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by AstralStorm 762 days ago
The disc brakes start to be necessary on very fast ebikes and on downhill bikes going 50+ kph with need for quick thinking and pathing on the fly.

Everyone else uses them because they're fancy and can be made hydraulic more easily. Mechanical disc brakes are mostly worthless and essentially on par. Hydraulic brakes, now, make for comfier braking with less lever force and better modulation. Unless they aren't bled properly, which can be a pain to do. The alleged benefit of not having to replace a wheel rim instead replacing the disc is way overstated for most riders, even daily.

There's technically no reason not to make a hydraulic caliper or V-brake... Other than it still being expensive. Magura made one of these, they probably still do.

Not that oiling a brake wire every now and then or adjusting the tension on it is hard in any way, but it does take a bit of work someone might rather not do.

1 comments

Fair enough, I get it if you're doing 50 on a heavy bike (like an e-bike). I also agree that it provider easier activation, I've just never felt the need for that. Not in all of my years riding rim or coaster brakes have I ever felt it was too difficult to activate the brake. I've also only rarely (in my 20 years of bike riding) lubricated the wire. Most people get their bikes serviced, and they'll oil your wire too.

I think disc brakes are technophilia in almost all cases.