Can you use a MTB disc brake on a road disc frame?

Manc33
Manc33 Posts: 2,157
edited January 2014 in Workshop
I think disc brakes are called road or MTB because of the different leverage, but lets say I had flat bars and MTB brake levers on, can I just slap a MTB disc brake on the road bike? I am talking about the road frames that now have thIS. :lol:

I just wondered why there's "road" disc brakes and "MTB" disc brakes, if a MTB caliper fits on a road disc frame fine, then the leverage will be right if MTB brake levers are also used.

Comments

  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    If you have flat bars of course you can. road disc brake ansd MTB disc brakes refers to mechanical as road disc brake are designed to have a cable pull compatible with drop bar levers.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Sure you can. The old mechanical ones were split due to road brakes pulling different cable lengths than MTB brakes.

    You might have cable length issues if the routing is too different

    You might also want to check the frame and fork max disc sizes.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    I have used BB7 MTB for a couple of years... they are superior to the road ones, but the pad clearance needs to be as thin as an A 4 sheet of paper... you need perfect installation and they'll work well, although a bit of rubbing is inevitable
    left the forum March 2023
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    MTB brakes have longer cable pull, so you need to adjust them carefully with road levers i.e. the brake actuation arm needs to be turned a bit before clamping the cable - consequently the brake can feel a bit on-off but will still work. Many of the road flat bar levers have a cable pull designed for road caliper brakes, not MTB so the same applies - check the specs.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    I just wondered why they call some disc calipers "road". To me that could indicate they use some odd size (I mean like the IS bolts aren't the same mm apart or something, meaning a MTB disc brake caliper wouldn't fit and vice versa) but if they are only labelled like that because of cable pull then fair enough. Like nicklouse said above as well, rotors.

    I have abandoned the whole idea now anyway lol. Gonna be on side pull brakes for a while now.
  • wayneedwards
    wayneedwards Posts: 9
    personally though i don't see the point in these new disc brakes there going to be too responsive for road bikes and will unbalance the ride surely! not only that if your a weight weenie they are going to weight more too!

    I'm looking forward to hearing from other users but there not for me
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    wayneedwards wrote:
    personally though i don't see the point in these new disc brakes there going to be too responsive for road bikes and will unbalance the ride surely! not only that if your a weight weenie they are going to weight more too!

    I'm looking forward to hearing from other users but there not for me

    It's good to have an opinion without having tried them, keeps the mind open...
    left the forum March 2023
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    I got a £600 Carrera from Halfords around 1998-2000 and it had hydraulic disc brakes. I couldn't believe the braking increase over v-brakes. I remember my dad saying "A normal front brake is powerful enough to put you over the handlebar at 20 MPH so you don't need disc brakes" and while thats true, once you try disc brakes on a MTB you can't go back. Well, maybe its because they were hydraulic but they were ridiculously powerful.

    I don't want modulation, I want a powerful brake. :lol:
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    On a road bike, on a damp road on 23mm tyres, are the brakes actually too powerful and cause a lock-up ?
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    andy_wrx wrote:
    On a road bike, on a damp road on 23mm tyres, are the brakes actually too powerful and cause a lock-up ?

    If it was just pure braking power disc brakes would be deadly on a mountain bike let alone a road bike. Disc brakes also once set up properly have much better modulation / feel than rim brakes. This means you have more power and more control which is very important on rough trails when mountain biking and for a road bike means you can brake later with a lot more certainty and reliability especially in the wet.

    Down to personal choice if you want them on a road bike but my next road bike is very likely to have them.

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