Hydraulic Disc Breaks for a mountain bike

[BadFish]

Hi Bicycle chaps

I have a basic model Marin mountain bike and am having constant trouble with my cable disc brakes. I have been told to upgrade to hydraulic disc brakes.

Does anyone know a decent hydraulic set at the bottom end of the market. Good value for money and easy to get parts for....... Shimano seems the way to go.

Thanks Muchly

BF

 

[teaboy]

Told by who? What problems have you had? There might be ways to make the cable brakes work. I can't help any further (I don't do off-road!) but I'm sure the others will be along shortly!

 

[Jeep]

Hi Bicycle chaps

I have a basic model Marin mountain bike and am having constant trouble with my cable disc brakes. I have been told to upgrade to hydraulic disc brakes.

Does anyone know a decent hydraulic set at the bottom end of the market. Good value for money and easy to get parts for....... Shimano seems the way to go.

Thanks Muchly

BF

I had similar poor performance from my cable disc brakes. I upgraded to a used set of avid juicy five for £50.

Check out eBay or the forum at singletrackworld for complete sets which people have got spare.

 

[Pantani]

The problem with cable discs is that one of the brake pads is stationary, the cable then moves the other mobile pad towards it. This system by it's very nature runs the risk of constant rubbing of the disc on the brake pad. So that is why cable discs are rubbish. Hydraulic disc brakes move both pads, therefore reducing the risk of rubbing. They also produce a more 'modulated' braking system, ie. they are not on or off but there are degrees of braking force.

On to what hydraulics you should choose, I am no longer an expert as I do not work in a bike shop anymore and mountain bikes are anathema to me. However, a few years ago the Juicy's were the highest regarded budget disc brakes. That said they probably is not much difference between them and the Shimanos, it will be easier to source spares for the shimano brakes should anything go wrong with them, but this only by degrees, Avid's after care is reasonable, they just are not in every shop throughout the world like shimano.