTB compared with the brakes on my older one even though they are XT so quite good quality.

 

[fossala]

Which one will wear your rims out?

The one that uses the rim as a braking surface.

 

[screenman]

The one that uses the rim as a braking surface.

Which is one of many reasons I like my disc brakes.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Obviously it depends how much you use them but in general do the brake pads on disc brakes last well. Longer than brake blocks or not?

 

[fossala]

Obviously it depends how much you use them but in general do the brake pads on disc brakes last well. Longer than brake blocks or not?

From wear over the last 2 months since I have had a bike with disc brakes, it seems they last longer. This also seems to be the consensus around forums.

 

[brucers]

Thanks guys and gals. On balance I think I'd prefer to have the lighter calipers - not that I intend changing them off my bike. I'm not a speedy gonzales type so not so much of an issue for me to have the better stopping power.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

I like discs brakes because of the confidence that they give me to stop at any speed even on a fast down hill descent in the wet when caked in mud.
I do a fair amount of miles on and off road and I haven't had the bike a year yet so far I've changed the chain, rear cassette, tyres and serviced the hubs.
I've never had to adjust the brakes or replace the pads yet, although they need replacing now.

 

[ianrauk]

Obviously it depends how much you use them but in general do the brake pads on disc brakes last well. Longer than brake blocks or not?

By a huge amount.
For example.
On my 35 mile round trip daily commute rim pads last 3 months, with disc pads, they last a year. And that's not mentioning going through rims every 18 months with pads. I commute hard and fast so used to just eat pads and rims, hence me swapping to discs.

 

[Cyclopathic]

By a huge amount.
For example.
On my 35 mile round trip daily commute rim pads last 3 months, with disc pads, they last a year. And that's not mentioning going through rims every 18 months with pads. I commute hard and fast so used to just eat pads and rims, hence me swapping to discs.

I think you can get nutritional gels and cereal bars these days. Otherwise these discs of which people speak sound pretty darned good. I do like the idea of less wear and tear on my rim.

 

[sidevalve]

I think you can get nutritional gels and cereal bars these days. Otherwise these discs of which people speak sound pretty darned good. I do like the idea of less wear and tear on my rim.

They do tend to be a bit crunchy, but you could try dunking them in your tea. As for your rim, well, each to his own.

 

[Shortmember]

If caliper brakes start squealing when you apply them they can be 'toed in' and the problem is usually cured, but when the same problem occurs with disks there seems to be no easy cure except changing the pads.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

If caliper brakes start squealing when you apply them they can be 'toed in' and the problem is usually cured, but when the same problem occurs with disks there seems to be no easy cure except changing the pads.

Yes, you are correct. They can be absolute swines to stop squealing esp' some of the Avids that I have used in the past.

My prediction:

In a few years time the road forums will be littered with queries such as "how can I stop xyz brakes from howling" or "my rotor is rubbing and driving me mad - what shall I do?".