I don't know if I am going to Disc Brakes for Bicycle Touring

[RollingNoMad]

No way I am going to Disc Brakes for Bicycle Touring

Since I have put on my New Avid Single Digit 7 V-Brakes and Avid speed dial Brake levers. and Shimano XT trigger Shifter 9 speed. and There is times where I am Starting to look at Disc Brakes for Bicycle Touring? And I really don't like the idea of Having a Disc Brakes for Bicycle Touring! And I am going to be staying with V-Brakes for my Bicycle Touring Trips

I am using the Avid SD7 V-Brakes front and rear Kool Stop V-Type Brake Shoes
(Dual Compound-Black/Salmon Pad's Rear and Front Dual Compound Black/Salmon V2 Pad's) and Avid Speed dial V-brake levers

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Plenty of other touring riders are still on cantilever or V-brakes. If they please you then there is absolutely no problem with that.

 

[raleighnut]

Gotta agree, until there are just 1 or 2 different pad shapes/types for disc brakes (like there are for caliper/V/cantilever) who wants to be stuck while a bike shop orders em in cos they "Don't stock those mate" and you've just trashed em on a muddy/dusty trail.

 

[mjr]

Gotta agree, until there are just 1 or 2 different pad shapes/types for disc brakes (like there are for caliper/V/cantilever) who wants to be stuck while a bike shop orders em in cos they "Don't stock those mate" and you've just trashed em on a muddy/dusty trail.

On the plus side, they're a lot smaller to carry spares (than caliper/V/cantilever pads - and definitely my hub shoes!).

But on the minus side, it's another thing to remember to take.

 

[Ianboydsnr]

My touring bike has disc brakes, a Kona sutra, it’s around 10 years old and still using the original pads, I bought a new set of pads a couple of years ago, and they are tiny, but the old ones work well and have plenty of life, done 5000 miles, no wear on the wheels either, generally in hilly areas as well, so every time I am going down a 25% hill loaded, I am glad it has discs

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I tour on the Surly Disc Trucker. I carry a pair of spare pads and a cable. That’s it. Avid BB7 - Very easy to service.

The thing I always forget to pack are my nail clippers.

 

[Ianboydsnr]

I tour of the Surly Disc Trucker. I carry a pair of spare pads and a cable. That’s it. Avid BB7 - Very easy to service.

The thing I always forget to pack are my nail clippers.

Mine has the same brakes, I don’t even carry a spare cable, though they look and work ok, it’s about time I replaced them all.

 

[Aushiker]

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My bikepacking bike, a Salsa Mukluk has disc brakes whereas my Surly Long Haul Trucker has v-brakes. Both do the job, but if I was buying a new touring bike and discs where an option I would probably go with those.

Oh the Salsa is tubeless too ... <whoops>

 

[Drago]

No way I'm swapping my ordinary for one of those horrendous new fangled safety bicycles. No siree.

 

[Vantage]

I've had disc brakes on a few bikes and can safely say that their only advantage over rim brakes is no rim wear and a bent wheel doesn't really affect braking.
Granted they're more powerful, but both types stop the bike in the same distance. Either type will lock the tyre or flip the bike under the same circumstances.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I've had disc brakes on a few bikes and can safely say that their only advantage over rim brakes is no rim wear and a bent wheel doesn't really affect braking.
Granted they're more powerful, but both types stop the bike in the same distance. Either type will lock the tyre or flip the bike under the same circumstances.

And of course disc brakes are much more effective in the wet.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I have two cycles, one with vee brakes and one with disc brakes, normally I find no differance between them, as to rim wear from vee brakes it takes so many miles of normal touring to not be a real issue., however in muddy conditions I find the Disc brake better mainly because they dont suffer so much glogging up with mud as the vee brakes do.

 

[Bodhbh]

I've got a BB7 disc brake at the front and a Deore disc brake at the back. Only cos that's what was in the bit box at the time. If one of em goes, I'll replace it with a more rational setup but neither seemed inclined to die. Both have been going +10yrs no problem. The BB7 will prolly go first - lot of crusted aluminium there - death by road salt.

 

[Vantage]

And of course disc brakes are much more effective in the wet.

To be honest, I've never in the 6 1/2 years I've had the vantage had issues with braking in the wet. I pull the lever and the brakes bite straight away.
I'd say the cables and fingers get an easier life with more powerful brakes though. Prior to replacing the Oryx's with v brakes, keeping the bike under control on a rocky descent I pulled the lever so hard and so long that the outer broke through the sti housing and my hands were killing me.

 

[MichaelW2]

My 10 year old commuter bike has Shimano cable disk brakes and they are trouble free and effective. They work as well in the wet as the dry and they have plenty of stopping power. I find that in the wet, rim brakes take a rotation or two to bite unless you feather the brakes to clear them.
For tourists, they prevent the rim from getting too hot on a big decent. What are the disadvantages of disks for tourists?
Pads? Pick a common type and carry the small spare pads. I have problems finding pads for my old cantilevers in many bike shops, they are all v-brake pads now. You have to cut them down with a hacksaw to fit.
Fork stiffness? You do need a stronger, stiffer fork for disks which has less built-in vibration absorption. fatter tyres would probably help.
The location of the rear brake should be on the chainstay to avoid interference with rack and 'guards. Brake manufacturers have yet to adjust the cable exit angle for this location.