disc brakes

[spennie]

I'm looking into buying some new wheels, for my ice sprint, I like the look of ice da16, . The only problem is, I will have to change by brakes to disc( at the moment I ride on stermy archer).Does any one know if this is easy and a straight forward job to do? Which Brakes to go for mechanical avid bb7 or a hydraulic brake, can anyone share there experiences with either of these brakes.

 

[byegad]

My QNT has drums, the other two trikes have BB7 discs. I find there's little to choose between drum and disc brakes, other than discs tend to squeal in the wet.
I have been told hydraulics have more stopping power than cables but on my tadpoles I can lift the rear wheel off the ground fairly easily and you don't need/can't use more power than that.
I'm also told there's more 'feel' from hydraulics, but I can modulate the forces on all my trikes to allow for changing road conditions and different conditions under one side's wheel from under the other.

For me cable's plenty and if pushed to choose for a fourth trike I'd plump for drum brakes because they are virtually fit and forget. Even the excellent BB7s on my Kettwiesel are in need of new pads after 5-6000 miles, my QNT has covered 10000 miles and the brake linings look brand new!

 

[spennie]

My QNT has drums, the other two trikes have BB7 discs. I find there's little to choose between drum and disc brakes, other than discs tend to squeal in the wet.
I have been told hydraulics have more stopping power than cables but on my tadpoles I can lift the rear wheel off the ground fairly easily and you don't need/can't use more power than that.
I'm also told there's more 'feel' from hydraulics, but I can modulate the forces on all my trikes to allow for changing road conditions and different conditions under one side's wheel from under the other.

For me cable's plenty and if pushed to choose for a fourth trike I'd plump for drum brakes because they are virtually fit and forget. Even the excellent BB7s on my Kettwiesel are in need of new pads after 5-6000 miles, my QNT has covered 10000 miles and the brake linings look brand new!

I do like my drums, I find them a bit heavy thou, i'm trying trying to make my trike lighter, is there much difference in weight?

 

[fixedfixer]

mechanical are easier to repair if you are touring or somewhere out of the way. Standard cables and adjusters. BB7 plenty powerful. Hydrolic tend to have more stopping power but will require more tools for bleeding the system. not really practical to carry that stuff on tour.

 

[byegad]

I do like my drums, I find them a bit heavy thou, i'm trying trying to make my trike lighter, is there much difference in weight?

Not enough to worry me. Others may disagree.

 

[starhawk]

I do like my drums, I find them a bit heavy thou, i'm trying trying to make my trike lighter, is there much difference in weight?

Chasing weight in parts is pretty pointless it's so little that it doesn't matter, the big weight that you can do something about is yourself

 

[spennie]

Chasing weight in parts is pretty pointless it's so little that it doesn't matter, the big weight that you can do something about is yourself

Not really, I'm 6ft 2 and weigh just under 12st, my power to weight ratio is a little under par from when I used to time trail 6yrs ago. . trikes are heavy old beast, so if I can make mine lighter and better from having better components, so I can get that little bit more out of it and to keep me in the mix, then i cant see that it is pointless to shed a few pounds of your trike.

 

[starhawk]

Not really, I'm 6ft 2 and weigh just under 12st, my power to weight ratio is a little under par from when I used to time trail 6yrs ago. . trikes are heavy old beast, so if I can make mine lighter and better from having better components, so I can get that little bit more out of it and to keep me in the mix, then i cant see that it is pointless to shed a few pounds of your trike.

Shed a few pounds of your trike is good but you will not achieve that by buying better components, the weight difference ain't that big,( unless you ride with your wallet which will be much ligther )