Hot answers tagged disc-brake
54
I think it mostly comes down to one primary thing: disc brakes weigh more and road bikes are supposed to be light. Also, you need a heavier wheel and heavier fork to handle the forces of disc braking, which compounds the weight.
Additionally, the advantages to disc brakes (working better in mud/dirt, easier to work with a suspension, work with really wide ...
26
Keep it Simple
Not everyone knows how to setup and maintain disc brakes. I know that it does not take a lot of work to read the manual but people sometimes prefer to stick to what they know and are hesitant to purchase a bike they do not feel they can confidently work on.
Flawed Technology
Disc brakes are far from perfect. We all should know that the ...
18
Check out this link for a recent post by ex frame-builder Dave Moulton about disc brakes. He discusses the reverse-directed stress to the spokes due to disc brakes as a potential problem.
He also points out that the standard caliper brake can be viewed as a disc brake with a much larger diameter disc (the rim) and without the problem of transferring the ...
15
Your frame and fork already have disc tabs, which is the first step. The second is a disc wheelset, which it does not appear that the stock wheels are. Disc hubs come in two varieties: the common six-bolt ISO and the proprietary Shimano Centerlock, the former are identifiable by a large six-bolt-hole protrusion on the left (non-drive) side of the bike. ...
14
Look at any high end bike and you will find hydraulic disc brakes.
There will be people who argue the pros/cons of hydraulic vs mechanical disc brakes but it's hard to deny what the entire industry is putting on their most expensive rigs.
For ease of stoppage, minimal brake fade and ease of modulation - the hydraulic disc brake wins hands down. You can ...
14
Usually, singles need to have horizontal dropouts so you can take the chain slack by adjusting the rear axle position.
That means that any brake that is attached to the frame will "go out of position" when you adjust the rear axle position. That is, by the way, the reason why some horizontal dropouts are not quite horizontal, but diagonal: to be ...
12
Since bikes are usually shipped to the dealer with the wheels disassembled from the frame, the disc calipers often each have a plastic separator pressed into them that serve to prevent lock-up during shipping. The Hayes company even puts their brand logo on theirs. Since these are removed during assembly, you might be able to ask a repair person at your ...
12
Hydraulics are used on higher end systems, cables are a certain sign of a cheap brake set, so your observations are correct regarding "professional" bikes.
Cables have the disadvantage of friction that hydraulics virtually eliminate. It is significantly easier to modulate hydraulic brakes, you get more force delivered to the pads, hence more stopping power ...
10
As mentioned try a blunt bladed instrument (A large flat blade screwdriver will do) to pry the pads back in. Just put the screwdriver between the pads and lever the pads apart evenly!
Just be carful though as sometimes the pistons that push the pads out can come out too far resulting in the pistons being slighly out of line, however if the pads have plenty ...
9
It isn't wise to install disc brakes on a frame and fork that weren't designed to withstand the unique forces that disc brakes generate, and you'll just damage your bike in the process.
If your Haro does have disc brake mount tabs, then you can install them but likely only with smaller disc rotors. Remember that you'll have to get new wheels too, ...
9
For a city commuter bike, don't bother with disk brakes - go for simple rim brakes. You'll want the reliability over all else. You don't need disks for most types of road cycling, as the limiting factor for grip is likely to be your tyre anyway.
As regards shifters, go with whatever is comfortable for you. I like the combination of brakes and gear levers in ...
8
One thing that hasn't been mentioned, and probably trumps any mechanical advantages or disadvantages of disc brakes, is the fact that the UCI currently doesn't allow disc brakes in professional road races. This has a trickle down effect to you and me.
Most, if not all, of the national racing federations follow the UCI's lead on equipment rulings. This ...
8
I like disc brakes for these reasons:
they're easier to keep oil off than rims
bent wheels don't rub
easier to adjust
easier to get wheels in and out
my rims don't wear out
oh yes, they stop well too, but that's my last reason, not first!
8
You've met a mechanic that either wants you to buy more brake pads from his/her shop or doesn't know what he/she is doing. There's really no good reason to resurface your disc brake pads, let alone on a monthly basis. All that's doing is decreasing the life of your pads and temporarily decreasing your braking power until your pads bed back into the rotors.
I ...
8
Disc brakes are very precise and the pads run very close to the disc even while not braking. Due to this, even small misalignments might make the pads (or even the caliper) rub against the disk, producing the noise you describe.
A simple test would be to lift the wheel (or turn the bike upside down) and spin the wheel slightly. If it stops quickly, the ...
7
The only way that I've found to get them to stop squeaking is to burn the water off. Big steep hill and stop at the bottom.
As for performance, I don't notice any difference in the feel of my BB7's in the wet vs. the dry after a couple seconds of use. Even in rain puddles up to the bottom bracket.
7
I think the LBS is partially correct, that bikes with disc brakes aren't generally designed to hold a rack. That said, I think there's a few solutions (other than getting a bike built to have disc brakes and a rack):
Get a seat-post (or similar) mounted rack. Downsides: very low weight limit, often not good at holding panniers, and probably prone to ...
7
Some disc-brake specific wheels use rims that are not designed for rim brakes. To accomplish what you want you need a wheel with a a disc-brake hub and a rim-brake rim.
With that setup, assuming the fork widths are the same, you should be able to switch wheels between bikes without problems. The only drawback is the slight increase in rotating mass from ...
7
I have or have had bikes with mechanical rim brakes, mechanical disks (shimano deore), hydraulic discs (also shimano deore) and recently hydraulic rim brakes (Magura hs33).
The experience I had says that:
The force you have to apply depends on brake-system preload / elastic constant (lever spring + actuator spring), cable friction, and actual, braking, ...
6
You need to replace your pads when they are about 3mm thick including the backing plate. You should be able to see how thick they are with your wheels off but you might need to remove them from the callipers to be sure. See the manufacturers site for details of how to remove and fit the pad - its normally an easy job.s
If you do need to change the pads on ...
6
I change mine as soon as they don't work as expected. You usually notices this when you have to apply an unusual amount of force on he levers to make the bike break. It really depends on how much you use the bike, it can be enough to go out in the rain and break hard a couple of times to destroy a set of break pads.
6
You need to bleed your hydros when they get a squishy feeling. They should be pretty close to the rotor, but if they are rubbing a lot, then you could try to recenter the pads around the rotor.
To do this loosen the bolts attaching the brakes to the fork (or the adapter). Then grab your corresponding brake lever and tighten up the bolts you just loosened ...
6
This document covers all your questions, and is from the manufacturer.
http://www.hayesdiscbrake.com/wp-content/themes/hdb/pdf/45-14550DEnglishForWeb.pdf
Looks like pad replacement/adjustment is easy enough, and you may need a kit for bleeding.
Good Luck
6
In addition to @mattnz's response; most cable disk brake systems work by operating one pad only - and squeezing the rotor onto a stationary pad. This means that as the pad wears down, you typically have to wind in the moving pad (usually the outside one) to keep the right bite point.
Hydraulic systems usually have opposing pads that self adjust for central ...
6
The advice I have seen for a stuck piston is a) hot soapy water, followed by Isopropyl Alcohol, followed by a small amount of brake fluid (Use the same that is in you brakes - mineral in your case) to lubricate the piston. If you google for "Stuck Bicycle Disc Brake piston" there is quite a lot of useful advise
Warm soapy water on it's own cannot hurt. ...
6
1- Disc brakes perform better in wet weather. If you choose rim brakes, aluminum rims offer a better braking surface than carbon rims. Hidraulic brakes adjust for pad wear and both pads move inwards to press against the disc surface. Mechanical brakes push one pad (usually the outer one) onto the disc, and the disc has to flex to touch the other pad.
2.- ...
5
From my experience racing USAC Collegiate xc and short track, disc brakes are the way to go, and I prefer hydraulic to mechanical, as long as they're the right model. You can find a lot of reviews on the mtbr.com forum about disc brakes to find one that would work for you. The Avid Elixir R SLs I use on my full-suspension mtb have never let me down and are ...
5
There are plenty of advantages to disc brakes while mountain biking.
In my opinion, disc brakes give much better feedback to the lever with almost no fiddling with them. Rim brakes can be set up to work as well, but it has been a long process every time I've tried it. Rim breaks also can cause problems by heating up the rim itself, and as a result the air ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
