easyperson

Do you racers go for the light-weight of v-brakes, or the all-around stopping power of discs?

Frunkin

v's because Im poor, and I crash alot

Markok765

I don't race, but I have discs on my MTB, and Shimano dura-ace V brakes on my road bike, and I find that the shimanos stop as well as my discs.

ghettocruiser

Say what?

Markok765

Here: https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...315&MODE=&TFC=

Bike Lover

I will say that I love my hydros (XTR) and I'll take all the stopping power and modulation I can get. I don't get the same power/modulation on my record equiped road bike. So for me, it's hydros, but everyone has thier own preferences.

mtnbk3000

if you really want light weight go for v's
if you are willing to sacrifice some weight for some stopping power get mechanical disc brakes(i am pretty sure hydros are heavier)

RIC0

1970 = v brakes

2007 = disk brakes

ghettocruiser

2008 Shimano Dura-Ace 10-Speed BR-7800 Brake Calipers

sjs731

To see the real difference you need to have a muddy race and see how much mud build up in the v-brakes to the point of stopping the tire from spinning and also see what the built up mud does to the sides of your wheels when you are trying to stop. Disc brakes are the only way to go on a MTB.

ZeCanon

Those are not V brakes, those are road brakes (duel pivot brake calipers, to be more exact). And on a road bike you have such a small contact patch with the ground, pretty much anything will stop you, though some brakes have a nicer feel.

I run discs for racing.

never

There's no way that v-brakes could stop me on some of the courses I've raced.

dematrix

i use disc brakes on my latest bike which is wreaked but on my previous bike a clude butler hardtail i had v brakes but this was used more on the road after feeling the stopping power on disc brakes i couldnt switch back also discs are better in wet weather

ZeCanon

I call BS, assuming you're racing XC.

salsa

If you live out west where it is dry I would race v-brakes but in West Virginia where there is 6 inches of mud on all the courses, and v -brakes just stop your wheel from spinning I race disc. My Marta SL are pretty light I think.

ZeCanon come to SnowShoe,WV and you wont think what Never posted is BS.

ZeCanon

I've raced snowshoe, and I'm from Vermont. Trust me, I know mud.

BS.

Cyclist30907654

what if he didn't race XC?

Dannihilator

Nope, V's were a product of the late 1980's/Early 90's.

Disc for me.

ZeCanon

See:
I'm not saying I prefer v-brakes. I don't. I'm saying they are adequate for virtually every XC situation, even if they may not be the best. Saying they "will not stop you" is a false.

ZeCanon

Based on personal experience, the friction my v-brakes provided was always greater than that of my tire with the ground, meaning I could always lock them up and modulate them to some extent. If the conditions were nasty enough that my brakes weren't working very well, the ground was slippery enough that braking power was irrelevant anyway.

Like I said, I'm not advocating v's. I don't like them, except for their low-weight, and I don't run them on any of my bikes. But they do their job, and did for a long time before discs became popular. If you're on a budget, don't discount a good set of V's.

ZeCanon

And sometimes discs "will not stop you" either, if you're going to be nitpicky about it. This year, after a stream crossing in one race followed by a short, steep, brakeless downhill into a rockgarden, my wet discs barely slowed me down for about 20m.
I never, once had a single instance where my v-brakes failed to stop me, racing in very wet New England as well as around the country on the norba circuit. They are capable brakes, so when people go around claiming they "will not stop you," I will argue otherwise. In most cases, I believe you would do the same (but since you are following me around rebutting all my posts, that is not the case here)
Sorry if my experience isn't enough for you.

dminor 

ZeCanon, I really don't think it's a matter of whether or not a brake "will stop you;" it's more a matter of how effeciently one brake will stop you over another. For nearly any given condition, disc brakes are more efficient stoppers. Just because a V-brake will work does not detract from the fact that a better-working brake will improve your confidence in technical sections, make your riding more efficient and make you faster. To borrow the old motocross axiom, "the faster you can stop, the faster you can go."

I've raced a lot of XC - - on a more recreational level than my DH racing - - and I can definitely see the advantages to discs for XC racing. Given a choice, I would not be running vees any more on any mountain bike of mine.

never

Don't assume...this is a racing forum, not an XC racing forum. And the OP didn't mention any specific riding style.

ZeCanon

The original question was whether racers prefer v-brakes or discs. Since there was a lack of input from the racing side of things, I gave my opinion: discs are superior, but for most racing applications v-brakes are up to the task. To say that they are not suitable for MOST xc races is false - even if they may not be the best. There are still many, many racers who run v's, especially in dry climates.
I wasn't arguing that he should run v-brakes. I was arguing that saying discs are the only way to go is foolish.

never

Remember, you're posting in a race forum, not an XC race forum.

And who said discs are the only way to go?