I have one bike with disc brakes and two without. When I ride one of the two without (one is cantilever, one side-pull) I notice how much less braking power there is, especially in the rain. (Oh, and I'm 52 and have been riding since my teens, so I'm hardly someone who is just getting into cycling.)
The Soho and bikes like it are great for everyday all year 'round practical riding. I wish they made a mixte version. That would be the one extra practical feature that would get me to trade in my very similar Rocky Mountain Metropolis.