So why Spend money on Bicycle Disc Brakes for Your Mountain Bike?

I have enjoyed using my mountain bicycle for more than ten years. In recent times it would qualify more as a hybrid bicycle a result of the alterations I’ve made to add additional comfort to the ride. This becomes more necessary to us as we get older.

One place where I thought it was always lacking was the brakes. Although they are Shimano center pull caliper brakes, they simply don’t perform well in damp weather or muddy conditions. So I was pleasantly surprised when I recently borrowed a friends bicycle with new disc brakes. Among the key benefits of bicycle disc brakes could be the fantastic all-weather operation. An additional point I truly like is the fact there’s no maintenance needed in contrast to the standard adjustments needed on cable activated conventional brakes. After you install the disc brakes, setup the calipers you’ll be able to just forget about them.

Naturally should you opt to upgrade to disc brakes you’ll find them more expensive then conventional rim brakes. However their operation is so good that many will gladly pay the price. The other negative is that the disc brake assemblies and rotor do add a bit of weight to your bike. Once again, you have to determine if considering your riding habits, this really is suitable. In many instances to change to bicycle disc brakes you will require new wheels also. Disc rims can’t be installed on regular hubs used with standard rim brake wheels.

Even though it will require some effort and extra cost to up grade to bicycle disc brakes, if you would like far better and consistently improved brake overall performance in all conditions, disc brakes are a great investment. However you need to determine if the price is worth it. Honestly speaking, not everyone really has to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes. Lots of riders are quite happy with their rim brake and ride in an environment where rim brakes manage the job for example in flat and dry land. But as you take to more steeper trails and wetter conditions, disc brakes become most effective. One more issue to think about is if you’re a 200 lb rider like me, you will really appreciate the improvement in braking power.

I’ve tried the Shimano disc brakes and as with all Shimano bicycle parts, they worked flawlessly under virtually any conditions from mountain trails to riding through creek beds.

Besides Shimano, based on reports, Avid disc brakes, Hayes disc brakes, and Tekro disc brakes are all available in kits and as individual components making it likely to fit almost any application needed.