new hybrid with disks and stepthough!

roger_merriman

My wife is fed up with her cheap hybrid.

she is after step though - for summer dresses and well just not having a cross bar.

she is after front suspension for smoothing out potholes and gravel tracks etc.

she also after disk brakes - as it has not gone unnoticed how my MTB and her work colleges with them had no problems in the winter.

the only one I can find is this - [/url]http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=53294&scid=1002&scname=Transport/Fitness

any others i've missed?

The Rookie

Why not build one, my wifes step through (traditional ladies frame style so more step over I guess, not Dutch step through) MTB only cost about £70 to put togethere (new frame, headset suspension forks and saddle, most the rest from a single donor bike), would have costs maybe £30-40 more with discs instead of V's.

Simon

snailracer

The impression I get is that lots of people have problems with disc brakes - mostly dragging, whining and distorted rotors.

Hub brakes would probably be more reliable than either discs or V’s, and more likely to be found in combination with a step-through frame.

MichaelW

Scott Contessa 55 Lady is a Ladies bike for Lady riders with disc brakes and suspension forks.

Scott position their rear disc brake so it doesn't interfere with rack or mudguards.

bails87

snailracer wrote:

The impression I get is that lots of people have problems with disc brakes - mostly dragging, whining and distorted rotors.

I think an awful lot of the 'problems' are people not realising that the pads and discs will occasionally rub slightly, especially after removing/replacing the wheel, so they thing there's something wrong when there isn't.

IME, hydraulic disc brakes are extremely reliable, but when they do go wrong it's more hassle to fix. Not that I've had any 'go wrong'.

snailracer

bails87 wrote:

snailracer wrote:

The impression I get is that lots of people have problems with disc brakes - mostly dragging, whining and distorted rotors.

I think an awful lot of the 'problems' are people not realising that the pads and discs will occasionally rub slightly, especially after removing/replacing the wheel, so they thing there's something wrong when there isn't.

IME, hydraulic disc brakes are extremely reliable, but when they do go wrong it's more hassle to fix. Not that I've had any 'go wrong'.

Now, while a mountain biker hurtling down a gnarly descent would probably not consider brake whine a problem, surely it's unacceptable for a commuter?

mcj78

snailracer wrote:

bails87 wrote:

snailracer wrote:

The impression I get is that lots of people have problems with disc brakes - mostly dragging, whining and distorted rotors.

I think an awful lot of the 'problems' are people not realising that the pads and discs will occasionally rub slightly, especially after removing/replacing the wheel, so they thing there's something wrong when there isn't.

IME, hydraulic disc brakes are extremely reliable, but when they do go wrong it's more hassle to fix. Not that I've had any 'go wrong'.

Now, while a mountain biker hurtling down a gnarly descent would probably not consider brake whine a problem, surely it's unacceptable for a commuter?

Most of the above problems are usually down to poor set-up, although I found the high pitched & rather loud squeal of my old hope mini worked infinitely better than any bell when some fool stepped out in front of you on the road! I'd personally take the worst squealing & rubbing discs over rim brakes any day having spent a fortune on pads & rims over the years!

bails87

In my last post "thing" is obviously "think"
Depends what you mean by 'whine'. Usually it's just due to the wheel not being in exactly the same place as it was before. So the solution is to push the pistons back (easily done with a tyre lever) before you put the wheel back on. Make sure it's seated in the dropouts properly, do up the QR/axle nuts and pull the lever a few times to reset the pistons.

Even if you don;t the only result is usually a fairly quiet 'schwing...schwing....schwing' sound.

The only time I've heard anything more than that is when a mate's pads had completly worn away, so he was grabbing the disc with the metal backing plates. Like fingernails on a blackboard!!

EKE_38BPM

bails87 wrote:

The only time I've heard anything more than that is when a mate's pads had completly worn away, so he was grabbing the disc with the metal backing plates. Like fingernails on a blackboard!!

I did that on my first car. Having to buy new pads and discs taught me a lesson!

[nostalgia]
My first car.
VW Golf MkI
Yellow with very dark tinted windows
Pirelli alloy wheels and tyres
Twin square headlights
Two 12" speakers mounted in the parcel shelf
Doorcard mounted midrange speakers
Tweeters mounted in the door pillar
Twin Webber carbs
Gas shocks
Stainless steel exhaust

Written off on the A406 when some Mormons crashed into me.

I loved that car
[/nostalgia]

optimisticbiker

mcj78 wrote:

I'd personally take the worst squealing & rubbing discs over rim brakes any day having spent a fortune on pads & rims over the years!

and the energy loss that goes with it? If the pads are dragging/binding and making a noise then you are wasting energy, not much maybe, but every little counts (well it does for me, you might have thighs like tree trunks!)

bails87

OptimisticBiker wrote:

mcj78 wrote:

I'd personally take the worst squealing & rubbing discs over rim brakes any day having spent a fortune on pads & rims over the years!

and the energy loss that goes with it? If the pads are dragging/binding and making a noise then you are wasting energy, not much maybe, but every little counts (well it does for me, you might have thighs like tree trunks!)

But if they're really dragging then somethings wrong with them, a little rubbing (the schwing noise) won;t make any difference.

pst88

roger_merriman

Disk brakes that touch, Are a non issue the wheel still rolls fine.

By fine I mean you can set it spinning go and make a cup of tea/coffee and it's still spinning.

I'll have a look at the scot will come down to what we can find locally for wife to kick tyres of.

mcj78

bails87 wrote:

OptimisticBiker wrote:

mcj78 wrote:

I'd personally take the worst squealing & rubbing discs over rim brakes any day having spent a fortune on pads & rims over the years!

and the energy loss that goes with it? If the pads are dragging/binding and making a noise then you are wasting energy, not much maybe, but every little counts (well it does for me, you might have thighs like tree trunks!)

But if they're really dragging then somethings wrong with them, a little rubbing (the schwing noise) won;t make any difference.

Yeah that's what I meant - a little rubbing now and again won't be making any great difference, however if the pads aren't retracting properly & are binding on to an extent that's more serious but a different kettle of fish.

My legs are incidentally like tree trunks - covered in moss with some small creatures living in there too. And twigs.

The Rookie

I have cable discs on the commuter (with dual adjustment) and the only time they rub is operator error.

Simon

UndercoverElephant

OP, Dawes do one:

http://www.dawescycles.com/p-276-discov ... adies.aspx

As do Claude Butler:

http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/Corporate ... 500W.shtml