Which brakes are better on a mountain bike the older pad on rim type or the disk?

Answer 1

Like the other answerers said, disks generally perform better but there is a price.

You can get reasonbly priced, reasonably tough wheels for rim brakes. Disk brake wheels are more expensive simply due to the market. As popular as they are, they still don't have enough market share and demand to bring the price down.

So:

disk brakes
- pros - good performance in all conditions
- cons - weight, expense (when you add in wheels)

rim brakes
- pros - light weight, cheaper
- cons - poor performance in muddy/wet conditions

Answer 2

It depends, as everybody says. If you only do cross country riding (XC), ride on dry weather, or are a light rider, V's are very good and light. Disc simple perform better, they modulate a lot better (which is very, very good in braking), have more power (you want more power, go from a 6" rotor to a 8" rotor), work in wet weather.

They do cost considerably more than V's, so that might be important.

If you want to buy some disc for your bike, you must make sure you have disc ready hubs (hubs that can take rotors, not all are), and the frame and fork must have the right tabs for it. Most high end frames and forks are disc only.

Another downside on the V's are that the pads tend to wear faster than discs, and sometimes they, over time, can eat through a rim, so if you're not carefull you might need to change the rim eventually. Some riders have spent an new V pad on a prolonged downhill run on wet weather. That might be like extreme, but it happens.

Downside of discs are that they are more expensive (they can go from around 100 bucks to 400 per brake), tend to be more heavy, and the setup of the disc is, while not a hassle, more work.

But, I guess it's like comparing cars, which is better, a minivan or a SUV? it would depend who you ask the answer you get.

Good luck.

Answer 3

If I were in the market for a mountain bike for serious off-road use, I would opt for disk brakes. First, quality bikes with disk brakes on them have come down in price. You can get a very capable and safe mountain bike with disk brakes for under $1000.00. Disk brakes are better because they are more powerful, giving better stopping power with less pressure on the levers. They also shed heat better than rim brakes, which can be a factor for long descents. Also, they modulate better. This means it is easier to vary the amount of braking applied to the wheel with the levers. The range of pressures, and the resultant braking response, is larger. This gives much better control overall than with rim brakes. Also, disks eliminate wear on the rims, which can be a serious factor when a bike is used in the dirt. And the wheels can be made stronger because the rim designer does not have to account for braking pressure or rim wear. If you're just going on the bike path though, get a bike with V-brakes. Perfectly capable for that purpose. Everything I've said is moot if you buy a cheap bike with cheap disk brakes. You'd be better with a quality bike with V-brakes in that case. Have fun!

Answer 4

Depends upon the type of riding that you do. Because the brake is close to the hub, discs do not get the same problems as v brakes in wet weather. Also, if you are plowing across a muddy field, your fork arch is less likely to get clogged with mud, so you can keep peddling.

However, if this is not an issue for you, then v brakes are still good. Although they do not brake as well as discs, they are still considerably lighter. Also, the mud problem can be overcome by using wire pull type brakes, as opposed to V, as the naked wires will slice through mud. You will notice that race machines, like the Scale, still have V brakes. This is because of weight.

So, if you want to race, or weight is an issue, V brake. If you want good XC performance, Disc.

Luck

Answer 5

And Once setup, the disc brakes tend to take less maintenance. But the maintenance on a rim brake is easier, especially emergency repair. I prefer (at this point) the rim brake. If I went downhill on long runs, I am sure I would prefer disc brakes.

Answer 6

If you like to ride on mud, tree branches, water,etc, you need disc brakes. Those don't overheat, last longer and mud or water won't affect them. They add up a little bit of weight but not a great difference. I recommend you to get those if you are not a pr or something where you depend on aerodynamics.