[Da Peach]

How many of you ride bikes with V-brakes? It seems I kinda missed that whole thing. Cantilevers were the big thing when I bought my last XC bike, but it seems that anyone that has a decent XC bike these days has discs.

V-brakes seems to be the domain of the commuter bike. Are they any good?

 

[stevew]

Mine work.

 

[Da Peach]

I guess what I really meant was, are they any more practical than cantilevers? They look like they'd be a beeyotch to adjust, but then, I have a hard time keeping my rear cantilever brake adjusted right, so perhaps it's an issue with the operator...

 

[w00dy]

easy to adjust, loads of power.

 

[Westy]

I still rock the Vee brakes and plan to as long as I can still get parts. They are a lot easier to adjust than cantis in every possible way. Get some avid SD7's and be done with it. I highly recommend ceramic rims, braking performance is on par with disks.

 

[Stray_cat]

I'm still happy with the v-brakes on my old xc race bike (Ibis). V-brakes will give you more mechanical advantage than cantis too.

 

[r464]

My XC bike has a front disc with a V in the back. The V-brake is more than powerful enough.

Lots of trials riders use V-brakes because they are easy to maintain and can be extremely powerful. Of course, in trials you want less modulation and a lot more lock-up.

 

[SkaredShtles]

V-brakes are definitely sufficient.

Discs are preferable if you do any long, sustained descents, but that's simply to help with arm fatigue. YMMV.

 

[Mr Tiles]

Yeah, I like v's too depending on the rig. I got cantis on my cross check (brakes off my first real mtb circa '94) and they still work plenty sufficient.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

V-brakes are definitely sufficient.

Discs are preferable if you do any long, sustained descents, but that's simply to help with arm fatigue. YMMV.

Disks still work in icy conditions and work better than vees when wet. Screw rim brakes.

 

[kingbee]

I have V's on my SS. They are more powerful and lock up my wheels easier than my BB7's do on my other bike. That is until they get wet. They still work really well, but thats when the discs come in handy.

 

[Mr Tiles]

screw the brakes, go fixed...it's great for off-road.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Disks still work in icy conditions and work better than vees when wet. Screw rim brakes.

What are these "icy" and "wet" conditions you speak of?

 

[sanjuro]

I am using them on my commuter bike. Still works.

 

[LordOpie]

Discs might be awesome, but each kind of brake still has their place.

Discs are still not so great for commuting... real commuters will ride in the rain or whatever and too many braze-ons interfere with fenders and racks.

Discs are not good for touring -- dirt (eg. Kokopelli 3-day trail) or pavement -- since they're harder to maintain and replacement parts are more fragile, so it's more of a pain to carry them.

 

[Wumpus]

Discs are not good for touring -- dirt (eg. Kokopelli 3-day trail) or pavement -- since they're harder to maintain and replacement parts are more fragile, so it's more of a pain to carry them.

You're kidding, right? I haven't had to mess with my hydraulics for two years except to change pads.

I would even say disc would be better for touring. What if you break a spoke on the rear -- much more common occurence than brake issues? Unless you are carrying a chainwhip and cassette removal tool, you're going to have to adjust any rim brake to near uselessness to finish the ride. Disc -- no problems.

 

[LordOpie]

You're kidding, right? I haven't had to mess with my hydraulics for two years except to change pads.

I would even say disc would be better for touring. What if you break a spoke on the rear -- much more common occurence than brake issues? Unless you are carrying a chainwhip and cassette removal tool, you're going to have to adjust any rim brake to near uselessness to finish the ride. Disc -- no problems.

if you're touring, you're gonna carry extra spokes.

I have never used discs so I'm just passing along what disc tourers have said. If you need to replace a disc, then you have to carry it with you, they bend easy and that means having to find a secure/safe place to carry it. Canti/V-brake pads don't bend.

Maybe it's newer tech that's not being adopted, but it seems like very few commuters/tourers like discs and they always give various reasons... check out the touring forum on bikeforums?

 

[Wumpus]

if you're touring, you're gonna carry extra spokes.

I have never used discs so I'm just passing along what disc tourers have said. If you need to replace a disc, then you have to carry it with you, they bend easy and that means having to find a secure/safe place to carry it. Canti/V-brake pads don't bend.

Maybe it's newer tech that's not being adopted, but it seems like very few commuters/tourers like discs and they always give various reasons... check out the touring forum on bikeforums?

Disc don't bend easy and can be straightened relatively easily. Sounds like a bunch of retro grouches to me.

 

[Da Peach]

I'm not the type to consider dinking around with spokes. I've never ever broken a spoke. Bent a couple wheels beyond repair, but that's about it. I've also dented a couple rims. Disc systems just seem more robust 'cause they don't depend on the rim. I've fallen off my DH bike plenty, and the discs have survived pretty well.

Don't V-brakes suffer from the same stupid problem of tilting to one side like caliper brakes?

 

[Westy]

I'm not the type to consider dinking around with spokes. I've never ever broken a spoke. Bent a couple wheels beyond repair, but that's about it. I've also dented a couple rims. Disc systems just seem more robust 'cause they don't depend on the rim. I've fallen off my DH bike plenty, and the discs have survived pretty well.

Don't V-brakes suffer from the same stupid problem of tilting to one side like caliper brakes?

SD7s have spring tension adjustments for each side of the brake. It is easy to center them.

 

[Da Peach]

Any way to retrofit a cantilever bike with v-brakes?

 

[kidwoo]

Discs are still not so great for commuting... real commuters will ride in the rain or whatever and too many braze-ons interfere with fenders and racks..

So a cable that attaches to your fork or seatstays in the middle is BETTER for a fender?

Discs are not good for touring -- dirt (eg. Kokopelli 3-day trail) or pavement -- since they're harder to maintain and replacement parts are more fragile, so it's more of a pain to carry them.

Funny. I rode over 3000 miles down the continental divide with a set of hayes mags.

Know how many times I worked on them?

One. And that was aligning them after taking them out of a box. It was funny watching everyone else I was with melt their v-brake pads on a few descents.


edit: oh.......well there ya go

I have never used discs

 

[kidwoo]

Any way to retrofit a cantilever bike with v-brakes?

Yes but it's very difficult.

You have to buy v brakes and then put them on.

Your old levers won't work though. The cable pull is different. So you need to buy the brakes and some different levers. See? Very difficult.


Hey westy......ALL v-brakes have those little springs

 

[BikeMike]

Hey westy......ALL v-brakes have those little springs

Yes, but some of those springs adjusters are better than others. The better Avids have good centering adjusters.

I still run V's on my XC bike, and I like them.

 

[jimmydean]

I have run them, but Oregon tends to be wet and/or muddy and rim brakes are teh suck.

I have some cheap Hayes mechanical discs on my SS and they work very well.

 

[sanjuro]

You're kidding, right? I haven't had to mess with my hydraulics for two years except to change pads.

I would even say disc would be better for touring. What if you break a spoke on the rear -- much more common occurence than brake issues? Unless you are carrying a chainwhip and cassette removal tool, you're going to have to adjust any rim brake to near uselessness to finish the ride. Disc -- no problems.

Let's say you are in Vietnam or the Trans-Rockies, and you crash and damage your brake.

Will you able to fix a split hydro housing or cable housing? Which is harder, to fabricate a vbrake spring or a brake pot?

The list goes on and on. You make the assumption that repairs will occur under normal circumstances. BTW, when I bike tour, I carry a chainwhip and a cassette tool. I have no idea where the next bike shop might be.

 

[kidwoo]

Let's say you are in Vietnam .

Leave

Trans-Rockies,

Fully supported event.


I've done plenty of touring on both.

I'll take discs every time. Carry a bleed kit and a hose if need be. You'd be carrring cables and housing anyway.



Ooh......how bout this.......CABLE DISCS!!

Bent wheels and sloppy mud negate any reason for running rim brakes.

 

[Westy]

Hey westy......ALL v-brakes have those little springs

I thought so but I have only owned Avids so I didn't want to make the leap.

 

[Da Peach]

Yes but it's very difficult.

You have to buy v brakes and then put them on.

Your old levers won't work though. The cable pull is different. So you need to buy the brakes and some different levers. See? Very difficult.


Hey westy......ALL v-brakes have those little springs

I thought there might be different mounting points.

I like my Deore XTII two finger levers too much to change 'em. I guess once I'm out west I'll take the plunge and get a new bike. Likely with discs. I'll have to learn to fiddle with hydraulics!

 

[LordOpie]

edit: oh.......well there ya go

I don't see how that's relevant.

How did you learn math? Trial-and-error or did you learn from someone else. And pretty much all comments on subjects like these are subjective.

Since there are 10s of people on BF.net who've tried touring with discs and didn't like it, I'll err on the side of caution until the tech catches up with that market segment.

 

[kidwoo]

I don't see how that's relevant.

How did you learn math? Trial-and-error or did you learn from someone else.

Both.

It's not like I was shown quadratic equations and just took it as gospel. Hopefully you had homework too


It's relevant in that your parroting something someone else said vs. having your own reasons from life experience (which tend to be a little more meaningful).


I rode with a crew back east that absolutely refused both full suspension and hydraulic brakes. These were the guys whos brakes melted when we toured the continental divide. Most of them never took the time to learn how to set them up. Just because a group of stubborn people exist doesn't mean they have a point.

Tell me which is more rigorous, downhilling all day on a 40+ lb bike on steep trails or touring? Which is the standard in brakes?

In the meantime, buy some disc brakes and you'll understand.


edit: what's bf.net? I want to go make fun of those guys.

 

[kidwoo]

I thought there might be different mounting points.

I like my Deore XTII two finger levers too much to change 'em. I guess once I'm out west I'll take the plunge and get a new bike. Likely with discs. I'll have to learn to fiddle with hydraulics!

You can get some good v brakes for fairly cheap. Shimano and avid were the best ones I had. I haven't used rim brakes on a mountain bike for 5+ years but I doubt that's changed.

Do it. You'll be amazed at how much more powerful they are than cantilevers.

 

[MMike]

This appears to be a bike related thread. WTF??

 

[wreckedrex]

I thought there might be different mounting points.

Nope.

I like my Deore XTII two finger levers too much to change 'em. I guess once I'm out west I'll take the plunge and get a new bike. Likely with discs. I'll have to learn to fiddle with hydraulics!

You need a Travel Agent then. It's a little pulley doodad that allows canti levers to work with V brakes. There's a huge difference in performance and they're pretty cheap. Hydraulics are easy

 

[zahgurim]

I still rock V's on my XC bikey. Avid Mags.
No need for discs on an XC bike, the V's are plenty strong enough, even when wet. It's like anti-lock Who wants to skid, anyway?
Keeps you on your toes, and makes riding the light poofterbike more exciting...

 

[kidwoo]

I still rock V's on my XC bikey. Avid Mags.
No need for discs on an XC bike, the V's are plenty strong enough, even when wet. It's like anti-lock Who wants to skid, anyway?
Keeps you on your toes, and makes riding the light poofterbike more exciting...

Try these.

Even more exciting.

 

[zahgurim]

Rollercams!
I remember those, and being happy they weren't on my bike.

 

[kidwoo]

Rollercams!
I remember those, and being happy they weren't on my bike.

There's a box FULL of those things, brand new at my shop.

Nobody can bring themselves to toss them.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I still rock V's on my XC bikey. Avid Mags.
No need for discs on an XC bike, the V's are plenty strong enough, even when wet. It's like anti-lock Who wants to skid, anyway?
Keeps you on your toes, and makes riding the light poofterbike more exciting...

That's a load of crap. It's like claiming that dragging your feet to stop is anti-skid. Try breaking through ice on a stream crossing on a cold day and then using your rim brakes. been there, done that, not going to do it again.

Opie, borrow a bike and try it before pontificating too much. You might learn something.

 

[1453]

I used to use a lot of V-brakes, compared to cantilever they were a huge improvement.

But I also hated the fact that every time it rained my rims looked like it had been working in a west virginia coal mine for a decade, and that i went through a pair of pads every week. The cost adds up.

Now I run exclusively Avid BB7s, cheap, reliable, easy to adjust. and get this, when properly set up, they modulate!!! Oh yeah I don't miss spending 15 bucks every week just so I can ride XC in the winter.