Billy Wizz
Veteran
- Location
- North Wales
People keep comenting on my disc brakes,the most common is,"oh i have hydraulic disc brakes"mine are cable,Boardman Hybrid,is there a significant difference.?
Hydraulic discs or cable.?
- Thread starter Billy Wizz
- Start date
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RecordAceFromNew
Swinging Member
- Location
- West London
The better hydraulic are more powerful than the best cable, and usually lighter at the levers. However for road bikes a well setup decent cable disc is more than adequate. You can usually service a cable disc brake inside 10 minutes pretty much anywhere (e.g. while on tour in the middle of nowhere). Hydraulic is a huge faff in comparison.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
What's to faff with on hydraulic brakes? Fit, adjust, check pads, change pads occasionally, and at the same time clean with IPA, possibly ten minutes work. Decent hydraulics really are fit and forget now, and don't need adjusting as the pads wear.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
What is IPA as I've never used it on mine.... (must go order new pads though).
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Isopropyl alcohol. You can get it off ebay for little money, just make sure you get the 99% stuff. It is a superb degreaser which doesn't leave a residue on pads or rotors. In my experience the only part of a bike that needs degreasing is the rotors, as they tend to get a build up of contaminants. A spray of IPA onto a clean rag and a good rub cleans them nicely.
A quick squirt into the caliper and a brush or rag also gets rid of any crud buildup before fitting the new pads.
A quick squirt into the caliper and a brush or rag also gets rid of any crud buildup before fitting the new pads.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
In terms of power, possibly, but decent cable disc brakes are fine unless you are a front row forward pitching yourself down 20 percenters every day with a fully laden tourer.
RecordAceFromNew
Swinging Member
- Location
- West London
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
No I'm not. I said some models, and was referring to the Avids on my Boardman. I also referred to the outdated Hopes that took a lot of faff to set up. I wouldn't recommend either model to anybody. In that post I stated that Servo Wave model Shimano brakes are more or less maintenance free.
In my post above I specifically said "decent hydraulics" and I would never put anything by Avid in that category. In twelve months I have replaced the pads in the SLX brakes on my Cotic a few times, but haven't had to bleed them once, nor have I had to centre them since initial setup.
HorTs
Über Member
- Location
- Portsmouth
I have budget hydraulics (can't remember brand) on my MTB and Avid BB7s (mechanical) on my tourer.
I have had the MTB 11 years and only had the brakes adjusted once. No problems with them, nice gradual stopping power - worry free braking.
The BB7s I've used for 1.5 years and again no problems really; the stopping power is gradual at first but they do grab a little at the end of the squeeze. The mechanicals of the callipers can get clogged up if you get really muddy.
I have had the MTB 11 years and only had the brakes adjusted once. No problems with them, nice gradual stopping power - worry free braking.
The BB7s I've used for 1.5 years and again no problems really; the stopping power is gradual at first but they do grab a little at the end of the squeeze. The mechanicals of the callipers can get clogged up if you get really muddy.
Jody
Stubborn git
Is that all Avid as I have Elixir 5's and they seem pretty good. Not had to do the bleed procedure yet so there is time for that to change yet. Only thing I can't get on with is the rear is a little snatchy when its on the back wheel.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
The Elixirs on my Boardman were great for commuting. I can't remember a week on that bike when I wasn't faffing with the brakes in some way shape or form however. The general consensus in the MTB community is that they are good when they work. Bleeding is supposed to be a nightmare, and doesn't always restore feel to the brakes. For that reason, I would say keep the Avids ( they come as OEM on thousands upon thousands of bikes) until they misbehave. If you can't get them right, fifty quid for a set of Deore would be money well spent.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
[QUOTE 2985310, member: 45"]Given the price you can get budget Shimano hydraulics for these days I don't get why anyone uses any cable disc brakes.[/QUOTE]
My sons Giant has an old integrated 7 speed gear selector and brake lever. So when we put a new set of forks that only took discs on it, short of changing the gear lever and the brake lever the mechanical disc option was by far the most cost effective. All that said the stopping power is nowhere near as good as the Deore hydraulics on my mtb.
My sons Giant has an old integrated 7 speed gear selector and brake lever. So when we put a new set of forks that only took discs on it, short of changing the gear lever and the brake lever the mechanical disc option was by far the most cost effective. All that said the stopping power is nowhere near as good as the Deore hydraulics on my mtb.
RecordAceFromNew
Swinging Member
- Location
- West London
[QUOTE 2985310, member: 45"]Given the price you can get budget Shimano hydraulics for these days I don't get why anyone uses any cable disc brakes.[/QUOTE]
Iirc the cheapest Shimano road hydraulics are c£400 a pair.. I think BB7s remains a popular choice for drop bars for good reason.
The OP was asking a general question, and I gave a general (and imho indisputable) answer. While you dispute the faff factor you actually did not say when failed they are not a faff to deal with, but that certain makes/classes are "fit and forget", which you seem to be qualifying with some rather broad qualification - like all Avids are suspect and "Shimano Servo Wave models are maintenance free" - I personally certainly have not tried all Avid models, nor Shimano's, perhaps you have...
But unless a lot of people are lying here, and certainly it is my personal experience, Shimano Servo Wave hydraulics are far from maintenance or faff free.
Iirc the cheapest Shimano road hydraulics are c£400 a pair.. I think BB7s remains a popular choice for drop bars for good reason.
The OP was asking a general question, and I gave a general (and imho indisputable) answer. While you dispute the faff factor you actually did not say when failed they are not a faff to deal with, but that certain makes/classes are "fit and forget", which you seem to be qualifying with some rather broad qualification - like all Avids are suspect and "Shimano Servo Wave models are maintenance free" - I personally certainly have not tried all Avid models, nor Shimano's, perhaps you have...
But unless a lot of people are lying here, and certainly it is my personal experience, Shimano Servo Wave hydraulics are far from maintenance or faff free.