Decent Mechanical Disc

[Aggie_Ama]

DH has been throwing out the idea of upgrading my bike to mechanical (do I have the right term) disc brakes. I have V-brakes but he claims I do not know confidence until I go disc. My fork and wheels can accomodate them so he said we could do mechanical (I guess they can't take hydraulic, I don't understand these things). Are there some good ones to consider?

[Becky]

Generally, if your bike can take mechanicals, it will accept hydraulics as well. But mechs are a little easier to work on...no bleeding required.

I have hydros on my bike (mostly because that's what it came with), but I hear good things about Avid BB7 mechanical discs. Easy to set up, easy to adjust....

[Aggie_Ama]

I have a Manitou Axel Comp FFD, 80mm fork and Mavic Crossland (I think, they can go tubeless but were only about $300 for the set). I wonder why DH thinks I can only go Mechanical? I will have to ask him.

[DirtDiva]

It's cheaper to go mechanical, but if your bike can take those there's no reason you can't go hydraulic if you would rather. Shimano Deore and Avid Juicy 3s fall firmly into the not-that-expensive-yet-decent category. And if you get them set up properly in the first place, you shouldn't *have* to bleed them for ages.

[Becky]

I need to learn to bleed mine. I bought a set of Shimano dual control levers for practically nothing, and I can't install them without bleeding (to the best of my knowledge anyway).

[Irulan]

DH has been throwing out the idea of upgrading my bike to mechanical (do I have the right term) disc brakes. I have V-brakes but he claims I do not know confidence until I go disc. My fork and wheels can accomodate them so he said we could do mechanical (I guess they can't take hydraulic, I don't understand these things). Are there some good ones to consider?



he claims I do not know confidence until I go disc


Yawn, guy talk.

I rode without discs for YEARS doing all sorts of trails all over the PNW. Unless you are downhilling or riding in the wet - sure discs are nice to have but can be an expensive upgrade. Maybe a different way to look at it is, is this the best bang for your upgrade buck?

just my ornery two cents as usual. ;)

[Running Mommy]

It's an expensive upgrade. And FWIW the guys in the shop here grumble at the mechanicals all the time. If you are going to go through the expense I would go hydro- hands down!!

[OakLeaf]

I need to learn to bleed mine. I bought a set of Shimano dual control levers for practically nothing, and I can't install them without bleeding (to the best of my knowledge anyway).

Much easier with one of those vacuum gizmos. Failing that, much easier with a helper to pump the lever and top off the master cylinder, while you open and close the bleeder valve and hold the bleed hose to keep it from falling off the nipple. (I've only done m/c brakes, but hydraulics is hydraulics.)


And, define "ages." Brake fluid will absorb water from the atmosphere over time, so it does need to be changed periodically.

[Irulan]

Ama, found this in a different thread from you.

Yippee! I have a Scott Hardtail I found on Craigslist and it is a great starter.

Do I understand correctly that you want to put mech disk brakes on a craig's list find? So that's around a $200-250 upgrade, what's the total bike worth?

Or, are you talking a different bike..

[DirtDiva]

And, define "ages." Brake fluid will absorb water from the atmosphere over time, so it does need to be changed periodically.
Well, obviously you can't leave them forever... :p (As always, the real answer to that question is one that depends on what you ride, how you ride, when you ride and where you ride.)

[Aggie_Ama]

Ama, found this in a different thread from you.


Do I understand correctly that you want to put mech disk brakes on a craig's list find? So that's around a $200-250 upgrade, what's the total bike worth?

Or, are you talking a different bike..


Precisely, why I don't want hydraulic. This bike was about a $700 new bike. It is 2005 Scott Contessa 30. (http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2005&Brand=Scott&Model=Contessa+30&Type=bike) But since we are going to Alaska this summer on DH's work bonus (if he gets one) I am not getting a fully for a while. So this bike is what I have for now and honestly I REALLY like my bike. It is stock to that Bikepedia link except DH gave me some Mavic Crosslands he had put on his HT and never got to put many miles on.

Maybe I should just tell the man to leave well enough alone and let me use my V-Brakes? I mean we don't ride in wet, more like dust! And I don't do much crazy downhill riding at all and nothing you can even call true downhill in Texas.

[Irulan]

Maybe I should just tell the man to leave well enough alone and let me use my V-Brakes? I mean we don't ride in wet, more like dust! And I don't do much crazy downhill riding at all and nothing you can even call true downhill in Texas.

That is what I would do. It's the old "I'm a guy and let me tell you what you need" scenario. A $200 upgrade on a $700 bike is just silly, imnsho....Surely as a Texan you can appreciate the "sows ear - silk purse" analogy?

This is where you educate your self, and make your own choices in gear. I way surpassed DH in bike knowledge sometime ago, heh heh.

[Aggie_Ama]

He thinks it will give me more confidence for going down stuff, I think riding more will. :) Honestly I think a nice new pair of brake pads will help and just riding more. Is it scary to say I like that I don't completely stop on a dime? :confused:

[Irulan]

He thinks it will give me more confidence for going down stuff, I think riding more will. :) Honestly I think a nice new pair of brake pads will help and just riding more. Is it scary to say I like that I don't completely stop on a dime? :confused:

stopping on a dime will throw you into an endo, or a skid, your choice.

You gain confidence through skills and experience. Equipment will help, but does not replace a skill set. If you don't have the confidence for speed on descents, disk brakes just means you can go slower than ever before.

I'd take that $200 and look for a good skills camp in your area. Skills training improved my biking more than 100%. I'm pretty sure there's a strong group in Austin that does women's clinics, spend your money there.

[SadieKate]

AA, listen to Irulan.

Depending on the bike, I run both linear brakes and disc. The biggest obstacle (or benefit) to my riding isn't the components, it's my pea brain.

[Aggie_Ama]

I'd take that $200 and look for a good skills camp in your area. Skills training improved my biking more than 100%. I'm pretty sure there's a strong group in Austin that does women's clinics, spend your money there.

Actually they are free come May and I will be going. ;) Now at least I can tell the man to be quiet I like Tess the way she is and nothing but time will help me.

Disc made him more confident but one of those fun things he doesn't understand, we learn differently. I am getting better and having fun he should leave well enough alone, which 9 times out of 10 he is smart enough to do.

[Irulan]

Actually they are free come May and I will be going. ;) Now at least I can tell the man to be quiet I like Tess the way she is and nothing but time will help me.

Disc made him more confident but one of those fun things he doesn't understand, we learn differently. I am getting better and having fun he should leave well enough alone, which 9 times out of 10 he is smart enough to do.

Just for grins, here's my bike camp page. The listing of camps is way out of date, sorry

http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/penny/biking/camp.asp

[alleyoop]

Disc made him more confident but one of those fun things he doesn't understand, we learn differently. I am getting better and having fun he should leave well enough alone, which 9 times out of 10 he is smart enough to do.

My DH gets confidence from trying, I need confidence to try. These are completely different ways of learning! Know what I mean?

Have the brakes let you down in the past? Is it the fear of not being able to stop that keeps you from doing big downhills, or the fear of falling in other ways?

[Aggie_Ama]

Not at all Alley. I was cool as a cucumber (don't know how) going down the Hill of Life. The thing that keeps me from trying things like the Liver Lacerator for so many times is not stopping, it is seeing the line (which is plain as the nose on my face but I digress). But truly downhills mostly don't freak me out it is climbing.

And riding with someone who doesn't bomb down them (like C) helps because otherwise I am a bit prone to panic if I have never done it. I am still so green that I really have trouble reading lines. Of course I wonder if my husband was born on a mountain bike because he is such a natural, some people just are lucky like that. I am on slow learner path.

But the bike could use a nice tune up and some new pads. :p

[alleyoop]

There is a difference between confidence in the bike and confidence in your skills. I think that for men those two are much more closely related then for women (or at least myself). When I see a guy bomb down something and then say, "see, it is easy" that just doesn't do it for me. When someone says, "see, I am going to go really slow, the easy line and you stay on my tail..." That is what I need.

You are doing great! Sometimes I have to remind myself that I ride for fun. Every ride does not need to be some test of skills and improvement. Sometimes I just want to ride without the constant dialogue in my head, "hill coming, shift down, pull up, butt back, shift down, right brake only, pedal pedal pedal, boobs to the tube...." blah blah blah. Just ride and smile. The rest will come, right??

If the weather improves, want to do the Nut this weekend?

[Aggie_Ama]

Which day works for you? We were planning to hit the Nut this weekend. C is trying to kill himself training for another marathon race (Fat Chuck's in March) so I would rather ditch him anyway. :)

Since I am flexible just shoot me an email, it is supposed to be nice this weekend chilly in the morning but sunny and 60's by the afternoon.

[Gertruda]

It is a bit off-topic...
but - I have "Pro Max, alloy linear pull" brakes.
And my concern was that my front wheel was stopping by itself pretty fast (when the bike is on the kind of "stand"). LBS guys said that pad was misplaced a bit, and they put it in right position.

I went home and start looking at it by myself (out of curiosity, of course I am not an expert at all...) And one of the the pads (on front wheel) is always touching the wheel (rim?). I am not sure it should be like this.
Now it makes about 2-3 circles/"360" and then stops. The rare wheel makes about 5-10 before stopping.

I did not pay much attention at first but now I start thinking what if it might be a problem on the long ride. I like how front brake works though. Any ideas? Should I bring it back to LBS, or that pad should touch the rim?
Or maybe it is just very new as I just bought the bike, so the pads will become thinner and it will not be a problem?

[Irulan]

I'd take it back. Or, you can go to the Park tool site where they have very good instructions on how to do brake pad adjustments yourself. It is a pretty simple procedure.

[DirtDiva]

...I did not pay much attention at first but now I start thinking what if it might be a problem on the long ride...
Brake-rub is a problem on any ride - it wears your pads prematurely and unevenly and it slows you down!!! It doesn't usually take much to fix it, so do get that front one seen to again. :)

[Gertruda]

Irulan, Dirt Diva - thanks!

Just came back from LBS - they fixed it. And it took like 2 minutes :) (And it took me ages to find time go there... I definitely should learn how to fix basic stuff by myself! )

Apparently it was installed not well/not symmetrical from the beginning, so I hope there will be no problem with that brake for some time.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Here's a good article for you. The only caveat I would mention is that when mtbing there can be the chance of a mindless "panic grab" which can launch you over the bars. But if you learn to use your very powerful front brake it has all the stopping power you need.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html