Discs or V Brakes?

[02GF74]

Disc brakes are, IMHO the only option if you're riding in wet or muddy conditions.

In other words, if you live in UK.

 

[barq]

Interesting how polarised people are on the matter of rim wear. I think we are all in the UK, so for argument's sake let us assume we all ride in the mud. I get the impression some people use their brakes much more than others which perhaps accounts for the difference. People's definitions of when a rim is worn out are also quite variable.

I generally prefer disc brakes, but well adjusted V brakes aren't a bad choice. I'd rather them than cheap/nasty discs.

 

[Lion]

I prefer V brakes just for the simplicity, its odd that its been mentioned that discs are better in wet and muddy conditions as my last mtb that had them i was forever cleaning them in order for them to work if i went through the woods, id often find a bit of twig lodged in the caliper, but it was a cheap setup.
Ive never had any problems with rim wear though.

 

[SilverSurfer]

There is the point I think. The Avalanche has some sort of Tektro and my hybrid had Avids - most people seem to rate Hopes.

I think unless you are spending mega bucks you would be better off with good quality Vs.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

It's a separate debate as to where the price point might be before you begin to see the benefits of disks brakes, but given a decent quality of both, disks win hands down on everything except a slight weight penalty. Even the complexity issue is a bit of a red herring; hydraulics are pretty simple in both theory and practise, but their reliability means they are virtually fit and forget.

I'm sorry, but those who don't suffer rim wear need to get out more. If you ride off road at least three times a week in the Dales and Lakes year round, you are hard pushed to have any rim last a year. V-brake pads can vanish within one ride in gritstone country and Dartmoor and the Cairngorms in the wet can see the granite paste in their mud do horrible things to a rim in a weekend.

Switching V's for disks in that scenario, is the switch from constant fiddling and adjusting whilst keeping V's at their best, to very infrequent, but perhaps more involved servicing of hydraulic disks. You pays your money and takes your choice.

 

[globalfish]

If you really can't bleed brakes, then maybe 24 gears are out of your league too!
Ha ha, just kiddin'!
I switched to hydraulic when cable operated discs failed to stop me in time at speeds over 30mph. I wouldn't consider anything other than hydraulic discs for the conditions, and places i ride in. V-brakes & cable discs just don't do the business.

 

[e-rider]

It's a fair point that it really depends on the trail conditions and discs are often the only real choice in more 'extreme' winter conditions.

However, Vs work for me and I've never felt the need to upgrade. I do however, always buy disc ready hubs and make sure there's a disc mount on new forks just in case I change my mind!

 

[SilverSurfer]

Of course. The Avalanche has disc mounts all round I think so that I can upgrade at a later date if I wish

 

[col]

Iv never had a rim wear problem with blocks, and dont get what the difference would be other than slightly easier to pull the levers.Well set up blocks do the same job dont they, the wheel will lock up at the same point of braking with both.And one finger braking with blocks is just as easy.

 

[GilesM]

Iv never had a rim wear problem with blocks, and dont get what the difference would be other than slightly easier to pull the levers.Well set up blocks do the same job dont they, the wheel will lock up at the same point of braking with both.And one finger braking with blocks is just as easy.

Try a bike with good quality well set up hydraulic disc brakes, and try it on some good descents, you'll soon see the benefit.

 

[col]

Try a bike with good quality well set up hydraulic disc brakes, and try it on some good descents, you'll soon see the benefit.

Im not pulling disks down, and I dont doubt a good set is going to show a difference in some way, but the extra price for how much difference, is it really worth it when blocks can stop you as quick ?

 

[mickle]

Im not pulling disks down, and I dont doubt a good set is going to show a difference in some way, but the extra price for how much difference, is it really worth it when blocks can stop you as quick ?

But they don't col, that's the thing. I happen to like light, short-travel hard tails. Even a set of the finest linear-pull brakes on ceramic rims can't haul you up as quick as a middle of the range disc such as Giant's MPH. But then a short travel HT isn't going to be coming off the mountain with the same urgency as a long travel bike. It's horses for courses.

I think my next mountain bike will have discs though.

 

[jpembroke]

Don't know if anyone's already suggested this but if you are put off by hydraulic disks have you considered mechanical disks? To be honest there is only one worth getting really - the Avid BB7 - but it's an awesome brake. They only cost about £40 each, are very powerful, easy to fit, highly adjustable (pads can be dialed in and out by hand), and can be used with existing v-brake levers. They are also highly rated - worth checking out the reviews (see below) on CRC (5 out of 5) or mtbreview.com (where they get 4.64/5 after nearly 700 reviews!!!). I use them on my On One Inbred and have been very very impressed with them.

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/brakes/disc...ll-bearing-disc-brake/PRD_350666_1507crx.aspx

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31347

 

[wyno70]

For me it's disks every time. Only changed my bike 8 months ago, had V's on the old one and can remember numerous rides where I had to stop and 'declag' all the mud and crap that had collected round the V brakes, so much so that on a couple of occasions the wheels simply siezed!!

Other than that, stopping power is many times better with the disks, which given some of the downhills I regularly go down, is important to me!!!

I certainly wouldn't consider going back to V's at any time in the future!

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Can't decide whther to go for hydraulic discs or just plump for good, ol fashioned V brakes.

I had a bike with hydraulic discs and initially thought they were great. Then I realised that they would need to be serviced at some point and I realised that I didn't kow how to do that. Bleeding brake fluid and changing pads seems like car servicing to me.

So I'm starting to think that for my type of riding (cross country trails, nothing technical) that Vs would be a more sensible choice.

The only downside that I can see to Vs is that they will wear through more rims - is this the only consideration?

V-brakes seem fine for me and i do alot of cycling off road