Anyone opt for mech discs over hydraulic?

[legrandefromage]

I hated servicing hydraulics and ended up being the only one prepared to do it.

I'd often have the issue of a bike with solid levers after the bike is dragged out of a hot shed and the fluid had expanded or in the winter, levers going to bars despite pumping.

The original Hope had the best solution of their barrel adjuster piston - solved the above issues with a simple twirl (but not a flake). Their levers also worked brilliantly with Grimeca, Formula and the 1st generation XT (grimeca again) calipers.

Later stuff seems to be so very fragile and doesnt have the feel, especially at the levels I work with.

I prefer cable, as mentioned many times, they are easy to set up for the customer/owner and pretty much fit and forget.

But then I personally use cantilevers, because I'm mad.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

I've used a few drop-bar disc options:

Had BB-5's on my old commuter which I hated with a passion. Constantly needing adjusted.

Replaced them with TRP Spyre which were vastly better, although a little fiddly to adjust for pad wear. Have been running them for 4 years now.

Have Juin-Tech R1 cable actuated hydros on the tourer and did a fully loaded End-End with them without issues. I carried one pair of pads and a cable in case of issues in the field and was confident that they would be able to be kept going in almost any circumstance.

I had already gained some experience in field repairs on the Juin-Techs, having managed to boil the front caliper coming down Great Dun Fell on the tourer when I was training, and lost a lot of fluid (all down to poor technique and lack of familiarity with the bike's handling at that time). It was simple enough to nip up the cable and carry on the ride as an almost 100% mechanical brake and then refill the fluid at home.

If I'd done that with a full hydro, it would have been game over.

The kit required to bleed hydros is not the sort of thing you'd be likely to carry out in the sticks... Can you imagine trying to bleed an Avid at a bus stop in the pissing rain?

I'd choose full mech or cable actuated over full hydro due to reliability, general ease of adjustment and repairability.

 

[dyna-ti]

Not really. Ive always had lots of hopes sitting.

 

[klunkrider]

Later stuff seems to be so very fragile and doesnt have the feel, especially at the levels I work with.

This. I’m sure modern hydro stuff could be fine, probably so long as you stick to premium brands/models but as with everything there’s a race to the bottom going on.

But then I personally use cantilevers, because I'm mad.

Mechanical discs can be like cantis, misunderstood and so, berated.

 

[klunkrider]

Replaced them with TRP Spyre which were vastly better, although a little fiddly to adjust for pad wear. Have been running them for 4 years now.

I tried a Spyre on my Day One (it was the only mechanical caliper that my foot didn’t clip, because of the shape of the actuation arm) and had big hopes for it but found it barely fit for purpose. The 3mm pad adjusters backed themselves off within minutes of riding.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

Replaced them with TRP Spyre which were vastly better, although a little fiddly to adjust for pad wear. Have been running them for 4 years now.

I tried a Spyre on my Day One (it was the only mechanical caliper that my foot didn’t clip, because of the shape of the actuation arm) and had big hopes for it but found it barely fit for purpose. The 3mm pad adjusters backed themselves off within minutes of riding.

Mine (and others I have heard of) had the opposite problem - too much grip from the threadlock on the adjuster screws which resulted in rounded hex socket heads.

To get round the adjuster issues, many folks ignore the "don't use the cable barrel adjuster to adjust for pad wear" instruction and use the cable barrel adjuster to adjust for pad wear.

 

[klunkrider]

But but but, if you use the barrel adjuster to adjust for pad wear don't you crash and burn to death?

 

[jackosbournesnr]

I believe that warning has been included in the official literature, yes.

 

[clubby]

Re:

Nope, only have mechanicals on the fat bike as that's what came on it. Would fit hydros in a second if I used it more.
Three modern mtbs on SRAM guides and my all round road bike on SRAM road hydro. All been faultless. Road brakes are 3.5 years old and have never been touched.
Most "problems" with hydraulic brakes come from not taking time to set them up properly and making sure they're bled properly when shortening hoses.

That said, I also had a set of the cheap Shimano oem crap with the leaking calipers. Binned those after second warranty set did the same thing.
Totally agree about mechanical set up the way to go on touring/trekking bikes as well.

Anyone comparing them power wise to modern hydraulics probably hasn't ridden a set of 4 pots though.

 

[Zzxxyy]

If I was cycling in country, then hydros. If I was going on a plane, then cables for sure: disc or even rim brakes!