How far is your commute? I worked at a paid internship this past winter that had me commuting 17.5 miles each way over some serious hills - into and out of the lower part of Blackstone Valley. One hill was over 1/2 mile of climbing at a 8-13% grade. On the way down, I needed my front brake, since it was too steep to just use my legs for braking. My Tektro front brake was never an issue. But I only use all-weather Kool stop pads, which make a difference.