The advantages of Bicycle Disc Brakes
I’ve enjoyed riding my mountain bicycle for more than 10 years. Over time it would qualify more as a hybrid bike as a result of changes I’ve made to add a lot more comfort to the ride. This gets to be more important to us as we grow older.
The one area where I sensed it was always lacking was the brakes. Though they are Shimano center pull caliper brakes, they just will not perform well in damp weather or muddy conditions. I really was pleasantly surprised when I recently borrowed a close friends bike with new disc brakes. One of many major benefits of bicycle disc brakes is the fantastic all-weather operation. An additional point I truly like is there is no maintenance necessary as opposed to the regular adjustments needed on cable activated traditional brakes. After you install the disc brakes, setup the calipers it is possible to simply ignore them.
Naturally if you do decide to upgrade to disc brakes you will find them more expensive then traditional rim brakes. However their effectiveness is so great that many will happily pay the price. The other negative is that the disc brake assemblies and rotor do add some weight to your bicycle. Once again, you need to decide if considering your riding habits, this can be suitable. Generally to change to bicycle disc brakes you will need new wheels also. Disc rims cannot be set up on regular hubs used with typical rim brake wheels.
Although it will take some effort and additional cost to up grade to bicycle disc brakes, if you need much better and consistently improved brake performance in all conditions, disc brakes are a great investment. But you must decide if the cost is worthwhile. Honestly speaking, not everybody really needs to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes. A lot of riders are quite pleased with their rim brake and ride in an environment where rim brakes manage the job such as in flat and dry terrain. But as you decide to try more steeper trails and wetter conditions, disc brakes become most effective. Another issue to think about is if you are a 200 lb rider as i am, you will really appreciate the improvement in braking power.
I’ve tried the Shimano disc brakes and as with all of Shimano bicycle parts, they performed perfectly under virtually any conditions from mountain trails to riding through creek beds.
Besides Shimano, in line with reviews, Avid disc brakes, Hayes disc brakes, and Tektro disc brakes are all available in kits and as separate components making it likely to suit almost any application desired.
