Hydraulic vs mechanical disc brakes

Ska1975

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but I am looking at getting the Giant Revolt 2. I really like it and it should do what I want it too but I am nervous about it having mechanical disc brakes, I have only used hydraulic before and love them- cable brakes seems like something that will need an upgrade and for that price I personally wouldn't want to pay extra for improvements. I know it's personal choice but am I right in thinking mechanical brakes are put on lower spec bikes as a budget option or am I missing something in road bike set ups?

Cheers

Ian

cookeeemonster

Yep you're right - hydraulic Definately better all things considered...but it's more expensive

bmxboy10

I had Hayes mechanical on my CDF they were pants. My Ultegra rim brakes were much better. Got Shimano RS685 on new bikes and they are excellent.

Also not that much dearer if buying the components new - just bought a set of RS685s for £289.

rowlers

I'd go hydro if guying again, not at all impressed with my Shimano mechanicals. They work OK, but not in the same league as ultegra 6800 rim...

Ska1975

Cheers- that's what I thought.

I must be able to get a decent tourer with hydronic disc brakes for under a grand. My mtb has fantastic hydronic brakes and that was only £499.

kingofthetailwind

I've TRP Spyres on my new GT Grade. Zero difference in the dry, but but much better in the wet. Hydros are obviously much better, but Spyres (or Hy/Rds) are a much cheaper upgrade option. And you'd only really need to change the front caliper.

ugo.santalucia

A set of HyRD with compressionless cables is 95% as good as the real McCoy. Overall you are looking at 200 quid including the compressionless outer, which is less than purchasing a set of 5800 levers + calipers, I reckon. However, if you can sell the old levers, then it might cost you the same to go full hydro

arlowood

Ska1975 wrote:

Cheers- that's what I thought.

I must be able to get a decent tourer with hydronic disc brakes for under a grand. My mtb has fantastic hydronic brakes and that was only £499.

You could do worse than consider the Planet X London Road. You can spec hydraulics and 11-speed SRAM Rival for £999

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV ... -road-bike

Has mudguard and rear rack mounts and I think you can fettle it to fit a front rack as well. Plenty of satisfied customers out there (including me). If you have the patience you could check out the post in the "Your Road Bikes" section (all 25 pages)

Couple of pics from that thread of bikes kitted out for light touring





BTW I have TRP Spyres on mine and don't have an issue with them despite my not inconsiderable 90kg. Couldn't quite stretch to the hydraulics when I bought it.

daddy0

I am thinking about buying a disc braked bike and a TT bike - disc brakes just for commuting and wet club runs. Was just going to go for the cheapest disc braked bike and spend as much as possible on the TT rig - but I want the disc brakes to work as well if not better than my 105s in the wet. So do I take it from you guys that I ought to go for at least Spyres or HY-RD? Anyone got any suggestions?

sungod

before it was stolen i had a basic marin cx bike for commuting, avid bb5 cable disc brakes

a bit fiddly to align, but once set up right they were extremely good, i'd have no qualms about using them again

mrb123

viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=13060213

earth

I only have experience of BB5 mechanical discs and I would not buy them again. Too much trouble and expense for no real benefit.

Anonymous

earth wrote:

I only have experience of BB5 mechanical discs and I would not buy them again. Too much trouble and expense for no real benefit.

I think your experience is the same as a lot of people's (even though some will not admit it) but I am confused whether you are saying you would rather have rim or full hydraulic?

Personally I do not see a place for mech disc.

I am sure Specialized are putting a rubber thing over the cable to make them look like hydro lol.

johnmcl7

Ska1975 wrote:

Cheers- that's what I thought.

I must be able to get a decent tourer with hydronic disc brakes for under a grand. My mtb has fantastic hydronic brakes and that was only £499.

The problem is hydraulic disc brakes are still fairly new to road bikes and the more mainstream Shimano 105 hydraulics are only now slowly starting to appear on bikes some of which should be around the £1,000 mark.

John

ugo.santalucia

http://whosatthewheel.com/2016/03/27/ho ... sc-brakes/

Moonbiker

Wild Wales challenge was a good test of brakes last year coming down bwlch y groes I was using that braking technique & hoping my rim brakes lasted ok till the bottom, thankfully they did last ok but they did seem to start to fade abit/feel diffferent towards the bottom.

Would of let off the brakes more but theres is a pretty tight hairpin bend right at the bottom. so didn't want to pick up to much speed,

https://www.strava.com/segments/6818678

Think i may of mentioned it before, that about half a dozen peoples brakes failed both rim & discs, several tyres exploded according to someone I talked to afterwards who had being chatting to the event organizers.

ugo.santalucia

Moonbiker wrote:

Wild Wales challenge was a good test of brakes last year coming down bwlch y groes I was using that braking technique & hoping my rim brakes lasted ok till the bottom, thankfully they did last ok but they did seem to start to fade abit/feel diffferent towards the bottom.

would have let off the brakes more but theres is a pretty tight hairpin bend right at the bottom. so didn't want to pick up to much speed,

https://www.strava.com/segments/6818678

Think i may of mentioned it before, that about half a dozen peoples brakes failed both rim & discs, several tyres exploded according to someone I talked to afterwards who had being chatting to the event organizers.

Going down the steepest of the three sides of Bwlch Y Groes (Dinas Meddway) would not be my first choice for a sportive course... the Bala side makes more sense and so does the one that descends to the lake (whatever the name is). The steep side is best suited to go up

fenix

Wild Wales is always a good course. How many years have they been going now? It's more of a club ride than your average sportive

earth

Carbonator wrote:

earth wrote:

I only have experience of BB5 mechanical discs and I would not buy them again. Too much trouble and expense for no real benefit.

I think your experience is the same as a lot of people's (even though some will not admit it) but I am confused whether you are saying you would rather have rim or full hydraulic?

Personally I do not see a place for mech disc.

I am sure Specialized are putting a rubber thing over the cable to make them look like hydro lol.

I'm sort of willing to try hydraulic as long as I don't have to pay for them first. I have every expectation they are better and live up to the claims about disc brakes but I still expect pad wear to make them more expensive than rim brakes.

I have never had problems with rim brakes. Yesterday I went out with rim brakes on carbon rims through standing water. There were a couple of surprising moments while the rims were cleared of water but no problems at all. The only thing I find is that on long descents where I tend to drag the brakes, I do get a bit of fatigue through pulling the lever. Discs do reduce this.

But coming in to work this morning I had a surprising moment when I noticed the pads had worn on the disc commuter and I have to pull the front lever through 4/5 of the travel before it bites. I only adjusted them a few weeks ago.

So I'd rather have rim or hydraulic but not mechanical.