disc vs v-brakes

[Nandy]

I always find that rim brake pads get trashed pretty quick in rain and snow. I love the mechanical discs on my fancy tourer, but that's way too fancy for bad weather riding. Personally my usual bad-weather bikes are fixed gear beaters- stops well and reliably, you know quicker when you're slipping, very little to maintain/wear out. This year is going to be interesting because I got an old single speed hardtail mountain bike with a disc in the front and a v-brake in back that I'm also changing to fixed (I used to have to deal with skinny slick tires because I had 650c. It's doable, just a little more difficult).

Commuting and market-cruising is pretty important transportation. You know your own budget, but I'd give it a little more credit. I recently helped my cousin find a new commuting bike- he commutes 4-5 days every week, all year in a place that snows, and his attitude was still "I don't want to spend too much on a toy". It's how you get to work most of the time! It's not a toy anymore, it's one of your main vehicles! Once you start to add up how expensive it is to operate your car, time spent digging it out and paying for parking, maybe the cost of the odd fender bender from sliding around a 2 ton speeding box on ice, you'll probably more than make up the cost of a decent, reliable bike.

[rebeccaC]

thinking surly sells a disc brake front fork with fender/rack mounts…..can it be an old friend thing with your cyclocross?

[ny biker]

My climate is so different from yours that my experiences aren't that relevant.

But I'm curious what bikes you have in mind?

And which disc brakes? Any plans to upgrade them? If so, I have TRP Spykes on my mountain bike, they are mechanicals, and the price isn't bad. They make the Spyre model for non-mountain bikes.

I don't have a bike with disc brakes but from what I've heard, climate isn't the only consideration. If you ride in a hilly area, especially with steep or long down hills, disc brakes can be easier on your hands than rim brakes.

[pumpkinpony]

I don't have a bike with disc brakes but from what I've heard, climate isn't the only consideration. If you ride in a hilly area, especially with steep or long down hills, disc brakes can be easier on your hands than rim brakes.

And easier on your rims! I had to replace the wheels (well only the rims needed replacing, but I did the entire wheel, easier) after using rim brakes in the mountains in CO for a few years. The bike shop guys said that can happen if you ride the brakes a lot. (rims were starting to collapse inward)