Originally Posted by
practical
I would classify that bike as a flatbar road bike as it appears the wheelbase is short like a road bike. I prefer a longer wheelbase as it is less "twitchy" and more stable on uncertain terrain at speeds over 25 mph. Also, I've never had disc brakes and wonder if they're worth the costs, extra weight and extra technical expertise/tools needed to fix and adjust. What do others think?
Yes, it's a flat-bar road bike (one current variant of "hybrid" -- completely useless term, in my view). Not a particularly short wheelbase (around 1005 mm for a Medium), and in any event wheelbase is only one (and relatively minor in and of itself) factor in high-speed stability.
Re. discs ... I have both v-brakes and disc brakes; have had for years. Both work well; I've never had any particular difficulty with discs re. adjustment or servicing. Been using BB7s for going on seven years now; apart from two sets of pads (normal wear) and cables, nothing. Been using TRP CX9 v brakes on my other bike for four years now; one set of pads/one set of cables. So about the same. Don't have hydros, but if I did I wouldn't expect much different: replace pads when needed, bleed if required. Re. the latter, apparently easy to learn to do oneself, or ... quick/cheapish job at LBS.