Ge|atinousFury

Avid Mechanical Disc Brakes have just caught my eye for the first time. They seem to get good reviews at mtbreview.com. I had thought about purchasing my 2002 Trek 4500 with disc brakes already installed but I couldn't afford it at the time. I still want the advantage that disc brakes give when braking in wet weather.

Pricepoint has Avid Mechanical Disc Brakes for $69.99 and they now seem within my reach. I have read on this forum that my Trek 4500 has provisions for front disc brakes, but not for the rear. So here we go............

2002 Trek 4500........is this a worthwhile upgrade (front disc brakes only)?

How hard is the installation? I love stuff like this

Do I need ANYTHING ELSE besides what the package comes with?
(Website says the package includes caliper and disc, compatible with regular linear pull levers and standard brake cables. (51mm adapter is included).

MikeOK

$69.99! Man, that's almost free!

Definately.

It's easy.

Probably not but I'm not positive. Some forks require an adapter if the Avids are IS (internatinal standard), and I bet they are. Somebody here will know.

Ge|atinousFury

It says it comes with a 51mm adapter...could that be it?? Or is that something altogether different?

MikeOK

What brand fork is on the 4500? If I remember correctly, the Manitou's are the only ones that require something other than IS. dirtbikedude will see this in a minute, I'm sure he knows.

Ge|atinousFury

Rockshox Judy TT Fork

Question about disc brake provisions on the front of the bike........it's the the 2 holes in a protrusion for the disc brakes to mount onto.....but it's only on one half of the fork, not both phalves. Am I looking at the correct thing?

MikeOK

That's where she goes, the caliper that is, on those two mounts. I'm like 90% sure that RS uses the international standard. Someone here will know for sure. Something else to look at. Do you have a front disc hub? If you are running v brakes now you most likely do not. That will cost more than the brake you are getting.

Ge|atinousFury

read next post

Ge|atinousFury

Edit: I now know from looking at the disc hubs that my current hub is not a disc hub.

I'm still looking at some online vendors and I've found:

Shimano Deore Front Disc Hub - $19.98

Shimano XT Front Disc Hub - $34.98

My current components are all Shimano. Will these two hubs be interchangable with my current hub?

a2psyklnut

Yes and no. You can lace any hub to any rim as long as the spoke count is the same. Choices are 28, 32 or 36 in most cases. (exceptions include low spoke count wheels like Shimano's and Mavic's). You will probably have to get all new spokes as well because the hub flange diameter will be bigger on a disc hub vs. a standard hub. There is a chance to find a disc hub that has the same flange diameter, but chances are you won't. Sorry!

By the time you buy the hub, get new spokes, have someone relace the hub to the rim, you'll be better off buying an inexpensive set of disc ready hubs that are also rim brake compatible. Pricepoint has them pretty cheap around $100.00

Cheap Disc Wheels

Regarding the mounts, your RS Judy TT has IS (international Standard) mounts, yes, you will need that adaptor supplied. The Avid's will mount directly to post style mounts (those found on Manitou forks).

The only thing else you may need is a new brake cable and housing as yours will be too short (order one at the same time or get it any bike shop). You'll probably need a few zip ties (I prefer black), and a set of metric allen wrenches.

Ge|atinousFury

What exactly do you mean when you say "rim brake compatible" (besides that they're compatible with rim brakes lol). Are rim brakes the same thing as V-brakes? Because I see other wheelsets that say "V-brake compatible"......just wondering if it's the same thing, cuz I'd like to look around at come potential wheelsets but I need to know what characteristics to look for.

One more question, say (theoretically) that I bought the Shimano Deore Front Disc Hub and had my LBS attach the hub to the rim and get the new spokes and everything else. Will the finished wheel be any different from the wheel you linked to, or does the premade wheel have certain advantages?

slcpunk21

V-brakes work off of the rim...so yes they are rim brakes. As for a LBS wheel or prebuilt wheel

LBS wheel built in the shop will have greater attention given to it...they make sure the spokes are tensioned evenly and go through and stress the wheel and then retention it...the wheel will then stay truer longer.

Prebuilt wheel. Cheaper! If it's your firts set and you don't care what spokes and rims and hubs you get...just as long as they are for disk brakes, then go with the prebuilt! You can't really beat a wheelset for around 75-100 bucks.



Oh some wheels are built with disc hubs and also have a rim that has a sidewall on it that you can use rim brakes on. so that way you don't have to run disc brakes, but you'll have the wheels if you ever do deside to upgrade.

Ge|atinousFury

Ohh ok

So I get a wheelset that is compatible with Rim (V) brakes, and I get both wheels replaced, even though I'm only putting disc brakes on the front, correct?

And I've been looking at the prebuilt wheels with the Shimano XT hubs, as opposed to the Deore hub. What benefits will I get by going for the XT hub?

slcpunk21

Ya upgrade both wheels now, if you can afford it. Get hubs that are disc compatible...and make sure they are!! Also make sure that the rim itself is rim/v-brake compatible!

As for Deore and XT

Deore: Cheaper. works just fine for most applications

XT: lighter, smoother, as long as you aren't hucking your self off of very large things they'll work just fine or everything.

Personally I'd say save the money and go with the deore wheels and that way you can use the cash you didn't spend on the XT's and get disc brakes for the front and rear! Just my opinion though. I'm sure that through the summer you'll learn more about bikes, and you may find something later on that you like better than the xt's.

Ge|atinousFury

I think I'll stick with the Deore wheelset

I had read on here that a 2002 Trek 4500 has no provisions for rear disc brakes. Would getting the rear wheel with a disc hub solve that? Or do I need more adapters, etc.

Dirtgrinder

Are there two mounting holes on the left side of the frame near the rear axle? They would look like the ones on the front shock. Probably not if they say there are no provisions. I looked at the 4500 on Trek's page but couldn't tell because of the view. If there are no mounts you're out of luck on the rear disc.

slcpunk21

well actually you can get an adapter so you can put a disc on the rear...but honestly, I'd say don't waiste your money....save the cash you'd spend on that for the rear and just get a new frame as you get into mountain biking. V brakes work just fine....

Actually just save your money that you'd spend on everything and get a better frame! there ya go, solves the issues of the disc brakes, just get a new frame..ha ha ha.

Man it's up to you and what you want to do.

Ge|atinousFury

There are 3 holes in the frame near the back axle. I have no idea if they're the right holes or not, but when my roomate gets back from class in an hour or so I'll get his digital cam and post some pics up of the left side of the rear of the frame. If there are no provisions, no biggie.....I'll just get the front discs and be happy with that.

Dirtgrinder

This isn't the best pic, but look at the two tabs with holes above the rear axle dropouts. These are the disc brake mounts.

Ge|atinousFury

one sec..

Ge|atinousFury

Here is my artists rendering lol. The three holes on my frame have lines drawn to them. All holes are empty/unused.

slcpunk21

nope cant do it... those wholes are for racks or baby seats.

Ge|atinousFury

I'll just go with the front disc brake then. I'm gonna run down to my LBS today and see how much they'd charge to rebuild my wheel with a new hub and new spokes and everything then compare that to the price of a prebuilt wheel added to the LBS's price of putting the wheel on.

Ge|atinousFury

Went down to the LBS and talked a while with them.........I've decided to get a wheelset. They said they could get me:

1. A Ritchey Girder disc ready wheelset for $79.99

or

2. Shimano Deore disc ready wheelset for $99.00

They also had one of the Park Tool Cog Brushes so I saved myself about $6 shipping on that one


Would you take option 1 or option 2?

Ge|atinousFury

Even though the pic shows 2 wheels.....

Isn't this just one wheel for $94........


click here to see

MikeOK

That's just a good price. They must have bought a tub full of those things to be able to sell them that cheap. A wheelset is 2 wheels.