wat's the different between hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes??(on a mountain bike)?

Question

which one is better?? which one is more useful?? which one is more edurable against terrains such as sand, water, mud...?? are the disc brakes better than v-brakes or linear brakes??

Thx in advance

Answer 1

Hydraulic brakes have fluid in the brake line and mechanicals have cables. Hydraulics require less maintenance, but are more expensive.

I disagree with "More Power" . More accurately, Disc brakes require less hand strength to stop the wheel from spinning. The maximum power any brakes can apply is to completely stop the tire from moving ("lock up"). If you squeeze hard enough with V brakes, you can lock the front tire.

Disc brakes are better, but that doesn't mean they are the best choice. Disc brakes reduce hand fatigue when applying the brake for long periods of time. If you're riding around town then it is very unlikely you will be holding your brakes long enough to make your hand hurt.

I've ridden a lot of mountain trails in Southern California and there are only a handful where my hands hurt from squeezing the rim brakes. I was over it 5 minutes later.

Disc brakes are better for all of the conditions you listed (sand, water, mud). Most riders never expose their bikes to that type of abuse. Plus, with Rim brakes you just have to hold it down for a few seconds to clean off the gunk and you're back in business.

Both types of Disc brakes require much more maintenance. You constantly have to wipe down the rotor and clean the pad area of brake dust. They are a constant source of squeaks, squeals, and clicks. Rim brakes are set up once and you generally don't have to touch them until you replace the pad.

Disc brakes actually wear out the wheel more quickly than rim brakes. Think about it...stopping a bike requires friction between the tire rubber and the ground. A rim is attached to the tire, so a rim brake is almost directly stopping the tire. Disc brakes are stopping the tire from spinning at the hub. This means that the thin, wire spokes are transferring the stopping power from the hub/rotor to the rim/tire. The long term effects are weakened spokes, which leads to bent wheels.

In addition, wheels built for disc brakes are off-center to accomodate the rotor. One side has shorter spokes, which means it is weaker.

90% of mountain bikers don't need disc brakes. It is a marketing tool used by bike companies to make people think they are getting a better bike. Bike stores welcome disc brakes because that means more repair revenue.

Answer 2

A disc brake uses two pads, either side of the disc, that are forced together when pulling a lever. This causes friction and heat, which will stop the bike.

The force can be applied by two methods, mechanical and hydraulic. The mechanical system uses a cable, conected from the lever on your handle bar, to a similar lever on your brake. Pulling this lever forces the two pads together onto the disc.

The second method uses hydraulic fluid and is the same system used by cars. Fluid is forced down a pipe, which will move a piston, at the brake calliper to move, pushing the pads into contact with the disc.

Of the two systems, although slightly heavier, I would say that the hydraulic system is better, since more force can be applied to the disc. Both systems may be get a little dirt in them etc. but regular maintenance will take care of this. However, as a breaking system, it leaves v brakes for dead in winter riding, since you are less likely to clog up in muddy conditions.

Luck

Answer 3

-Hey Felix! With Disc Brakes, either Hydraulic or Mechanical will almost always perform better than rim brakes. Disk brakes stop better in sandy, dry, wet or muddy conditions. Disk brakes have better modulation and less brake fade than rim brakes. So, "Yes" disk brakes are way better than most rim brakes.
-Hydraulic brakes and Mechanical differ in that Hydraulic brakes use either DOT automotive brake fluid or Mineral oil pressure to actuate the brake calipers. Mechanical brakes use a standard bicycle brake cable to actuate the brake caliper.
-Hydraulic brakes are better than the mechanicals, because they have better modulation, easier to actuate, less fade, stop better and are lighter than mechanical disc brakes. The downside is that the Hyros cost more and you have to bleed them if you get air in the system.
-Mechanical brakes are less expensive, easy to set up/maintain and you can use your standard V-brake lever.
But, some mechanicals that are now being offered are just as powerful as some older hydraulic disc brakes.
-You should go out to your local bike shop and test ride a few bikes with V-brakes. Then test ride a few bikes with Hydraulic and Mechanical disc brakes. You will notice a huge difference
in braking power! Also remember that the new disk brakes get better as they start to wear or bed in the brake pads.
-The only exception would be the the Magura Hydraulic Rim brake which is a very strong Hydraulic rim brake system.
Hopes this helps ya!

Answer 4

Hydraulic disk brakes use brake fluid much like a car would to compress the brake shoes. Mechanical disk brakes use a cable to pull them together.

Answer 5

yes disk brakes are better than v-brakes because they have more stopping power, dont wear the rim out, stop from the middle of the tire for a cleaner feel, and work in all conditions including rain. hydraulic disk brakes automatically lubricate themselves for better spinning and less wear the the disk and pad.

Answer 6

It depends on what lies beyond that mountain. Every step will lead you beyond that mountain, but then it all must not go in vain. Its not always that the toughest of challenges gives you the best of results. You have to know what lies behind that mountain, and only climb if its worth it. PS: Not always should you climb the mountains; sometimes its good to use the valleys.

Answer 7

it's all about stopping and the power , try them and you'll see the dif.