So why Spend money on Bicycle Disc Brakes for Your Mountain Bicycle?
I have enjoyed riding my mountain bicycle for more than ten years. Through the years it would qualify a lot more as a hybrid bicycle due to alterations I've made to add a lot more comfort to the ride. This gets to be more necessary to us as we mature.
One place in which I thought it had been continually lacking was the brakes. Though they are Shimano center pull caliper brakes, they just don't perform well in damp weather or muddy conditions. So I was impressed when I recently borrowed a close friends bicycle with new disc brakes. Among the major benefits of bicycle disc brakes could be the excellent all-weather operation. One more point I truly like is the fact there's no maintenance needed as opposed to the normal adjustments required on cable activated traditional brakes. When you install the disc brakes, setup the calipers you can just forget about them.
Naturally if you do opt to upgrade to disc brakes you will find them more pricey then conventional rim brakes. However their effectiveness is so good that most will gladly pay the purchase price. One other negative could be that the disc brake assemblies and rotor do add a bit of weight to your bike. Again, you have to determine if considering your riding habits, this can be acceptable. In most cases to change to bicycle disc brakes you will need new wheels also. Disc rims can't be installed on standard hubs used with typical rim brake wheels.
Although it will take some effort and extra cost to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes, if you need far better and consistently improved brake overall performance in all conditions, disc brakes are a good investment. However you must determine if the price is worthwhile. Seriously speaking, not everyone actually has to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes. Many riders are very very pleased with their rim brake and ride in an natural environment where rim brakes handle the job like in flat and dry land. Yet when you decide to try more steeper trails and wetter conditions, disc brakes become best. Another point to think about is if you are a 200 lb rider like me, you'll definitely appreciate the improvement in braking power.
I've tested the Shimano disc brakes and as with all Shimano bicycle parts, they performed flawlessly under virtually any conditions from mountain trails to riding through creek beds.
Besides Shimano, based on reviews, Avid disc brakes, Hayes disc brakes, and Tektro disc brakes are all obtainable in kits and as separate parts making it likely to match virtually any application desired.