Disc Brakes

Disc Brakes for Unmatched Stopping Power

There’s no question that disc brakes offer the best stopping power available to cyclists. Disc brakes work well no matter whether the conditions are wet or dry, and they can bring your bike to a halt nearly instantly even from top speeds.While disc brakes were for a long time limited to mountain bikes, an increasing number of road bikes, gravel bikes, and urban bikes are now using disc brakes as well. So, every cyclist can now take advantage of the stopping power that disc brakes provide.

Should You Use Disc Brakes Instead of Rim Brakes?

Are disc brakes worth the money?For mountain bikers and gravel bikers, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Rim brakes typically don’t offer enough stopping power to bring your bike to a timely halt if you’re riding on bumpy downhill terrain – terrain that mountain bikers and gravel riders spend a lot of time on. In addition, mountain and gravel riders are often out in wet conditions, which won’t affect disc brakes but candramatically increase stopping time if you have rim brakes.For road cyclists and urban commuters, the choice between rim brakes and disc brakes is more nuanced – but disc brakes are still worthwhile for most riders. The main drawback to disc brakes on the road is that they’re heavier than rim brakesby as much as half a kilogramme. If you plan on racing your bike, that’s a huge amount of weight. But, for everyone else, the added safety of being able to stop in traffic, especially on wet roads, makes disc brakes a great choice.

What to Consider When Choosing Disc Brakes

Hydraulic vs. Mechanical

Disc brakes can either be mechanical or hydraulic. Mechanical disc brakes have cables, just like traditional rim brakes. Instead of metal cables, hydraulic brakes have sealed tubes filled with hydraulic fluid.Mechanical disc brakes tend to be cheaper and easier to maintain at home than hydraulic disc brakes, but hydraulic lines are increasingly common. That’s because hydraulic fluid requires less maintenance, is more reliable, and is more responsiveto pressure on the brake levers than metal cables.

Rotor Size

Disc brakes designed for different types of riding have rotors of different diameters. Disc brakes designed for road riding typically come with rotors between 140 to 160 mm in diameter. Mountain bike disc brakes have a larger range of rotor sizes, from 160 mm (for trail and cross country riding) to 200 mm (for downhillriding). A larger rotor dissipates heat over a larger area, which is why types of riding that require more braking typically use bigger brake rotors. But, the rotor is the sourceof a lot of the weight of disc brakes – so you’ll want the smallest rotor that will work for the type of riding you do.

Disc Brakes at bikester.co.uk

The easiest way to find disc brakes for your bike is to shop our wide selection at bikester.co.uk. We carry more than 100 different disc brakes for mountain bikesfrom SRAM, Shimano, Campagnolo, and other respected brake manufacturers. Plus, we have dozens of road, gravel, and urban bike disc brakes.