Specialized Rockhopper - brakes?
Discussion
272BHP said:
It turns out I ordered the wrong bike. The one I thought I had ordered had hydraulics but the one I actually ordered had mechanical disk brakes.
That explains why they are rubbish then. Oh well, not a lot i can do now
The last time I looked (pre covid) hydraulic disc brakes were bloody cheap.That explains why they are rubbish then. Oh well, not a lot i can do now
272BHP said:
Mars said:
About 50 quid for a set, ready to go.
Are they easy to fit? would I be able to use the rotars that are already on the bike and just change the rest of the components? I would feel a lot happier if he had a decent set of brakes on the bike i must admit.
Cable brakes often have exposed inner cables where there are straight cable runs. This means the cable retention bosses on the frame are set up to retain the outer cable and allow the inner to pass. A hydraulic hose is similar dimensions to an outer cable so will not fit within that type of cable bosses.
Tie-wrapping the hoses to the frame would look a bit crap.
If you were handy with drills and cylindrical files etc, you might be able to drill-out the bosses but there's loads of scope for f
king that up, so on a new bike I wouldn't recommend it.I have converted a cable disc bike to hydraulics but it was an older frame and was already knocked about, so I (and more importantly, its owner) didn't care about the extra scratches I made widening the bosses. It's a functional bike for nipping into town.
loskie said:
Don't know why you are wetting your pants OP. If set up correctly mechanical discs will be just fine. I have 3 bikes 2 with Hydraulic disc brakes which are bloody good and a hybrid with brake blocks/rim brakes. Guess what it's also bloody good.
That’s a bit different. The braking demands of a hybrid bike mean a mechanical rim brake works OK.Mechanical disc brakes are worse than a rim brake due to the diameter of the disc vs diameter of the entire rim used to slow the wheel. Mechanical discs should never have been invented, and have no place on an MTB. Hydraulics are so cheap now that there’s no excuse not to have them on a bike like a rockhopper.
Edited by F20CN16 on Tuesday 15th June 07:53
272BHP said:
Mars said:
About 50 quid for a set, ready to go.
Are they easy to fit? would I be able to use the rotars that are already on the bike and just change the rest of the components? I would feel a lot happier if he had a decent set of brakes on the bike i must admit.
Take a few photos of your levers, the brake cable runs to the front and rear wheels and the brake calipers also. Post them up here.
F20CN16 said:
That’s a bit different. The braking demands of a hybrid bike mean a mechanical rim brake works OK.
Mechanical disc brakes are worse than a rim brake due to the diameter of the disc vs diameter of the entire rim used to slow the wheel. Mechanical discs should never have been invented, and have no place on an MTB. Hydraulics are so cheap now that there’s no excuse not to have them on a bike like a rockhopper.
My girlfriend has an old (about 2012ish) Rockhopper with mechanical discs and, while they aren't as sharp as the hydraulic disks on my Cube, will still haul the bike to a stop without any problems. I can certainly get a stoppie with them. They may not be the be-all and end-all of brakes but Mechanical discs do actually work.Mechanical disc brakes are worse than a rim brake due to the diameter of the disc vs diameter of the entire rim used to slow the wheel. Mechanical discs should never have been invented, and have no place on an MTB. Hydraulics are so cheap now that there’s no excuse not to have them on a bike like a rockhopper.
Edited by F20CN16 on Tuesday 15th June 07:53
loskie said:
Don't know why you are wetting your pants OP. If set up correctly mechanical discs will be just fine. I have 3 bikes 2 with Hydraulic disc brakes which are bloody good and a hybrid with brake blocks/rim brakes. Guess what it's also bloody good.
Don't know why you have to be so rude and then put up for example a different set up entirely.His previous IslaBike had rim brakes and they were very good. Much better at stopping and also much easier to operate than the crummy ones on his new bike.
I did previously have a Forme Calve CX with Avid mechanical discs and whilst I didn't gel with the bike the brakes were not the issue. Apologies if you saw my post as rude, it was maybe somewhat abrasive. I do find however once folks decide there is an issue and it niggles away at them then often that niggle is blown totally out of proportion.
What I'm saying is, I'm sure the brakes are fine. Maybe adjust them.
What I'm saying is, I'm sure the brakes are fine. Maybe adjust them.
Hydraulic brakes are nice and cheap these days , I've got a set on eBay with less than 50 miles use out of them , front and back calipers and levers including rotors. Not sure if allowed to say but just wanted to say message me if you want any details , as I would love to help a fellow pistonhead out
I have a pair of Juin Tech R1 hydro-mechanical callipers all boxed up and ready to send (eBay 'buyer' never paid and never communicated - haven't got round to re-listing). They're post-mount not flat mount but should hook up to OP's existing mechanical cables. I found they were as good as good rim brakes but needed more force than full hydro brakes.
Most likely just need adjusting, my wife bought a carrera mtb from Halfords with mechanical brakes and the lever would basically go to the grip.
Relatively simple to do, basic guide here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHifNC6F0UI
Relatively simple to do, basic guide here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHifNC6F0UI
272BHP said:
My issue is that it is my sons bike and at 14 years old his road awareness and sense of self preservation is still lacking.
I have seen him be late for school and hurtle down the hill in school run traffic. He is now doing that with brakes that are really poor - that is the worry.
I think what people are trying to say is that, although Mech discs aren't the best available, they should still work adequately to stop a boy on a bike on road. If they are really poor then it sounds like either an adjustment issue or contamination of the discs/pads themselves reducing the friction. I have seen him be late for school and hurtle down the hill in school run traffic. He is now doing that with brakes that are really poor - that is the worry.
I've ridden a bike with mechanical disc brakes and had no qualms about the braking, they have more lever travel than hydraulics and are less "sharp" but if you pull the lever hard they will certainly lock the wheels up.
If you can't get them to work to your satisfaction, can you return the bike and buy a higher-spec one?
Hmm.
You can set up mechanical discs to be at least the equal of rim brakes in the dry, and of course they’re far superior to run brakes in the wet.
It is, however, a different approach and skillset to adjusting rim brakes.
The cheaper Avid brakes (BB5) only have one moving (and adjustable) pad on the caliper so are finicky to set up, you need a shim on the fixed pad.
BB7 are much easier with adjustable pads both sides.
Source: many 1000s of commuting KMs on a Boardman with mech discs.
Try and learn how to set them up. YouTube is your friend. If you’re still worried/dissatisfied then swap in hydraulic brakes.
You can set up mechanical discs to be at least the equal of rim brakes in the dry, and of course they’re far superior to run brakes in the wet.
It is, however, a different approach and skillset to adjusting rim brakes.
The cheaper Avid brakes (BB5) only have one moving (and adjustable) pad on the caliper so are finicky to set up, you need a shim on the fixed pad.
BB7 are much easier with adjustable pads both sides.
Source: many 1000s of commuting KMs on a Boardman with mech discs.
Try and learn how to set them up. YouTube is your friend. If you’re still worried/dissatisfied then swap in hydraulic brakes.
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