Which disc brake?

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andytk
andytk's picture
Which disc brake?

While I don't know anything about disc brakes, the steamroller met its match with last nights rain and it seems that calipers aren't necessarily the way forward. I'm going to invest in some new forks and a new front wheel. I'm pretty sure I know what I want for that, what I don't know is what brakes to get.

Ste, Emyr, Rob, Drew, Sal (and whoever else) what are you running? How much should I be looking to spend/What's the best value for money? Is there any weird compatibility that might catch me out?

victor
victor's picture

if you want an awesome brake go for hydraulic! but not valid for dual brake... you would be jumping above your bike with just a single front brake in a hard braking... for dual brake you will need a mechanic. Rob's bike brakes awesome with mecanic anyway!

tumthelove
tumthelove's picture

I will change mine too after yesterday it's so slippy so i have to change new fork i think on-one around 50 quids + avid brake 40 ( i think )

I have a question - Is it ok to have just front disc ( it will stop properly )? or if i want back I think my bike cant i have to do something with my dropout i think

Drew
Drew's picture

Mechanical brakes are easier to setup and maintain and they can be doubled up.
Hydraulic are more powerful, but if the hose goes (ha) you're screwed.

Compatibility isn't really an issue Mechanical use a V brake lever (UNLESS you buy the road version) and hydraulic come with their own lever.

BB5's are cheap (£32 @ CRC) and perfectly good (and what I will be getting when hydraulic goes wrong), BB7's are better for setup but you can lose that little knob thingys ala Rob.

And on the Front only angle of things it does take some getting used to, but I tried for a bit and it's fun just don't smack people with your back end.

Drew
Drew's picture

And unless you buy off ebay or something you won't get a rotor with the brake.

Emyr
Emyr's picture

I'm running an Avid Juicy 3, which arrived already assembled and bled. It's a low-spec model so there's no adjust ability, I have to pull the lever a long way before it bites. I'm using a 160mm rotor at the moment, will be going back to 185mm when I put my new one on.

If you want a ready to fit item, you'll need to go for a reversible lever or a closed (shit) system. Avid and Hayes use symmetrical levers. If you run a non-symmetrical lever upside down you might need to bleed the air out of it more regularly, although I think Ste runs a Shimano lever upside down.

Drew
Drew's picture

Hope and Shimano are out due to the reservoir being on top and front brake on the right, as said hayes (which I will have) and Avid levers go both ways.

I may try the hope I have upside down to see if it's ok.

salman
salman's picture

I've got a BB5 from Rich, it came with a rotor. It works with calliper levers so that's one less thing to buy.

I think hydraulic is too much faff for polo. It's easier to lube a cable than bleed it.

idris
idris's picture
Emyr
Emyr's picture

Careful eBaying ftw. Got my brake from Merlin Cycles' eBay account, unused but scuffed in the shop.

andytk
andytk's picture
tumthelove wrote:

I will change mine too after yesterday it's so slippy so i have to change new fork i think on-one around 50 quids + avid brake 40 ( i think )

I have a question - Is it ok to have just front disc ( it will stop properly )? or if i want back I think my bike cant i have to do something with my dropout i think

I'll go front only for now, just force myself to get used to it. Pompetamine forks are 30 with disc bits, you'll also need a new front hub, don't know if you've factored the cost of that in.

Thanks to everyone else for your advice, I will have a good look round on Sunday and see what I can budget for.

snottyotter
snottyotter's picture

you can get avid brakes for half price or less from Hong Kong on ebay. my bb7s have usually felt better than ste's bb5s or the gusset brakes look like they could be really good. hydraulic are probably overkill, you won't get anymore effective power out of them, better modulation but problems if they break instead of brake.

andytk
andytk's picture

Cheers Rob. I might have to rethink my choice of fork, what's a good size wheel base to have?

Voidcore
Voidcore's picture

get a front BB5 or BB7, im using just a front BB5 at the moment and its plenty
a front hydraulic is ok but mireks hose got a leak while we were in Munich and it was a nightmare trawling bikeshops and people to find somewhere with a bleedkit and new hose

I read into the Gusset ones and they got good reviews but they also said, there heavier and not any more powerful so i would stick with avid

snottyotter
snottyotter's picture

I quite want to try them just because they're new, but am more than happy with my avids.

Harmeen
Harmeen's picture

Throw in my bit too... hydraulics are overkill for polo, when your hose is snagged out, your out! mechanical disk is easy to fix courtside with normal tools. Although using disks does have another problem over v-brakes, I have noticed now that disk protectors/gaurds are a MUST... been running BB5's now for a couple of weeks and trashed a couple of disks already, maybe it's just the way I play though?

snottyotter
snottyotter's picture

I've bent mine back many times.

Harmeen
Harmeen's picture

rouge mallet swing bent my rear one in half... boo!

snottyotter
snottyotter's picture

what rotors?

JustBroken
JustBroken's picture

The only comment I'll add on this is that as soon as you get a set of BB5's you realise it's worth spending the extra on BB7's. While they work the extra adjustment, larger pads and the fact you're not bending the disc when stopping advantages are well worth the extra money.

Voidcore
Voidcore's picture

I disagree Chris, the disc bending thing dosnt happen with either because you adjust the back pad to only just not rub on the disk, the outer knob on bb7s only does the same as doing your barrel adjuster and comes off when playing polo and they cost more, maybe I am the exception to the rule but i prefer bb5's (for polo at least)

snottyotter
snottyotter's picture

I think with proper set up bb7s will be better as you can get both pads close but still keep the arm on the brake fully extended for better leverage & you get better contact with the bigger pads, however bb5s are probably close to as good & you don't need to worry about losing the adjuster knob, which is very annoying as the brakes will get looser throughout a game.

idris
idris's picture

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1120406/

"hi i have
2x avid 5bb disc brake £15 each
2x avid brake lever £5 each
front and back jag wire brake cables £5 for the front £7 for back
3 160mm rotors/disc £5 each
and a 160 mount for the brake £3"

JustBroken
JustBroken's picture

I think I paid about £45 for a brand new pair of BB5's with 160mm rotors and SD7 levers on ebay.