Originally Posted by
Wilfred Laurier
I would not use the brakes as a deciding point. Both Tektro and Promax make acceptably good budget brakes
Originally Posted by
flipdip
"an entry level bike (that is <$900), such as yourself. These tend to come with the cheapest Tektro or Hayes disk brakes"
Should I go for the bike that has tektro brakes (Diamondback Overdrive Sport) or promax (GT Karakoram Comp)? There is a $50 difference between the two.
I am happy with my Hayes, and my wife is happy with her Tektros ... both entry level. Our expectations are quite reasonable (not being spoiled with better ones), and we were both very impressed with these hydraulic disc brakes compared to rim brakes. The reviews on these however are generally not very positive. But these are budget brakes, I have seen them advertised for well under $75 (front/back/levers/calipers/discs/pads)! Good ones cost well over $100 (Shimano seems good bang for the buck). Great ones go over $400. I would hope there is a difference for the premium, but if your expectations (and budget) are modest, the cheap ones will still impress.
I did not need "maintenance on them" either, other than occasional DIY adjustment.
I have not tried the better ones, but read some key differences are: power (good ones can be easily locked with one finger), modulation, adjustable levers, and heat dissipation (will not overheat going down long steep mountains riding the brakes).