Originally Posted by
philmarion
...what are the advantages/disadvantages of disk brakes? Do they break better? only in wet weather? Are they more likely to break and require expensive maintenance?
For commuters,the only real disadvantages for disc brakes are the initial cost is higher and it can be tricky to mount fenders and racks. Disc brakes stop as hard as a properly set up set of V's,but are uneffected by rain and snow,require fewer/easier adjustments,have much longer pad life,do not wear on the wheel rims,and still work if the wheel's out of true. Disc brake pads are usually easier to change than rim brake pads,replacing a worn rotor is much easier than rebuilding a wheel,and you don't have to disconnect/reconnect(or forget to) your brakes when removing the wheels.
Originally Posted by
philmarion
...Are there any websites that have done bike product reviews where I could read (hopefully impartial) evaluations of hybrid bikes? These sites exist for cameras and computers - do they exist for bikes?
There's MTB Review for MTB's and RoadBike Review for road bikes,but I've never seen a site just for hybrids(or any other subtype of bike). Basically your best shot is to search the forums or post a question about the model you're looking at.