after hitting a car a few weeks ago as I couldn't stop in time I'm wondering what are the best brakes to have on a bike ? Looking at new bikes hybrids have discs and road bikes are calliper ? Is that the norm ? Having caliper on my 20 year old something mountain bike would disc be better nowadays ?
Best brakes
- Thread starter Jon tur
- Start date
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w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
Depending on how well they've been maintained just about anything might be better...
There's a bit of debate about discs vs calipers, it tends to come out that discs are generally better. I think I'm on pretty safe ground to say new discs will definitely beat 20 year old calipers.
Was it wet? Discs work better in the wet. Are there other things you could have done to anticipate the incident? Was it a case of pull on the brakes and continue to drift in to contact...
Oh, hybrids come with discs because it's (now marginally as more kit exists) easier to put discs on flat bars than drop bars and traditionally there is more of a consumer resistance with drop bar owners vs discs, possibly because they aren't allowed in road races yet.
There's a bit of debate about discs vs calipers, it tends to come out that discs are generally better. I think I'm on pretty safe ground to say new discs will definitely beat 20 year old calipers.
Was it wet? Discs work better in the wet. Are there other things you could have done to anticipate the incident? Was it a case of pull on the brakes and continue to drift in to contact...
Oh, hybrids come with discs because it's (now marginally as more kit exists) easier to put discs on flat bars than drop bars and traditionally there is more of a consumer resistance with drop bar owners vs discs, possibly because they aren't allowed in road races yet.
sidevalve
Über Member
There comes a point where tyre adhesion makes more difference than brakes and cycles don't have the sheer amount of rubber on the road [unlike cars or even m/cycles] to stop any faster. Well sorted calipers can be pretty good although new pads might help. Don't run away with the idea that new means better - a good caliper brake with new pads can give an effect not much short of sticking a stick through the spokes. As above how did it happen - if you just ran into the back of the car then sorry but you were too close for the conditions/brakes/your reaction time.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
The best solution is to not cycle too close to the vehicle in front of you...
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
there's a knack to braking too... you don't want to lock the wheel as quickly as possible, you want to slow the wheel as efficiently as possible.
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Until the O.P. says he ran into a parked car don't assume it. I had someone left hook last year, and I put it down to observation/awareness/sixth sense and koolstop that possibly saved my life that day (though some days I wish it hadn't), Tektro callipers (R356 I think, but would need to check)
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Learn how to do emergency turns and dismounts. You may end up on the verge or footway but that's better than a car.
Justinslow
Lovely jubbly
- Location
- Suffolk
Nige, mate, summer is coming, positive thoughts and all that! Hope your are doing ok.
well adjusted brakes should work,unless brake blocks are worn or they are really cheap trash
betty swollocks
large member
Unless it's MGIF who brakes as soon as they're past - that might be another scenario.
The OP does not say how the situation arose.
To answer the Op:- disc brakes are better because of their all-weather capability. Any type of rim braking is far less good in the wet and mud.
Having said that, v-brakes are much better than the side pull-type brakes you find on many 'road/racing' type bikes and also, some rim/brake pad combinations are better than others, both in the dry and the wet.
I would say that side pull/dual pivot brakes when well adjusted are as good as discs and V brakes. There are other factors when braking such as the rims, are they worn, mucky? The brake block condition, tyres also have a bearing on braking force.
