I have loved using my mountain bike for more than 10 years. In recent times it might qualify a lot more as a hybrid bike due to modifications I’ve made to add more comfort to the ride. This becomes more important to us once we grow older.
One place in which I thought it was continually lacking was the brakes. Even though they are Shimano center pull caliper brakes, they just do not perform well in damp weather or muddy conditions. So I was impressed when I recently borrowed a friends bike with new disc brakes. Among the main benefits of bicycle disc brakes could be the fantastic all-weather operation. An additional point I really like is that there isn’t any maintenance needed in contrast to the regular adjustments needed on cable activated standard brakes. When you install the disc brakes, setup the calipers it is possible to just ignore them.
Naturally if you do opt to upgrade to disc brakes you will find them higher priced then traditional rim brakes. But their operation is so great that most will gladly pay the purchase price. One other negative could be that the disc brake assemblies and rotor do add a little bit of weight to your bike. Again, you need to evaluate if considering your riding habits, this really is suitable. In most cases to switch to bicycle disc brakes you may need new wheels also. Disc rims cannot be mounted on regular hubs used with typical rim brake wheels.
Though it will take some work and additional cost to up grade to bicycle disc brakes, if you need much better and consistently improved brake performance in most conditions, disc brakes are a great investment. However you must determine if the price is worth it. Truthfully speaking, not everybody really needs to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes. A lot of riders are very happy with their rim brake and ride in an natural environment where rim brakes manage the job for example in flat and dry terrain. However as you take to more steeper trails and wetter conditions, disc brakes become most valuable. One more point to think about is if you’re a 200 lb rider as i am, you’ll truly appreciate the improvement in braking power.
I have tested the Shimano disc brakes and as with all of Shimano bicycle parts, they performed flawlessly under almost any conditions from mountain trails to riding through creek beds.
In addition to Shimano, according to reports, Avid disc brakes, Hayes disc brakes, and Tekro disc brakes are all obtainable in kits and as individual components making it possible to fit any kind of application desired.