Disk brakes - how much maintenance do they need?

[si_c]

Thanks for the replies.
The thought of messing around with hydraulic fluid or leaky brakes, no thanks. Intuitively I prefer wire.

Not had leaky brakes, either on my MTB or on road bikes, for the most part they've just worked. Bleeding brakes is actually easier maintenance wise than replacing the cables, far less bother and setup - especially if it's just a quick bleed rather than a full one.

Shimano (no experience of SRAM or Campag) you just pull the hoods back, pop the bleed cup on and pull the lever a couple of times. More to the point if nothing is wrong with the brakes, you just leave them alone.

Cable actuated brakes are a compromise - better than rim brakes but not as good as full hydraulic. Downside to them is you don't get automatic pad adjustment so very occaisionally you need to get an allen key and move the pads in a touch (TRP Spyres, same as @vickster, very very good) and the mechanical advantage isn't as great so you need to put more force through the levers when braking.

I've got all three on my bikes and except in the wet (rim brakes take longer to stop) there's little to choose between them. I quite like mechanical discs as they have a similar feel when braking as rim brakes and stop better in the wet. But for long rides I'd choose hydraulics.

Sorry a bit of a ramble and not particularly illuminating.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

You just push out the old pads and push new ones in on a rim brake, surely?

Definitely easier than disc pads. Plus it's visually obvious when it needs doing.

That's if you have the cartridges. IME after a winters riding, the old blocks don't just push out.

The disc brake pads are easy enough. Drop wheel. Insert tool to push calliper back to starting position. Pull pin off the end of the slider. Unbolt slider. Prise old pads out - lose the spring. Find spring. Insert new pads and spring. Lube slider and bolt it back in place. Replace pin. Replace wheel.

Okay, now I think about it there's lot of steps. But I still find it less fiddly than setting up rim brakes.

That said, I do enjoy setting up vee and cantilever brakes. It's a nice skill.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

IME after a winters riding, the old blocks don't just push out.

I put a blob of grease on the rim blocks to slide them in. Come out very easily even after winter miles.

Definitely much easier than discs!

Cantis are the work of Beelzebub, though. I set those up with cartridge ones to avoid the awful resetup every time

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Bleeding brakes is actually easier maintenance wise than replacing the cables,

Seriously?

I replaced a cable on my son's bike a couple of days ago. Dead easy and much more so than faffing with fluids.

 

[Alex321]

Why are they noisy?
I must admit, I once rode a friend's disk brake bike and it was ear-piercingly and embarrassingly screechy when applying brakes, but that was more to do with the fact the bike hadn't been ridden for a few years (I think).

They are only noisy in the wet, or if the pads get contaminated.

Occasionally in the dry I'll find the first application is noisy due to condensation on the discs, but after that they are quiet.

 

[Psamathe]

I have Avid BB7 cable disc brakes, on a drop bar bike. Because I too don't want to mess about hydraulic fluid.

I have found them perfect. They require very little maintenance. I'm not a "fast" cyclist, which I suppose means I'm not braking hard a lot either.

I have Hayes CX on my upright which are fine except getting manufacturer pads is a bit of grief (as UK importer no longer stocks them ...) But they last for years so not a big problem.

On my bent I have BB7s what I also find great.

I use mine for recreational which includes a few months/few thousand miles camping touring each year (previously on upright, more recently on bent) so that's stopping a fair load additional to cycle+rider and I don't notice any deterioration with the load - which I (not expert) would interpret as them having well more than adequate stopping ability..

Maybe not all about speed but momentum? (i.e. weight can have a significant impact).

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

Occasionally in the dry I'll find the first application is noisy due to condensation on the discs, but after that they are quiet.

Likewise. In UK my cycles live indoors but camping touring they stay out overnight and get soaked from overnight dew and will squeal a bit when applied for a short distance (and I tend to leave campsites early and most French camp sites are edge of village so departure can be through village/town ... But they only squeal when applied and wet so it's really a non-issue.

Ian

 

[si_c]

I have Hayes CX on my upright which are fine except getting manufacturer pads is a bit of grief (as UK importer no longer stocks them ...) But they last for years so not a big problem.

Try Epic Bleed Solutions - they have their own versions of most pads as do Noah and Theo. Both I find to be as good as manufacturer pads - N&T do ceramic pads which are very good.

 

[si_c]

Seriously?

I replaced a cable on my son's bike a couple of days ago. Dead easy and much more so than faffing with fluids.

Yeah, I find Shimano brakes very easy to maintain and replacing the pads is not difficult at all, easier I find than rim brakes.

Probably a lot of that is familiarity but I find hydraulic less hassle - certainly on bikes with internal cable routing it's the easier option, externally routed cables might be the same or slightly easier but not much in it really.

Both jobs I can do within a half cup of tea.

 

[Mazz]

No. they were mechanical ("Mechanical disc brakes" means "Mechanical disc brakes")

eg https://www.clarkscyclesystems.com/brake-systems-mechanical-disc-brakes

I get it now- these are cable-operated.

 

[si_c]

I get it now- these are cable-operated.

Yep, cable pulls the pads together - there are three kinds of mechanical disc brakes, single sided, dual sided and hybrid. The single and dual have either 1 or two pistons which actuate, more is better as for single sided the side that moves bends the rotor against the fixed pad on the other side. These are particularly prone to noise and poor braking.

Dual sided are like the TRP Spyres - both pads move and when set up properly are very very good. Hybrids (e.g. TRP Hy/Rd) have hydraulic fluid in the caliper and the cable pushes against the fluid to move the pistons - much more like hydraulic in terms of control and the pads auto-adjust but feels more like a mechanical system.

Price goes up accordingly.

 

[fossyant]

Only had a small issue of a micro bleed on some SLX MTB callipers, but it was a used bike. Caused the pads to get contaminated, so nipped everything up, all OK. Advantage with disks is the light action of the brakes. Doesn't matter most of the time, but after four days of braking using canti rim brakes on the KAW, my hands were wrecked. Yes they stop, but they need more force.

MTB's definitely need discs !

 

[Webbo2]

How much do you weigh?

More than I’d like. Also I’m heading off holiday so it’s not looking good weight wise.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Only had a small issue of a micro bleed on some SLX MTB callipers, but it was a used bike. Caused the pads to get contaminated, so nipped everything up, all OK. Advantage with disks is the light action of the brakes. Doesn't matter most of the time, but after four days of braking using canti rim brakes on the KAW, my hands were wrecked. Yes they stop, but they need more force.

MTB's definitely need discs !

Agree about the cantis. When I had a Surly LHT I developed forearms like Popeye.

 

[YMFB]

if your not sure, stick with what you have.

I for one would not go back to cable rim brakes or cables. I often ride 5 days a week commuting and for pleasure, my everyday bike has at least one set of pads a year, they take moments to change. I've never had to attend to the hydraulics in four years. My daughters cable operated rim brakes need regular attention and it takes longer to remove the wheels.

Plus they feel better and I’m confident more efficient.