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Hydraulic brakes ?

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  • 14-08-2016 9:45pm
    #1
    Usjes
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I'm thinking of replacing my Giant Rapid3 Road bike from 2011 with a new Rapid2 which I guess will be roughly equivalent. One difference I have noticed however is that the Rapid2 2016 has hydraulic brakes. I've never had a bike with hydraulic brakes before and am wondering what the pros and cons are. Its mainly for commuting and I've never had a problem in terms of stopping distance with basic mechanical brakes so I'm mainly concerned with differences in maintenance. When the shoes on mechanical brakes wear down I can just buy a new set fit them in a couple of minutes and that's it. What about hydraulic brakes, do they break down often ? Are there components that wear down that have to be replaced and is this easy to do or would I need special equipment to change them? Are they more expensive to maintain and more of a pain to deal with ?

    Thanks,

    Usjes.


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    #2
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,192 ✭✭✭Fian


    I have two bikes at home with hydraullic discs.

    changing brake pads is no harder than changing brake block on a rim brake really.

    One of teh positives is that there is less maintenance required, you should have less need to maintain. However i need to bleed the hydraullics on one brake, and i have been putting it off because i have never done it before. I gather i will need a tool to bleed and replace the fluid. Will get around to it soon enough, probably no more difficult than replacing a gear cable, but it is more unfamiliar.


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    #3
    saccades
    Registered Users Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭saccades


    Discs are a boon for commuting - constant and predictable braking even when heavily loaded and in the wet. If you lose a spoke/buckle a wheel you can still ride, you still have brakes as the rotor is unaffected.

    Had alfine disc for 6 years on my main bike and it worked a treat and pads lasted ages compared to my mtb equivalents (XT), now have sram hrd on the new commuter/road bike.

    If they get squishy/need to be pumped a few times then they need to be bled - a cheapo job at a shop (as I recall shimano use proper hydraulic brake fluid - a bit nasty and Hope/SRAM use mineral oil), supposed to be easy enough to do like a car but never something I've bothered with.

    I wouldn't buy a commuter bike without discs.


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