Are cable disc brakes really this bad?

[upsidedownmark]

Sylvaforever said:

if you think about it v brakes on the rims have the advantage of greater rotational speed vs the slower speed of discs on the hub..hydraulic discs on the hub have the advantage of force multiplying but cable discs on the hub have neither...?

Sorry, but no.

Rim brakes have a better leverage - which is I think what you mean by rotational speed (the speed doesn't really have anything to do with it).

Hydraulics use different sized master and slave cylinders to change the motion ratio between the lever and the pad (which gives you your force multiplier - if the pad moves half the distance you get twice the force)

Cables use different mechanical linkages to achieve exactly the same. The lever you pull on the bar pulls the cable less distance than it moves. That moves a lever on the outside of the caliper, which again has a different length, and it in turn moves some internal linkage that results in the pad moving. Motion ratios all the way.

[JQ]

The bike has been returned and Wiggle have refunded my money. I've got to say, customer service from them has been superb - they sent a new bike box and then arranged for a courier to collect it from my house.

I've purchased a new hardtail MTB, so I now need to convert my existing MTB into a permanent commuter bike. Happy days.

[Big Rod]

Two of my bikes have cable disc brakes and one has hybrid cable operated hydraulic brakes.

When I bought the one with hydraulic brakes I couldn't believe how much better they were but I had to replace the pads on one of the other bikes and it made a huge difference.

Maybe look at changing the type of pads you have.

[waynecyclist]

As above replace pads, will make a big difference.