i've only ever ridden with hydraulic disc brakes, so i can't compare, but i can say that they've never given me any issues at all. after about 6,000 they just had their first brake pad replacement.

one thing i love about 'em is that they stop with the lightest of touches, and the modulation is an order of magnitude better than any rim brake set-up i've ever used, but that may be true of all disc brakes (i don't honestly know).

I haven't had any issues with cables freezing in 2 winters if disc riding, which was not the case when I road with cantis. The difference is that I run full-length housing on my disc-equipped commuter. I really like my BB7's besides the squealing that occurs whenever they get contaminated (generally subsides after some medium-hard braking). At any rate, thought I would throw out the full-length thing, as it makes a huge difference.

imo, the modulation of a decent hydraulic is orders of magnitude better than the modulation of any cable brake (disc or rim).

For a longtail or other bike with a long run or weird routing I'd go hydro.

Otherwise no for a commuter.

Thanks to cyclocross racing developments and impending allowance on the Pro Tour (that's what everyone thinks, anyway), STI-type road shifters will run hydraulics, too. Sram's Red group will have a hydraulic option, and although that's not exactly "affordable", it'll surely be added to the rest of their lineup.

I have to admit that this is part of why I'm holding out on building a disc-equipped commuter. I can swap over a bunch of parts now (I converted mine to drops but still have the flat bar and its controls), but part of me just wants to start with everything on a new bike just the way I want it.

hydraulics could always be used with drops and brifters, for quite a few years now

trickstuff makes the doppelmoppel which works extremely well from what i've seen. i don't ride drops so i can't comment personally

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I was a hard-core hydro guy until my most recent purchase, which had a set of Tektro Aquila cable discs (apparently the equivalent to the BB7). Can easily lock up the front even with my formidable 250lb. self onboard. Up until now I have only had experience with a set of extremely lame Tektro Novella cable brakes, so I was expecting more of the same. Definitely plan on keeping the Aquila cables...

Guess we are back to how much Bling can you have on your commuter and not have it Nicked off the street,
before very long.. .

Thank goodness my bike stays inside at home and at work...

Thinking this over, and since this is a commuting forum - probably not. The modulation may be orders of magnitude greater on the BEST hydraulic setup, and that might be interesting in a mtb bike, but for a commuter its really overkill.

Which isn't to say it wouldn't be fun - just that not everyone feels they need to commute in a Porche either.