Hydraulic brake types?

[andyfraser]

I'm surprised the brakes on Mr S's bike need bleeding occasionally, most Shimano ones are fit and forget.

Mine certainly have been.

 

[summerdays]

QED, as is sometimes said.

Obviously, if your brakes ever needed bleeding it would be common sense to use fresh fluid.

I'm surprised the brakes on Mr S's bike need bleeding occasionally, most Shimano ones are fit and forget.

Maybe his weren't set up correctly from the start but he'd find they went spongy and weren't as good as the avids he had had on a previous bike.

 

[Pale Rider]

Maybe his weren't set up correctly from the start but he'd find they went spongy and weren't as good as the avids he had had on a previous bike.

Fair enough, one can only speak as one finds.

Must be irritating, though.

It's likely air is getting in somewhere, but finding that tiny leak won't be easy.

Replacing the brakes - or the bike - would be the only sure way of solving the problem.

 

[bikeman66]

Hydraulic or mechanical?

To my mind there is absolutely no contest between mechanical and hydraulic disc brakes. Hydraulic is definitely the way to go. Virtually maintenance free, with no cables to stretch or get corroded and gummed up. The mechanical discs I have encountered never seem to have the power of a hydraulic system either. Had Hayes hydraulic discs (with DOT 4) on my Scott MTB for nine years now and the only thing I've ever had to do is change the pads a few times. Still got the original brake fluid in the system and everything still works fine. I use medium compound EBC pads, which give a good balance of stopping power and longevity. I occasionally take the wheels off and give the rotors a good clean with a recognized disc brake cleaner, but that's about it for maintenance.

I'd have to say that the Shimano hydraulics on my son's MTB have fantastic stopping power (more so than my Hayes brakes) but, in my opinion, not quite such good modulation.

 

[Pale Rider]

I'd have to say that the Shimano hydraulics on my son's MTB have fantastic stopping power (more so than my Hayes brakes) but, in my opinion, not quite such good modulation.

I have Tektro Auriga, Magura, and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes on my bikes.

The Shimano brakes have the most stopping power, but, as you say, at the cost of modulation.

The Maguras could do with a touch more grunt, in my opinion, but they are as smooth as silk and very easy to modulate.

Best compromise is the Tektros, which sit in between the other two.