Disc Brakes! Mechanical or Hydraulic..?

Virdi

Virdi

Virdi

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Joined
11 Jun 2004
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Location
Middlesex, London
Hi guys,

So I think I've deciced on the bike I want to go for now.

...but there is another dilemma! :(

Boardman MX Sport ......has Avid BB5 Mechanical Disc brakes

or

Boardman MX Sport ...has Avid Elixer 1 Hydraulic Disc brakes


...The price difference is £100.! ....am I going to regret not going for Hydros?


Thanks
 
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I don't know how good the Elixer 1s are but my experiences of the BB5s would make me strongly suggest that it's worth paying to upgrade from them. Cable disc brakes aren't that bad but you're setting yourself up for endless sessions where you need to readjust for cable wear - and BB5s are both particularly bad (small pads, increased wear) and harder to adjust (no barrel adjuster for one of the pads).
 
Thanks guys

When people talk about 'Hydraulic brakes' they often use the word 'modulation'

What does this mean please?

Thanks
 
A nicely put quote from another forum:

Brake modulation is how much fine control you have to apply a range of braking power distributed over the pull of your brake levers.

No modulation is basically no braking vs wheel locking. Having low modulation will mean it's hard to feather the brakes and you can only really lock up the pads. Too much modulation means you will bottom out on the levers before you lock up on the wheels. Ideal modulation gives you access to the whole range of braking power desired and allows you to apply it evenly across the range of the brake lever, giving you fine control over feathering the brakes, stopping firmly, or locking the wheel.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guys!

So do I have to worry about the maintenance on Hydraulic brakes?

I've heard that they need bleeding etc.. and that the fluid can sometimes get moisture or water contamination?
 
Virdi said:
Thanks guys!

So do I have to worry about the maintenance on Hydraulic brakes?

I've heard that they need bleeding etc.. and that the fluid can sometimes get moisture or water contamination?
Click to expand...

It is a bit more challenging to maintain hydraulics but you shouldn't have to do it very often. You could also just get your LBS to do it for you.

There are lots of horror stories regarding how annoying it is to bleed hydraulics and the like - however I think those are slightly exaggerated.
 
Looks nice, do you plan on doing off roading on it? If not I'd suggest looking at the boardman road bikes, you will go quicker/further for the same amount of effort, it will also be much lighter.

Road bikes are not as fragile or dangerous as people think and in my experience most people who have bought a hybrid end up buying a road bike later as the hybrid doesn't cut it any more.
 
Gambisk said:
Looks nice, do you plan on doing off roading on it? If not I'd suggest looking at the boardman road bikes, you will go quicker/further for the same amount of effort, it will also be much lighter.

Road bikes are not as fragile or dangerous as people think and in my experience most people who have bought a hybrid end up buying a road bike later as the hybrid doesn't cut it any more.
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We had this discussion with Virdi already :D

I'm currently banning myself from trying to convince people away from hybrids for about a month.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18615046
 
Gambisk said:
Looks nice, do you plan on doing off roading on it? If not I'd suggest looking at the boardman road bikes, you will go quicker/further for the same amount of effort, it will also be much lighter.

Road bikes are not as fragile or dangerous as people think and in my experience most people who have bought a hybrid end up buying a road bike later as the hybrid doesn't cut it any more.
Click to expand...

Hi,

I will mainly be doing road and parks ...but some of the parks I go to have gravel ...so that's why I want a Hybrid.

Thanks
 
Another vote for hydraulics here.

Mechanicals are pretty good for what they are, and at the right price point they're a good choice. But I'd drop the extra £100 on hydraulics, knowing that you'll save some of it back in having to have it in a bike shop less. :)
 
Hydraulics all the way but yeh when it comes to maintenance the elixirs are a right faff (even their instructional youtube video confuses people!).
I ended up ditching my 3s for shimano xts in the end because of it.
 
Save yourself hassle ( Avid's are known to be a pain in the rear ) save a few quid as well!

Buy the cheaper version with cable discs, switch them out yourself for a set of shimano deore's which can be had for £75, sell the cable ones for around £20 :-)

switching from cable to hydro's is easy enough and loads of youtube how to's
 
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