Originally Posted by
ESW116
In what context? Road riding? Sure, they're more like a sidegrade rather than an upgrade. But discs weren't developed from road riding. Go into the mountain bike forum and say that discs aren't a MASSIVE improvement over previous tech.
I
only have mountain bikes with hub mounted disc brakes. No, they are not a MASSIVE improvement. I obtained my first disc equipped mountain bike in 2001 but for 18 years before that I ran cantilever and then linear brakes (which I currently run on one bike). Neither disc nor linear brakes are that much of better than a set of properly adjusted cantilevers (which I still run on 3 bikes). Using the yardstick that is used here, I can skid the tires on my canti equipped bike. That
must make them good!
Originally Posted by
tjspiel
I used to wonder why you don't see disc brakes more often on road bikes. Now that I have them, I know why.
The road BB7s are fine but not a revolution in braking performance, especially if your road bike is used mostly in dry weather. That said you should be able to skid the rear wheel. Cable housing is more important in rear brakes due to the longer cable run. Compressionless housing (the kind made for brakes) makes them feel a little less spongy and might help.
Rim brakes have a ton of leverage compared to discs, especially on 700c wheels. I can see though where on off-road bikes, discs would have an advantage. As tires get bigger and harder to clear, you need more massive brake hardware for effective rim brakes. Offroad bikes are also more likely to be ridden in mud and in other conditions that favor discs.
The hardware is less important than the technique, especially when riding off-road.
Originally Posted by
CabezaShok
Plenty of MTB'ers still run Vees, they are lighter, cheaper, easier to dial-in, and simple to repair out on the remote trail. I use XTR V-brakes, Avid Speed Dial levers and a rear brake booster. Our trails are dry dessert type, but if its wet i can always change the pads. V-brakes are perfectly fine for dry XC trails....Id be happy to use discs, if i lived in snow/mud/downhill mountain country where id see a "MASSIVE improvement"...horses for courses.
The idea that disc work better in the wet neglects to take into account that the tires don't work any better. It's even worse with ice and snow. Sure they don't get frozen up as badly but the very last thing you want in slippery conditions is something that can stop the wheel but not stop the bike.