I think the best stopping power available to a touring cyclist without sacrificing durability or field-reparability is the Avid BB7 Disc Brake + Compressionless Housing.

Why?

Avid BB7 brakes are widely available, and the caliper action is very good. They use a brake pad that weighs just a couple of ounces if you need to carry spares. The steel cable is standard across all types of brakes, so every bike shop in the world will have them. And, they're plenty durable with no corrosion or anything plaguing mine after two winters.

The Yokozuna Compressionless Cable Housing I picked up is a big upgrade to an already pretty great brake; it uses a different sort of brake housing with an extra layer of incompressible wire, which makes braking more powerful and precise. I wrote a review on this housing here.


I don't think brakes are talked about enough. When you're going downhill for 6-10 miles at a stretch, the brakes on your bike become life and death. It's the biggest safety feature on your bike. For loaded touring, I feel much more confident with a disc brake than I do with a rim brake, especially when it's snowing or raining.

Just my 2¢!