[Bloodhound]

I just se sooooo many topics about vee brakes, disc brakes, maggies, rim finishes, grinds, tar/toothpaste/coke use, levers, etc. I've kept all my comments and feelings bottled up inside until now where I thought I'd gather my thoughts on the subject by writting them down. So why not post it on the internet and see if people agree?
So any comments positive and negative are suspensefully awaited.

I refuse to use tar, and I dont grind, although I cannot deney the great bennifit of either.

I simply cant see why people dont just get brakes that work. Its not rocket science and its rarely a financial issue.

Get good V-brakes, teflon cables, good levers, take your sweet time setting it all up and using tons of lube, and most importantly - get good pads = brakes you never have to worry about. Many different pads work well, but the Plazmatic's are a no-brainer, some people think they are good, some think they are the best. Rims are also a small issue, you can do your own research on that.

I'f your thinking of the ever popular hs33, I strongly suggest you take the few minutes to learn the very basics of fluid dynamics and hydromechanics. You'd be suprised on how much it helps your understanding of how to get your brakes good. Same as the vee's, take the flippin time to LEARN what is needed for good brakes. There are plenty of forum threads and websites around the world with the info & tips on maggies.

If you really want to be the bees knees of you local trials community (whcih may or may not involve people besides yourself), find a way to make hydro disc brakes work. They definately can be safe, you just gotta get your lazy ass to the computer and/or phone and take the time to figure it out. There are also different reasons (rotor warping, sound, etc.) for not wanting discs but I dont care about that right now.

I dont know shit about mech discs so I wont go there.

I myself follow my own advice to a degree, but then again I dont complain about my brakes. I run halfass vees right now with spanish fly pads. Next season (or the season after that) I'll be the coolest guy in town sportin a rear hydro disc brake, and maybe a front if for some unimaginable reason I decide its worth it. (Even though there is at least one other guy with dual disc, and he's 20 million times better than me)

Steffen'


btw, does anyone have a pic of broken frames/calipers caused by unappropiate rear disc use? thanks..

oh yeah, one last thing - clean clean clean, keep everything cleeeaaan, I cant be bothered to write about it just keep things clean!!!

 

[AndyT]

You don't need to know shit about mech discs....if you arne't fukcing retarded you can set them up in .2 seconds and have awesome brakes.

 

[Gardenfan]

No matter how good you are at setting up brakes, you will not have brakes that work great in all conditions. Unless you grind. Standard braking surfaces, and even plazmatic pads lose their power in wet, and or dusty conditions. Nothing you can do about that.

Tar works great in dusty conditiosn, but not so great in the wet, infact it absolutely sucks in the wet. Better off without it.

Grind works in almost any condition.

 

[BiKe4EvEr]

uh....all i'll say is bike shop, they do an idiot good

 

[Elan]

i have brakes on my bike, they work well. it is essential to have them working that way. i am thinking about plazmatic spanish fly for my V, they are only $15.

 

[BrettM]

I might be able to get you a couple different pics of ruined frames from rear disk use. 3 or so. Unless its a B26D or possibly Dave's Megamo it won't take long for you to be out a frame.

As for setting up a disk, they are at least 10 times easier to do than a rim brake. It's all the problems and feel that goes with it that keeps a lot of people from using them in the rear.

As for your warped rotor thing. Are you the dude goin around saying to set up your stationary pad far away from the rotor? I've never warped a rotor in my life and I've been full disk for a couple years. The stationary pad goes as close as possible to the rotor to avoid warping and to give maximum power and stiffness.

 

[AndyT]

I've warped my front rotor quite abit from a month or 2 of riding, hard. Ohhh wells, I don't really care :dunno:


(ps not from hitting it)

 

[Bloodhound]

BrettM, no I am not that dude.

AndrewT, i remember you talking more in depth about your mech avid disc a while ago, but in a nut shell, how good is it?

 

[AndyT]

Its fantastic. XTR Cable/housing, XTR lever, AVID caliper, 180 or wtfever the medium sized rotor is...never gives me any problems, very minimal adjustment...amazing brake, cheap, fantabulous.

 

[bigd]

i also use the avid mech and i was pretty blown away with the performance, i gots the 185 and its solid. the caliper flexes a bit which makes the brake feel a bit squishy, but its easy enough to overlook.. i won't use anyhting other than xtr cables and housing, and lever as well.

 

[Kartoffel]

Bloodhound is on the right track. Brakes need to be set up properly, regardless of type.

A quick survey of peoples' bikes will show you that most of the crap out there is not set up properly. Maintain your machine and it will reward you. That is all. :bigthumb:

 

[RomanR]

yea thats why all the world champs run smooth rims :greddy2: