If the rod brake linkage were actuating pinch type brake calipers with modern shoe compounds against aluminum rims then they'd be awesome. The problem is that they instead pull old tech rubber shoes outwards against a steel rim... so it's not really a rod vs cable actuation issue per se. However the brakes do work well enough on flats and moderate hills. I certainly wouldn't bomb down a hill with reckless abandon like I could on bikes with decent modern brakes.