RoadRash

Is there a point to disc brakes on XC bikes? Are V's not good enough anymore? dont they weigh alot? im seeing more and more of them every day... i dont see the point...

Thin Air

They're actually not too bad (the hydraulic ones anyway), yes they do weigh a bit more, but not much. They take a bit to brake in, but once they're working a full capacity, they rule, especially if you ride in wet or muddy areas. But yes it is a fad, that's why many manufacturers are adding cable actuated discs to their line up, basically just for looks. V's a superior to cable actuated discs.

------------------
Nelson's Bicycle Links
https://www.geocities.com/bikelinks

The Dude

You guys are actually foregetting one thing. Disc brakes are the only brakes that doesn't wear on your rim. That can save a lot of money if you're using an expensive rim.

RoadRash

Ahhh. good points, i dont get to ride in mud much, or have expensive rims... so i didnt think about that.

Maxthemutt

I don't understand why hydraulic disc brakes would be good and cables would be bad. Wouldn't the only performance difference be the amount of effort applied on the levers to stop? Wouldn't they still be better than Vee brakes in wet weather? The only other real disadvantage I can see is they would require more adjustments than hydaulic brakes. I am thinking about buying a bike with cable disc brakes and would appreciate the input.

NZRaceBoy

I have a Cannondale bike with the CADD 5 frame, it has no mounts for 'normal' V's and is therefore Disc only... the bike weighs about 21lbs... because it is disc only, the weight saved from removing the brake bosses for V's means the discs don't weight much more than XTR V's... I'd never go back to V's, I love the power and modulation of discs. cannondale are commited to discs, with there race-team, so I don't think it's a fad for them

tj

There was a review in the July '00 issue of Mountain Bike that had a Disk Brake review. Although they chose the Shimano XT Disc's as "Editor's Choice", the write-up on Avid's Cable Actuated Disc's changed my mind. These sound like the idea system for XC. No hydraulic's to deal with, extremely adjustable, and very cost effective.
From what I've read about other Cable Disc brakes, I would be very leary of any of the currently available units, and would opt to wait until the verdict was in on the Avids.
Hope this helps...
tj

steve671

I just put the Shimano XT discs on my 2000 GT XCR2000, and they have incredible stopping power. I would recommend them if anyone is considering this brake set.

jekyllrider

I agree with NZRaceBoy, I have a Cannondale Jekyll3000sl and after using the hydraulic discs in a couple races and after some long downhills that would have ate half a set of pads I will never go back. They do not fade. I have the same fork setup with no brake bosses and the rear swingarm has none either. Just shy of 25 pounds out of the box. I read the review on Avid cable discs and was impressed, but what happens to the performance when your cable gets dirty and old???

Mikey101

I'm planning on puting a Pair of avid ball bearing seven mechanical disc brakes with avid Fr-5 levers on my stock Trek 6500. The only reason I'm putting them on is because my mom and me like to ride in any weather, which means we usually ride in the mud. Don't get disc brakes, unless you ride in poor contitions often (Mud, Rain etc). They do add weight, but unless you are crazy about a super light weight bike, it really doesn't matter. A definate plus is that they offer consistant high stopping power.

Mikey101

For mechanical disc, get the 160mm rotors, because they offer very good stopping power and they don't bend as much as a 185 or 203 rotor. For XC, a 160 rotor is all you need.

a2psyklnut

Hey Mikey, no worries about digging up threads, just make sure the information is still relevant.

I closed the other thread about the forks, because it was old info.

I'll leave this one for now.

scrublover

you do realize you just responded to a thread over 4 years old, right?

times and disc brakes have change. alot.

most of what's above you in the thread is not very applicable at this point in time......

Singlespeedster

Random observation on disc brakes, but qualifications first.

All 5 of my mountain bikes have disc brakes. I run Hayes, Avid mech., and Martas.

I see a lot of "advice" here about getting disc brakes foor mud, or their superior power. I think this misses the mark.

While it is true that disc brakes have more stopping power, this isn't really the point. Brakes are a governmental system. They govern the amount of stopping power applied to the wheels. Like any governmental system, they are only effective if they have CONTROL over that power. This is why I prefer disc brakes. I can more easily and precisely feather off just the right amount of speed. I can avoid locking up the wheels, especially the rear wheel on very steep sketchy descents. And as a result of this, I can go faster.

Having switched that hardtail from v brakes to avid mechanical discs, I wouldn't agree that v's are better than cable actuated discs.

The same thing that happens to v brakke cables, or shifter cables. You clean them or replace them. I find that running full housing on my avid mechs increases their performance over time.

A lot of people shy away from the hydro systems because they are afraid of having to deal with them failing on the trail. In the several years that I have been running hydraulic disc brakes, I have yet to have this be an issue.

Buzzbomb

Even though it's old, it is a classic. I'm going to save this one for people who tell me 29ers are just a fad...

Cornish_Rdr_UK

Anyway, In the Uk the whole place is mud so Discs are a must for XC rides... In dry and dusty conditions, Id rather have V's but for over here, you just wouldnt survive for very long with them so you have to pay the weight penalty and buy at least cable discs..

Sebach

I loves my discs. On a slightly inclining area, you can go a nice little while without using your brakes and mud can accumulate on your rims pretty good. Then when you need fast stopping power (say an upcoming 90 degree turn on a downslope), you apply some force to your V's, there might be a couple seconds where your pads are just clearing mud and water from your rims before enough of the actual stopping force is applied to make a difference. Nice to know that I don't have to "pre-pump" my brakes before I intend to use them on the trail. I loves my discs.

DMN

Disks have the main advantage for me that they don't lock in the same way the v-brakes do, this is very good if your flying down a hill and don't want to go over your handlebars

stapfam

Hate to say it but I still use "V"'s. Only disadvantage to me is the Rim wear, but this will happen in dry conditions in any case. Wheels only last 2 years max before a rim change is due, but New wheels work out cheaper than re-rimming. "V" brakes still work well enough on the Solo XC, but then I'm a gentle rider on the bike. However-- If you are a heavier rider, riding aggressively at high speed all the time, or are prepared to put up with the weight gain and cost-- Then Disc brakes do work more effectively.

By the way, British mud is abundant this year, and the axle deep stuff I encountered on Sunday would not have helped save the disc pads.

jayson

Both of my bikes have discs and i would NEVER go back to Vs. The power and feel i get from them is leagues beyond anything u get from even the best V brakes money can buy, i think the small increase in weight is worth it for the benefits they give.

Sebach

So 5 years later, is it safe to say that discs on XC's are not just a fad? LOL

cryogenic

I swear this is a weekly thread... Everytime I turn around, someone asks whether or not they should put discs on xxx bike. Either way, I see no reason NOT to run discs. One other really big advantage to discs is that if you kill a wheel pretty badly, it won't rub on the discs and you can nurse it home as long as it's not rubbing on the frame. Also, I've found the BB7's to be very easy to adjust, requiring only a click or two on each adjustment wheel once every few weeks. No big deal.

DocRay

Race teams define fads, that's part of their job. I have both V-brakes and a mech disc bikes, the big difference is in the wet.

myenzo

Hayes MX2's are ok for begginners who do not have a lot of money. They came standard with my bike. And so far they have required no ajustment, and they have outperformed my V's I had on my other bike.

leadbutt

Maybe you've just rode the cheap ones...

I'm still using the original Avid mech disc brakes that came on my 02' Schwinn Mesa. I recently built up a new bike, and since they still work great, I kept them. Hydraulic is good for most cases, and some are better but not all. I rode Hayes and Magura-equipped bikes, and unless you spend the time to bleed and adjust and tune them, they're not that much better. I'm sure they've worked out alot of the kinks with the newer stuff, but I won't switch til I build my next bike. I prefer the mech's because if you cut a hydraulic brake line, you're screwed. You can still mend a broken cable.