Mechanical Disc Brakes vs. Hydraulic

[Peteaud]

Me too. I've Deore hydros on one bike and Deore mechanical on the other. The mechanical need adjusting every 200 miles to keep them sharp. The hydros have been bled three times in 3 years. The only downside for hydros is you can't put the bike upside down or on its side for fear of getting air in them. This might be problem if the bike is transported a lot.

Thats the biggest problem with the Avids.

 

[Red Light]

I haven't bled the hydraulic discs on my bike for years and they work just fine. Brake cables OTOH are a constant source of problems IME from needing regular lubricating to stop them gunging up, regular adjustment to take out cable stretch and pad wear and regular replacement because despite all the lubrication they degrade fairly fast.

I've just replace the Avid BB7s on my commuter bike with Hope Minis because on the Avids you could pull the levers to the bars as the cable stretched even with the pads set very close so they bite as soon as the brake lever was pulled. The Hopes the lever goes in a little way and then just goes solid with more pressure giving more braking. My confidence in the braking is so much higher and the feel so much better. And I don't get the intermittent pads rubbing on disc noises of pads set very close to the rotor.

 

[xxmimixx]

what about the Shimano CX75 disc brakes?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Me too. I've Deore hydros on one bike and Deore mechanical on the other. The mechanical need adjusting every 200 miles to keep them sharp. The hydros have been bled three times in 3 years. The only downside for hydros is you can't put the bike upside down or on its side for fear of getting air in them. This might be problem if the bike is transported a lot.

I've got shimano M486 hydros on my Ute bike, it lives nose up hnging on the wall at home and the brakes are well enough sealed to remain crisp and sharp & only need bleeding as part of its big annual service

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

My bikes always get maintained upside down and I've never had an air issue. It's the first time I've heard of it. As for bleeding hydro brakes, dead easy....take the lid off the reservoir, top up the fluid if needed, cable tie the lever back overnight....job done.

 

[ufkacbln]

Catch a hydraulic cable on a protruding branch or similar

Now do a roadside repair......

I once toured some 200 miles before finding a shop that stocked the appropriate parts and were willing to fit

 

[Andy_R]

Catch a hydraulic cable on a protruding branch or similar

Now do a roadside repair......

I once toured some 200 miles before finding a shop that stocked the appropriate parts and were willing to fit

+1

I did the last half of the C2C with just a front brake because of a "snagged" hydro hose. when I got home, I stuck the M775s on the 'bay and ordered a set of BB7s. Carry a spare brake cable, no worries about fixing brakes when away from home, and believe me, when they're properly installed with good quality cables in decent housings they're every bit as good at stopping me as any hydro. No tools required to adjust them either, just a "clicky" wheel on either side of the caliper to wind the pads in or out. As far as I'm concerend, that amounts to almost zero "faffage".

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

+1

I did the last half of the C2C with just a front brake because of a "snagged" hydro hose. when I got home, I stuck the M775s on the 'bay and ordered a set of BB7s. Carry a spare brake cable, no worries about fixing brakes when away from home, and believe me, when they're properly installed with good quality cables in decent housings they're every bit as good at stopping me as any hydro. No tools required to adjust them either, just a "clicky" wheel on either side of the caliper to wind the pads in or out. As far as I'm concerend, that amounts to almost zero "faffage".

No way are avid bb7's as powerful as my hope 4 pots

 

[Andy_R]

No way are avid bb7's as powerful as my hope 4 pots

Maybe so, but they provide enough stopping power to lock my wheels if I need them to, and give me enough feedback to tell me when that's about to happen, so what more do I need? (Don't forget, bicycle brakes are only as powerful as the person squeezing the lever and the mechanical advantage of said lever, so your hopes may require less effort, but are no more or less "powerful")

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Maybe so, but they provide enough stopping power to lock my wheels if I need them to, and give me enough feedback to tell me when that's about to happen, so what more do I need? (Don't forget, bicycle brakes are only as powerful as the person squeezing the lever and the mechanical advantage of said lever, so your hopes may require less effort, but are no more or less "powerful")

I don't disagree but bb7's just don't have enough power or power modulation for me. at 18 stone on the Mary townley loop or no brake fade at the bottom of Manchester road (5 mile 13% to 10% descent with loads of junctions) I need both.

 

[Andy_R]

I don't disagree but bb7's just don't have enough power or power modulation for me. at 18 stone on the Mary townley loop or no brake fade at the bottom of Manchester road (5 mile 13% to 10% descent with loads of junctions) I need both.

ah....at 18 stone you may require a little more stopping power then I do at 15 stone......fair point

 

[02GF74]

+1

I did the last half of the C2C with just a front brake because of a "snagged" hydro hose. when I got home, I ".

but there can be pleny of components that can fail that would leave you with a long walk home. the chances of that happening are pretty remote; it is still well worth the benefit of hydraulic brakes for the tiny chance the hose gets snagged.

 

[Andy_R]

but there can be pleny of components that can fail that would leave you with a long walk home. the chances of that happening are pretty remote; it is still well worth the benefit of hydraulic brakes for the tiny chance the hose gets snagged.

I've had the opportunity to try both, good hydro and good cable. For simplicty of repair and ability to make full road side repairs, (not a "get you home" bodge) I much prefer the BB7. Please tell me what the "benefits" of hydraulic brakes are? What do they give me that my BB7's don't? (Real benefits as opposed to percieved ones)

 

[Drago]

You bleed hydraulic disc brakes once a year. You have to adjust cable brakes every couple of rides.

Hydraulic really are fit and forget. It doesn't matter what bike it's on, a hydraulic disc brake will out perform a cable/BB one any day of the week, and far simpler to maintain.

Shinano brakes use mineral oil instead of DOT brake fluid so are much more forgiving in this regard.

However, DOT hydraulics are far from fit and forget, especially as they age. Annual fluid change and then bleeding, periodic new piston seals etc, relatively vulnerable and fragile levers when compared to mechanical systems, make most hydraulic systems a long way from "fit and forget" if you want them to last and to perform consistently well. Some older Avids, older Hopes like the appalling multi-piston M4s are appallingly finniky to keep on song.

If you can afford them Shimano XT hydraulics won't get you laid but are probably the best combination of performance and reliability, or the Deore system if you're a bit pressed for cash.

 

[Cubist]

That's what I said.