I have loved using my mountain bicycle for over 10 years. Over time it could qualify much more as a hybrid bicycle because of the alterations I’ve made to add a lot more comfort to the ride. This gets to be more necessary to us once we mature.

The one place in which I thought it had been constantly lacking was the brakes. Although they are Shimano center pull caliper brakes, they simply never perform well in damp weather or muddy conditions. So I was impressed when I recently borrowed a friends bike with new disc brakes. One of many main advantages of bicycle disc brakes may be the excellent all-weather operation. Another point I really like is that there isn’t any maintenance required in contrast to the standard adjustments needed on cable activated conventional brakes. After you install the disc brakes, setup the calipers it is possible to simply ignore them.

Naturally should you opt to upgrade to disc brakes you will find them higher priced then traditional rim brakes. But their overall performance is so good that almost all will gladly pay the price. The other negative is that the disc brake assemblies and rotor do add some weight to your bike. Once again, you must decide if considering your riding habits, this can be suitable. Generally to switch to bicycle disc brakes you will need new wheels also. Disc rims can not be mounted on regular hubs used with typical rim brake wheels.

Though it will take some work and extra cost to upgrade to bicycle disc brakes, if you would like much better and consistently improved brake performance in most conditions, disc brakes make the perfect investment. However you have to decide if the cost is worthwhile. Seriously speaking, not everybody actually must upgrade to bicycle disc brakes. Most riders are quite pleased with their rim brake and ride in an environment where rim brakes handle the job for example in flat and dry terrain. However when you take to more steeper trails and wetter conditions, disc brakes become most effective. An additional point to consider is if you are a 200 lb rider like me, you’ll truly appreciate the improvement in braking power.

I’ve tested the Shimano disc brakes and as with all Shimano bicycle parts, they performed flawlessly under any conditions from mountain trails to riding through creek beds.

In addition to Shimano, in line with reports, Avid disc brakes, Hayes disc brakes, and Tektro disc brakes are all easily obtainable in kits and as separate parts making it possible to fit virtually any application desired.