Disc brakes vs Rim brakes

wijcc

In the lower end bikes around the £350-400 range, is there big improvement in braking with mechanical disc brakes as opposed to traditional rim brakes? Most of the new bikes in the carrera range have mechanical disc brakes whereas the btwin bikes in the same price range have rim brakes still. Would the difference in braking be minimal or a be quite marked.
What are the disadvantages of mechanical disc brakes at the lower end of the market?
Thanks in advance

First.Aspect

The only advantage to mechanical discs is that you will be able to install hydraulic ones later. They aren't any more powerful than rim brakes and they are slightly more of a faff to set up and stop rubbing. This is going back 7 or 8 year, but I also found the lever pull to be rather longer than I'd normally like.

They are no worse than rim brakes performance wise, and you wheels will probably last longer as well.

joe_totale-2

You can get decent mechanical disc brakes, TRP Spyres come to mind.
However, most of these entry level bikes come with pretty poor ones.

They aren't any more powerful than rim brakes, add weight and are more annoying to maintain.

The positives are that they will work better than rim brakes in heavy rain and you won't wear out your wheel rims.

Personally, it's either hydraulic disc brakes or rim brakes for me, mechanical disc brakes are the worst of both worlds.

wijcc

Thanks guys

N0bodyOfTheGoat

A lot of the new hybrid/MTB 2020 Carrera bikes have hydraulic brakes and I'd choose them over mechanical disc every time, ordinarily they are fit and forget besides easy pad replacements every 12-24 months (depending on bike use).

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/carrera-bikes/

With mechanical disc, you need to regularly check the cable tension and manually adjust the pad placement relative to the rotor... And even then modulation is very hit and miss.

prawny

If you’re planning to do a lot of riding, and in all weathers then even cheap disc brakes are worth the extra, I commuted on some Tektro Mira cable discs and even though they needed adjusting every week in the winter they were much better than rim brakes.

But, if you don’t ride much, once or twice a week, and aren’t going to be going out when it’s pissing down, I probably wouldn’t bother, rim brakes are still good.

I’ve got hydraulic 105 discs now which are amazing, but I don’t commute by bike any more, and they’re overkill. I’ll probably go back to rim brakes next time, I just ride indoors all winter now. I’d rather put the money ive saved on discs towards Zwift and a smart trainer, I don’t need to spend money on winter gear either then.

prawny

Just noticed that this is in the commuter forum 😖 disc brakes all the way definitely worth it. I even replaced one of my old tekro brakes that seized with a cheap Clarke’s disk from Halfords and that was fine until I bought some TRP hyrd

wijcc

Decisions to make whether to get the Triban RC120 road bike which is in stock or wait for the Carrera Vanquish 2020 road bike or Carrera Subway 2 2020 hybrid bike when they come into stock and see if I can grab one...
A hard decision to make

wijcc

First.Aspect said:

The only advantage to mechanical discs is that you will be able to install hydraulic ones later. They aren't any more powerful than rim brakes and they are slightly more of a faff to set up and stop rubbing. This is going back 7 or 8 year, but I also found the lever pull to be rather longer than I'd normally like.

They are no worse than rim brakes performance wise, and you wheels will probably last longer as well.

How easy is it/would it be to install hydraulic disc brakes on a bike that come with mechanical ones example if I went for the Carrera Vanquish?