If you were buying a new bike - Disc vs Rim brakes

[Ming the Merciless]

What do all you 'disco-boys' reckon with regard to centre lock versus 6-bolt as the securing mechanism for discs? What are the factors? In danger of taking the plunge and need to buy hubs to build up (QR and 135/100).

Centre lock is the simpler to fit and remove. For instance if you break a spoke and need to replace, or you need to adjust or replace the hub bearings. I have managed to strip bolt threads on 6 bolt where as I can fit and remove centre lock with same tool I use for the cassette.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I agree, they are fiddly, and as much as I am able to do maintenance jobs on disc brakes, I don't like having to spend time doing them, and I can't imagine being able to replace damaged hydraulic disc brake tubing in a couple of hours on a wet sunday afternoon like I might with replacing rim brake cables. Last year I managed to lose the plug from the reservoir on my road disc brake calipers, which meant abandoning the job and waiting a week for a new plug before starting all over again.

Not even an hour to replace both front and rear hoses. It’s very easy but also a rare thing to do. On my mtn bike the original hoses were going strong after 14 years use. Use to bleed them once every two years.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I was vaguely considering a disc braked bike for my next bike for winter riding in the north west, or just wet days. Anyone who knows that neck of the woods knows that rain is very frequent.
But have decided against. For despite what you hear about lack of maintenance and bother from disc brakes I have heard some terrible rackets from disc brakes, some of which the owners has been plagued with for ages. Worst I have ever had from rim brakes is a bit of shrieking after initial pad fitment which either dies away or can be quickly sorted with a bit of toe in.
I made the final decision to stick with rims after reading some of the stuff from the esteemed brucey in a certain other place. He knows more about bikes and engineering than most of us will know in several lifetimes and he seems to reckon that discs aren't the panacea everyone reckons.
It's also my impression that you need beefier forks for discs and that this may affect comfort.
I have getting on for 10 bikes and have pretty much standardised on V brakes which make maintenance and spares very simple. Hewitt is clever rim cantis but knowing what I know know I would have specced that for Vs.
So I'm sticking with rims - will just use tough wheel on winter/rain bike - maybe Sputnik Rims. By the time they wear through I will have mastered the art of rerimming. I clean my rims regularly and check pads for rim-eating debris. No great problem.
If I was flying offroad down the side of steep mountains on technical tracks I would I am pretty sure go to discs, but I'm not.

Yeah but Bruce is just strongly opinionated , doesn’t mean his opinions are right. He comes up with a lot of stuff that doesn’t match real world use.

 

[Blue Hills]

Yeah but Bruce is just strongly opinionated , doesn’t mean his opinions are right. He comes up with a lot of stuff that doesn’t match real world use.

Never put me wrong yet.
I respect his tech knowledge which cares not much for marketing or what's new.
I know at least one other person on here who is a fan.
As for "real world", am pretty sure he has used discs and I think still does use them at times.
I stress i would use discs if i was a downhill mtber.
As for stopping power, i quite often carry obscene amounts of touring junk and Vs have proved up to stopping me down some serious northern hills. Cantis more of a problem.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Never put me wrong yet.
I respect his tech knowledge which cares not much for marketing or what's new.
I know at least one other person on here who is a fan.
As for "real world", am pretty sure he has used discs and I think still does use them at times.
I stress i would use discs if i was a downhill mtber.
As for stopping power, i quite often carry obscene amounts of touring junk and Vs have proved up to stopping me down some serious northern hills. Cantis more of a problem.

He has limited experience of discs and has said as much himself. He’s just another point of anecdotal tales.

 

[Blue Hills]

Let's agree to differ.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Let's agree to differ.

Let’s agree Bruce isn’t an authority on disc brakes.

 

[MntnMan62]

Do they still make rim brakes, how quaint

Pfffft

 

[Blue Hills]

Let’s agree Bruce isn’t an authority on disc brakes.

Er no.
You aren't the person who picks odd arguments with him are you?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Er no.
You aren't the person who picks odd arguments with him are you?

He picks arguments with everybody. It’s other way round!

 

[Mike_P]

One advantage of disc brakes not mentioned so far is that a wheel drops out without having to let the tyre down / a puncture repaired tyre can be inflated and checked before refitting.

 

[raleighnut]

One advantage of disc brakes not mentioned so far is that a wheel drops out without having to let the tyre down / a puncture repaired tyre can be inflated and checked before refitting.

Or you could flip the little lever on the calliper put there to allow the brakes to open enough to get the wheel in/out with the tyre inflated.


Don't forget to flip it back after you've fitted the wheel though.

 

[Mike_P]

Or you could flip the little lever on the calliper put there to allow the brakes to open enough to get the wheel in/out with the tyre inflated.


Don't forget to flip it back after you've fitted the wheel though.

I always find that be a good theory but it practice it does not shift the blocks enough to clear

 

[Blue Hills]

He picks arguments with everybody. It’s other way round!

At the risk of a divert, not true at all. Sounds like you ARE referring to yourself. It"s a very friendly helpful place with little ego in the bike sections, even when faced with technically ignorant questions from the likes of me.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

At the risk of a divert, not true at all. Sounds like you ARE referring to yourself. It"s a very friendly helpful place with little ego in the bike sections, even when faced with technically ignorant questions from the likes of me.

nope defo Brucey