Disc Brakes or Rim

[Blue Hills]

One thing I know, the squeak from new rim pads you maybe need to toe in is but nothing to the devil's wail you can get from discs. Have been on some rides with folks suffering from that who had no idea how to sort it.
Hydraulics - had some (tho rim) on my old dale - never a problem for years. A joy to use. Then got issues on front and rear, got the bleed kit, never managed to sort it, gave up on them. By the side of the road I would have been walking, and a walk to a bikeshop may not have sorted it. I like stuff I can sort myself.
Vs for me from now on, enough stopping power for me even with the mass of junk I often carry.

 

[fossyant]

Has anyone actually shot through a set of disc pads on a long technical descent? Brand new pads worn to the backing plate??

I haven't worn through a set in 4years +months

I did it over a few weeks of rides in sloppy winter conditions - I now carry a spare set of pads just in case. Haven't worn through them that quick since.

 

[Threevok]

on the same note, what are people's opinions of Coaster brakes ?

I just purchased a BMX for my youngest son and it turns out it has a coaster brake on it. I'm not entirely sure why. Something to do with US law perhaps ?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I did it over a few weeks of rides in sloppy winter conditions - I now carry a spare set of pads just in case. Haven't worn through them that quick since.

Yeah but not in a single ride, or descent.🤗

 

[fossyant]

Correction, disc brakes on bikes are fugly full stop. Disc road = fugly. Disc hybid = fugly. Disc MTB = fugly. Doesn't matter what sort of bike it is, they are a complete eyesore regardless.

MTB's aren't pretty so discs are fine there.

I can't agree on your dislike of them. Discs on MTB's are essential if you are doing anything that needs you to stop or hold speed on a technical descent, and you aren't wearing our rims at an alarming rate.

 

[Threevok]

Not pretty ?

You should all be glad I am not at home at the moment, or I would be bombarding this thread with images of my single speed

 

[ianrauk]

on the same note, what are people's opinions of Coaster brakes ?

I just purchased a BMX for my youngest son and it turns out it has a coaster brake on it. I'm not entirely sure why. Something to do with US law perhaps ?

Ianrauk Jnr has a coaster brake. Took a little while to learn how to use it but once he did there was no problems with it. He became a demon at the rear wheel skid

 

[Threevok]

Ianrauk Jnr has a coaster brake. Took a little while to learn how to use it but once he did there was no problems with it. He became a demon at the rear wheel skid

Oh he's definitely going to like it then.

I had to replace the back tyre TWICE on his old one. Lord knows how many he'll eat up on this

 

[Smokin Joe]

I think discs look great.

 

[Vantage]

Discs on MTB's are essential if you are doing anything that needs you to stop or hold speed on a technical descent,

Essential is pushing it a bit. Cantis did perfectly fine till V brakes came out and V brakes did fine till discs came out.
Myself and even older folk here did mountain biking on rigid bikes with cantilevers coz we were proper hard. Unlike you modern day mountain bikers.
Bunch of big, soft, cotton wool wrapped girlie Jessie's that you are.

 

[bridgy]

Obviously you’ve never shot through a set of disc pads, part way through a ride ( easily done, if you have a set of long technical descents ). You really wouldn’t want the hassle involved in sorting them out, if it was cold wet and dark.

No, definitely never had this happen mid-ride, on either a road or mountan bike even on weekends away involving a lot of hard downhill braking. Never heard of it happening to anyone else I know either. On the other hand, I have experienced hydraulic disk brakes being much more effective than rim brakes over long, technical descents or in wet conditions, so I'd tend to act on that rather than the circumstance you describe.

If this happened to me - even on a long weekend away riding mountains, I would think I'd either got some rubbish pads or failed to keep an eye on the wear properly - which wouldn't be a very clever thing to do if planning on doing a lot of technical descents in cold, wet, dark conditions! (whether using disc or caliper brakes).

It sounds like you're describing a pretty extreme set of circumstances which won't affect most cyclists most of the time. Obviously if you're doing very specific types of riding - e.g. extreme conditions, or long remote rides where you need to be completely self sufficient - you will choose ALL your kit and components appropriately, I appreciate that but it doesn't mean it would a factor for most riders, most of the time.

 

[fossyant]

Essential is pushing it a bit. Cantis did perfectly fine till V brakes came out and V brakes did fine till discs came out.
Myself and even older folk here did mountain biking on rigid bikes with cantilevers coz we were proper hard. Unlike you modern day mountain bikers.
Bunch of big, soft, cotton wool wrapped girlie Jessie's that you are.

Erm, I was there - did Snowdon on my rigid MTB with cantis. 👅 I still have the bike and use it, but it's no-where near as quick downhill over the nasty stuff, than my modern full sus, plus it doesn't stop very will in comparison - it's ruddy frightening.

 

[I like Skol]

Pah! Brakes are for pussies, I prefer to run without, it's much quicker and they never wear out...

 

[Kajjal]

Correction, disc brakes on bikes are fugly full stop. Disc road = fugly. Disc hybid = fugly. Disc MTB = fugly. Doesn't matter what sort of bike it is, they are a complete eyesore regardless.



Needless to say, I'm not a fan of discs. Aside from the fact they look absolutely minging, I just don't see the point of them. I've never found any problem stopping using rim brakes, and in many situations the braking retardation available even from caliper rim brakes, exceeds the grip of the tyres anyway. Once you get to the point of locking a wheel, any extra available braking force is simply superfluous.
Oooh, look, I can put myself right over the bars with my super hydraulic discs using only one finger on the lever. What a load of complete cobblers.

You have been warned about your penny farthing a few times now

 

[Kajjal]

Erm, I was there - did Snowdon on my rigid MTB with cantis. 👅 I still have the bike and use it, but it's no-where near as quick downhill over the nasty stuff, than my modern full sus, plus it doesn't stop very will in comparison - it's ruddy frightening.

Out mountain biking in early 1990’s , friend shot down a long steep rocky descent and we were all in awe of his skills and bravery. Caught him up and turns out his cantilever brakes were full on the whole time

luckily everyone else had vbrakes and was fine