Carrera Vulcan Disc spec vs V-spec - worth the £50 extra?

kieranhightower

First bike for girlfriend. To be used for mainly trails and bit of off-road/mountain biking.

V-spec:
* Alloy Rims: Yes
* Approximate Weight (KG): 14
* Brake Type: V-Brakes
* Chainset: Suntour CW-XCT
* Fork Lock-out : No
* Fork travel: 100mm
* Forks: Suntour XCT-V2 100mm Travel
* Forks - Adjustable damping : No
* Frame Colour: Black
* Frame Material: Aluminium
* Frame-: 7005 T6 Heat treated aluminium
* Front Brake: Tektro Alloy V-Brake
* Front Mech: SRAM 3.0
* Gear Shifters: SRAM X4
* Gender: Mens
* Handle Bars: Kalloy Alloy
* Headset: Semi Integrated
* Hubs: Formula Alloy
* Number of Gears: 24
* Rear Brake: Tektro Alloy V-brake
* Rear Mech: SRAM X4
* Rims: Double Wall Alloy
* Saddle: Carrera

Disc spec:
* Frame Material: Aluminium
* Gears: 21+
* Gender: Mens
* Suspension: Front
* Alloy Rims: Yes
* Approximate Weight (KG): 15
* Brake Type: Mechanical Disc
* Chainset: Truvative X Flow
* Fork Lock-out : Yes
* Fork travel: 100mm
* Forks: Suntour XCM-V2 forks, 100mm of travel and lock out
* Frame Colour: Blue
* Frame-: New 7005 T6 heat treated aluminium with profile tubing
* Front Brake: Tektro IO Mechanical Disc Brake
* Front Mech: SRAM 3.0
* Gear Shifters: SRAM X4
* Handle Bars: Kalloy Alloy 31.8mm
* Headset: Semi Integrated
* Hubs: Formula Alloy
* Number of Gears: 24
* Rear Brake: Tektro IO Mechanical Disc Brake
* Rear Mech: SRAM X4

The Disc-spec is about £50 more, so it looks like the differences are different forks (disc-spec is also lockable), different chainset (which is best??) and the mechanical disc brakes vs v-brakes. Which would you choose?

The other option is the Giant Revel 3 but I've been advised that the Vulcan is the better bet. That right?

Thanks in advance,

Kieran

supersonic

The Revel is not good at all for the money.

I'd probably opt for the disc version as it will allow an easier upgrade to hydaulics if this floats your boat [due to the wheels], and the forks are better.

Oxygen Thief

It's a kilo heavier though. I've got the V-spec at the moment. Stopping power is good. I have the brakes adjusted pretty spot on. They didn't come like that. Took a bit of messing about. I'd still pay the extra though, simply because in the wet v-brakes are nothing short of a nightmare!

cooldad

From the amount of posts here with disc brake hassles, I'd go for V's. Cheap, simple.
But I'm old. Still have cantis on one bike.

Kiblams

I made the mistake of buying a V-brake spec Rockrider instead of the £50 more disc spec bike, it cost much more than the extra £50 to upgrade the wheels to take disc brakes. The plan was always to put disc brakes on there myself to be cheap, but I miscalculated the cost of new wheels dramatically (upgrading to second hand Avid BB5s was actually cheaper than the new wheels).

Just a word of warning, if you plan to ride through the winter you will be begging for decent disc brakes, and it's ALOT cheaper to upgrade a bike with discs already (no matter how crap/cheap) than a bike with Vs.

Oxygen Thief

Kiblams wrote:

I made the mistake of buying a V-brake spec Rockrider instead of the £50 more disc spec bike, it cost much more than the extra £50 to upgrade the wheels to take disc brakes. The plan was always to put disc brakes on there myself to be cheap, but I miscalculated the cost of new wheels dramatically (upgrading to second hand Avid BB5s was actually cheaper than the new wheels).

Just a word of warning, if you plan to ride through the winter you will be begging for decent disc brakes, and it's ALOT cheaper to upgrade a bike with discs already (no matter how crap/cheap) than a bike with Vs.

+1

I would have to say a thumbs up to that. There's too much rain in this country not to have discs. I'm not too arsed I've got V brakes as will be buying new after ther summer in any case.

bwfc4eva868

I had the V brake spec one and they were great in the dry, but during the winter and spring sloppy mud, they were pretty much useless. I bought a pair of these wheels for £80 in the sale at All terrain, not the best wheels on earth, but they enabled me to upgrade to discs.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/107074.html

Have a Shimano Deore Disc on the front and original V brake on the back and it works well for now. Upgraded the fork to a Tora also and i'm happy with the bike for now.

Probably go for the fury next year tho, once my riding improves.

5pudgun

Been riding v/ cantis 20 yrs, never had a problem. Tried discs on one of my bikes last year,too heavy and noisy and not noticeably better than a well set up v brake. I'm only riding xc though

Oxygen Thief

5pudgun wrote:

Been riding v/ cantis 20 yrs, never had a problem. Tried discs on one of my bikes last year,too heavy and noisy and not noticeably better than a well set up v brake. I'm only riding xc though

Apart from in the wet you must admit? They just don't work any more in the wet.

5pudgun

It,s wet most of the time, no probs

snotty badger

5pudgun wrote:

Been riding v/ cantis 20 yrs, never had a problem. Tried discs on one of my bikes last year,too heavy and noisy and not noticeably better than a well set up v brake. I'm only riding xc though

When I were a boy cantis were yer lot!

Serioulsy- V-brakes with decent pads are upto the job- not saying they're better than discs, but better than what people think.

cooldad

snotty badger wrote:

5pudgun wrote:

Been riding v/ cantis 20 yrs, never had a problem. Tried discs on one of my bikes last year,too heavy and noisy and not noticeably better than a well set up v brake. I'm only riding xc though

When I were a boy cantis were yer lot!

Serioulsy- V-brakes with decent pads are upto the job- not saying they're better than discs, but better than what people think.

Upgraded my oem rubbish to Avid V's and Speedial levers- great stopping power, cheap and easy to maintain.

Matt1405

If you're using the mountain bike for mountain biking, deffinatly go for discs it will make a massive difference.
If it's for canal paths and fire tracks you should be fine with V brakes.

cooldad

I agree the stopping power is generally better, and they are affected less by water/weather, but the number of people on here with disc problems, makes me think that for many people, V's would still be easier.

Hyufsko

Get the discs and spend a little time stripping them and rebuilding them. The people having problems havent done this and most likely know very little about them. If you go with the v's you will probably regret not going for the discs.