When Use Disc? V-Brake?

rtsy

I'm trying to understand the pros and cons of V-brakes vs. discs and also the applications, i.e., when is one a better choice than the other.

I've been reading up and here's what I've found so far:

V-brakes pros:
-cheaper
-lighter
-simpler hence easier to maintain

Disc pros:
-greater stopping power
-more reliable in more extreme conditions (mud, water, sand, etc.)

Can someone please share your thoughts and experiences here? I do mostly cross-country riding.

Thanks!

MidBunchLurker

You've pretty much got it summed up there!

I would add that disk brakes are coming down in weight all the time and the difference between top-end disks and v-brakes is neglibible.

Also, in the dry well set-up v-brakes will match a lot of disks. In the wet obviously there's no comparison...

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nick.

www.nickcoyne.com

rtsy

Thanks for the response.

Moving forward now, can you folks kindly please name a bunch of brands/models for the following that I may check out:

V-brakes:
-entry-level (up to $100)
-mid-level ($101 to $200)
-high end ($200)

Disc brakes:
-entry-level (up to $100)
-mid-level ($101 to $200)
-high end ($200)

If my price ranges are off, feel free to suggest your own.

I am likewise pondering improvements on my wheelset and would need to decide on whether going V or disc in a month or so.

Thanks!

ireman_1

Shimano XT V brakes are pretty much one of the better V's out there. Avid makes some good ones as well though. The XTs are pretty light and last. You can find deals on brakes and levers on the net for cheap, especially this time of year ($100 or way under sometimes). If you ride XC in dry conditions most/all of the time V brakes are just fine (especially with ceramic coated rims).

Avid mechanicals get rave reviews (never tried them) but most dig them ($90 or under per wheel). Lots of people rave on Hayes, but I had them and never really loved them as much as I expected to based on many others views. I now ride Shimano XTs (8" rotor front/6" rear). Retail is like $190 per wheel, but you can find A LOT better deals if you spend 10 minutes on line. I paid $245 with shipping for the 2003 models when I bought them earlier this year. I read some good things about the Hope mini system for XC riders.

For me it was easy to choose brakes. When I lived in Colorado I had the XT V's with ceramic coated rims and they worked great even for the FR junk we did, but it was dry as hell in weastern CO. When I moved to Oregon it was obvious they were not going to cut it up here where the locals have webbed feet (I am starting to get some webbing myself now, cool). Tryed the Hayes for a while, but like I said I just never felt they were all that great (better in wet than the V's though, but not the dry).

It gets pricey since you have to get new hubs and spokes and all. Have fun shopping and ride well.

K.

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Disciples Of Dirt

dabac

Check out http://www.firstprinciples.ca. Their rotor mount lets you get away with only replacing the spokes on one side of your existing wheels.

sumadoggie

Man, when I was riding with my old Avid Tri Align Cantis I thought they were the best thing since mud in my face. I just bought the Avid Single Digit Ti levers and brakes and haven't ridden them yet. I wish I had the deep pocket right now to get the Avid Ultimates. I have to believe that they are the best thing out there in levers and V-brakes. Hmmmm. Upgrade for Christmas!

JTJohnson17

I've got a couple of friends that run the Avid Mechanicals and absolutely love them compared to the hydraulic versions. Less mess, and more reliable. Plus they are extremly easy to adjust and replace worn pads.

skikid

I would say if u think u r gona b in anything other than dry conditions go with disc. I ride Hayes HMX-1 XC, I have nothing but good things to say about them and have heard only good things. I know several shops that sell only Hayes disc brakes and if you are looking for low mantinence these are the ones for you. As far as price goes, i'm not too sure but i'll check it out and post asap.

Solitude

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rtsy
I'm trying to understand the pros and cons of V-brakes vs. discs and also the applications, i.e., when is one a better choice than the other.

I've been reading up and here's what I've found so far:

V-brakes pros:
-cheaper
-lighter
-simpler hence easier to maintain

Disc pros:
-greater stopping power
-more reliable in more extreme conditions (mud, water, sand, etc.)

Can someone please share your thoughts and experiences here? I do mostly cross-country riding.

I would definately go with disc brakes. If you are worried about setup/ maintenance issues then get yourself a good set of mechanical discs that you wont have to bleed. I just got a new set of avid mechanicals from cambria for 130.00 (leftover complete set) and they are great. One finger stopping power, great modulation (control), they are fairly light weight, and simple as hell to set up.
Not to mention the fact that in any type of adverse conditions your braking power will be much much better than v brakes. Also on prolonged downhills discs will usually fair much better as well (less brake fade).
Another thing which is nice about discs is that if you ever ding, dent or bend a wheel you wont have to worry about your brake pads slicing open your tire (this is rare but has happened to me in the past).
Personally i cant see any reason to stick with v brakes other than the weight advantage... but ask yourself are you so weak that you cant carry another couple of ounces on your bike?
Check out:
supergo.com
cambriabike.com
for some good deals on disc brakes. Cambria had some avid mech's left over from 01' like a week ago (the same thing i just bought) under their hot deals section, check and see if they still have any left.

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bostarob

Ive never done a direct comparison between disc and v brakes. It seems strange to me that disc brakes would be said to have more power. Practically speaking, stopping force is the frictional force of the brakes on the surface (rim or disc) times the distance to the center of rotation. V brakes have a much greater distance. Are the forces involved in disc brakes THAT much greater than those in v brakes?
-Andy

mike jank

It seems strange to me that disc brakes would be said to have more power. Practically speaking, stopping force is the frictional force of the brakes on the surface (rim or disc) times the distance to the center of rotation. V brakes have a much greater distance. Are the forces involved in disc brakes THAT much greater than those in v brakes?
-Andy [/QUOTE]

Andy,

Good question and that's probably why it's taken so long.
If you know that much, you might want to get into transfer of power/energy. Yes the "forces" involved are THAT much greater.
I think your question should be rephrased as "Do I have to squeeze harder?" Well, no. The disc brake system does, mechanically or hydraulically, efficiently and effectively tranfer your "force" into the brake pads as well as, or better than, a V-brake in which you basically pull a pad into the rim(or tire).
"Pratically speaking," I'm lovin' it.

stevemtbsteve

lo there,

if u have a m8 with them just try them!, ride really fast, and then u will see the choice!
1 stop on a sixpence
2 bail violently off the trail

could just be a uk thing!, but don't listen to opinion, ride and make ur own mind up
cheers
steve

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why did i pick a s hiit name!!!!

Hecubus

Right now there's little reason to stick to v-brakes. They don't cost that much more or weigh that much given their advantages. Stopping power and the amount of lever force required to activate that power will always be superior regardless of conditions. Modulation is much better. Once installed properly they actually require less maintenance. There are some great mechanical discs out there but quite honestly if you truly want the best and know someone who can set them up and bleed them right or feel you can do it yourself (its not very dificult) go hydraulic. While mechanicals offer close performance to many hydro systems and are extremely simple to set up they are not as maintenance free in the long run. You will still suffer from cables getting dirty and needing to be replaced cleaned etc, much like you would with a v-brake if you want to keep them running smooth. Once Hydro's are bled correctly the only maintenance they need for years is replacing the pads. A good system will keep the fluid sealed for years. This means lever performance and feel will ALWAYS be constant and not affected by wear, dirt, and other factors.

Alnamvet

All the more reason to stick with v-brakes dtsy....XT/XTR with Aztec pads, no bleeding, fussing, special brake cables, leaking hydro fluid, more reason to stick with what works; if it ain't broke, and you'rre not a six figure pro, why bother with discs?