Touring - long MTB tour on V-brakes or disc?

I've only been riding for a short time so I could use some advice. I was setting up a steel frame hard tail mountain bike for a trek from LA to Chile (and possibly onward) using a BOB trailer. So the bike shop guy suggested I get a Ritchey 'Niti' frame and we were going to set it up with disc brakes and Shimano Xt parts. But once it arrived we realized the frame only comes with mounts for V-brakes.

So my initial reaction was that I HAVE to have disc brakes, get something else. But then I thought maybe this is happening for a reason and I should consider V-brakes.

What are the pro's and con's of each set of brakes on a trip like this. I assume parts would be easier to get for V-brakes in central and South America. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

V-brake cons: None I can think of.

I've never used discs but I'm sure others may comment on parts availability south of the border should they need servicing.

Which rigid fork will you be running on the hardtail frame?

if you're going to be away from civilization, then you should have the simplest,
most functional equipment. stuff you can fix with duct tape and bailing wire.
sure, macguyver can weld your frame with a can of shaving cream and a llama,
but us mere mortals have to make do with the tools/spares we can carry.

have you considered going with xt cantilevers? indestructible and fully servicable.
i've never used v-brakes or disks tho.

for the bob, carry a couple extra cotter pins and an extra skewer. also the hub is
not the best quality. on a trip of that length, be prepared to break it down to
repack the bearings.

Easy solution: Use a Disc brake on the front and a V-brake in the rear. 70-80% of your braking power comes from the front. Nearly all suspension forks have disc mounts these days and it's easy to purchase an inexpensive rigid disc fork if you prefer that. Use an Avid cable actuated disc brake so you don't have to worry about hydrolic lines. Disc brake pads far outlast rim pads so you'll have less maintenance and more stopping power, especially if you are riding in the rain.

I actually would suggest the reverse... or 2 v-brakes. Parts for v-brakes or canti are simple, and the only problem is that you have to carry spare pads (small).

Drawbacks of v-brakes? If you brake too much in wet mud, you will wear out your rims. However, for "normal" terrain, I don't think you would brake that much or that hard and you will probably wear your rims for other reasons, like rocks and the like.
Another problem with rim brakes is that your wheels must be relatively true. If you crash, you might have to disconnect a brake. Finally, if you brake for too long on a long steep descent, you will eventually warm your rims too much and might blow up a tire. This is a problem with loaded tandems, but not with singles, at least not in North America.

On the other hand, disc brakes are less standard, so you might need to carry more spare parts, "just in case". And when a disc brake is used on the front wheel, there is additional torque in the fork; some manufacturers claim that you need a beefier fork which adds 300-400 g to the fork. A problem for a road or touring bike; probably not for a mountain bike which is already designed for a rough road.

If you plan to do a lot of off-roading or long, steep gravel descents, a 3-brake setup would be ideal. You could use 2 v-brakes, as well as a disc brake on the rear wheel. You would use the latter on and off to limit your speed (never apply a disc brake continuously for a 10-km descent), and in a pinch, you would have a 3rd brake to use for "spare parts" if the need arises.

go with four brakes, two v or canti, and two disk, with four levers use one set for keeping speed in check on long hills(they get warm) and the other two if you need to stop on said hills (more heat, don't add it to the heat of the first set of brakes). Also this allows for backup in cases of a lack of parts.:) joke or no?

the cons of rim brakes are they work poorly when wet, although if they are hot on a long downhill they will dry off and look all steamy and bodacious and the water will keep them a bit cooler. they also wear on your rims but under normal use it is very little.
Disk brakes cons: stress the spokes in a twisting fashion which is why radial laced wheels are never and will never, ever, be used with disks or drums or any other hub brakes. so you may want slightly beefier spoke/wheel setup if you are going to have loaded panniers, but your useing a trailer so maybe just a beefier rear wheel because some of the trailer weight is on the rear wheel, more of your weight is on the rear that the front and it is a hardtail (shock loads are much higher than on a full suspention)

go with four brakes, two v or canti, and two disk, with four levers use one set for keeping speed in check on long hills(they get warm) and the other two if you need to stop on said hills (more heat, don't add it to the heat of the first set of brakes). Also this allows for backup in cases of a lack of parts.:) joke or no?


yeah!

i tour with mechanical discs. they are trouble-free, long wearing and easy to fix. hydraulic discs would be a no-no for xeno-touring in the third world. what if you snagged a line and pulled it loose?
discs put more strain on spokes, v-brakes wear out rims over time. can't have it all.
south america gets wet wet wet... discs work really well in wet. i know they used to make adapters for frames without mounts.