Disc brakes

FM said:

I'm tired of replacing brake blocks so I'd like opinion on disc brakes for bikes ie whether
they're worth the expense, how frequently they need replaced, common problems etc. Thanks to
anyone who contributes.

Disc brake pads need replacing just like blocks, so that's a pretty pointless reason to change.
Beyond that, IME they work better as brakes, but whether sufficiently better to justify the expense
is your call and would depend in part on the sort of riding you do: descent MTBing, why don't you
have them already?, road racing, can you even find a set that work on drop bar levers, especially
STI?, and so on.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

can you even find a set that work on drop bar levers, especially STI?, and so on.

Cannondale do a disc-equipped 'cross bike that uses Shimano 105 STIs; can't remember who makes the
brakes themselves, though. Discs definitely have their advantages in cyclo-cross; autumn racing
tends to clog up the areas around rim brakes [1] with a mix of dead leaves and mud - I speak from
personal experience :-(

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

[1] Sometimes such that the front wheel locks due to assorted muck building up under the fork crown.

"FM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm tired of replacing brake blocks so I'd like opinion on disc brakes for bikes ie whether
they're worth the expense, how frequently they need replaced, common problems etc

They are excellent. I have a Hope on the front and a Deore on the back (Marin FRS used in mucky
Mid-Wales). The pads last a very long time (best part of a year) and now aftermarket pads are
available for 60% of the cost of OEM ones. The Deore brakes are much cheaper than Hope and work as
well. But; the Deore rear hub lasted too short a time, the bearings kept going slack and the
freebody became waggly in 3 months. I replaced the hub with an XT - much better quality. Also, rims
will last a very long time, I found that Magura hydraulic rim brakes were effective but wore rims
very quickly.

John