This article is not so much a review on Hope disc brakes - which essentially work very well, but lots of advice about using discs in a touring situations. Also I hope to dispel a few myths about the 'nightmares' of disc brakes and hydraulics. As ever, you never really NEED this stuff unless you take your mountain biking very seriously. You can quite happily tour offroad for a week with whatever brakes your bike comes with, provided you give them a good check over before you set off.
Why should I use disc brakes instead of rim brakes? After all, discs brakes are a substantial investment (at least £200 per wheel) and involve compatibility nightmares, such as hub and fork mounts. If you have the money, disc brakes will offer more power, more control and less maintenance. In severe conditions V-brake blocks can last only 3 rides, and even a rim can be worn through in only 4 months! A worn out rim can mean at least a long walk home, at worst a being thrown over the bars. In contrast, Hope brake pads last between 4 and 12 months, depending upon which compound you buy, and discs last 5 to 10 years. It is unlikely that they will repay their investment, but this will substantially ease your maintenance tasks, and make it is unlikely that you will need to take spares on a tour. As far as braking is concerned, discs offer very little extra power over V-brakes in perfect conditions, but the power is less effected by mud and water. As the disc is further from the ground, it is less likely to get wet and muddy anyway, and the hard pads are less affected by contamination. The winter conditions pads (gold) actually work better the muddier they are!!! In extreme rain or snow, the power can drop off slightly, but this is the only problem I have encountered.
Many cable operated disc brakes are currently available, and are extremely popular on mid-price bikes. As well as being cheaper, they use standard brake levers, and many people view them as simpler and more reliable. RUBBISH!!!. As well as the fact than many cable disc offer appalling braking (see any recent magazine review), they are extremely complex and high maintenance. A recent magazine workshop article detailed how to change the brake pads by removing the caliper and taking it apart!!!. Hydraulic discs normally allow pad change with minimum or even no tools. The Hope pads are secured by two split pins, and can be changed in seconds. The internals of cable disc calipers are extremely complex, and often poorly (cheaply) constructed. I recently had my Hopes apart, when I changed my forks, and each caliper half consisted of just a fluid cavity, a piston, and a return spring - 2 moving parts. Hydraulic lines are more reliable than cables, will never rust or fray, and seldom break. The good control of a disc is mainly due to the hydraulic system. The modulation is so perfect that I find that the rear brake becomes almost redundant. The braking power can be increased or decreased with such precision and speed, that your technical downhilling will improve. Hydraulic fluid is incompressible (unlike a wire cable), and the caliper can bend far less than V-brake arms. This almost total incompressibility of a hydraulic brake is what offers the improved control.
Most of us can manage to replace a brake cable, but many of us shudder at the idea of bleeding brakes. What if a crash pulls the hydraulic hose off out in the sticks?. You'll never get fluid and spares in no-mans land. Again - RUBBISH. Anywhere where you get cars, motorbikes, quads, or even snowmobiles you will be able to get brake fluid and a bleeding kit. This means almost any garage or petrol station, and in dire emergencies, try begging some from a farmer. Brake bleeding can be a pain on a car, but with a bike it is much simpler. One man can reach both lever and bleed nipple at once, and the quantity of fluid needed is tiny. Ask anyone who has bled a car or motorbike brake for advice - or even read the instructions if desperate!. It shouldn't take more than half an hour, you'll need just a little patience and cleanliness. Your brake may specify DOT 4 or 5.1 fluid, but in an emergency use any grade, and change it when you get back home. Magura and Shimano brakes use mineral oil, which is hard to come by, but can be substituted with almost any thin oil in an emergency (but not brake fluid).
For tips and advice about how to keep your brakes in top condition, read my article 'Top Tips for Hope disc users' on www.bikemagic.com but here is a summary of the important points for touring. The disc can get very hot. If this becomes a problem (i.e. fading or brake locking on), then use a softer pad and/or a heavier disc. The heavier the disc, the cooler it will run. The old sport discs weigh approx twice that of the newer Pro disc, and so will run cooler. Use the correct pads for the conditions. The red pads wear quicker (4 months) but give excellent power and run cooler. The golds are for mud and deepest darkest winter, last about 12 months, but generate a lot of heat. Keep oil and lube away from the disc or you'll lose the brakes almost completely. So be careful with aerosols and leaky fork seals. If you think you'll need to take spare pads, you'll need to remove the split pins as well. But ask in a local garage to borrow some pliers.
But why Hope discs instead of any other variety? Well Hayes have a reputation for corrosion, as they don't anodise the inside of the caliper, Maguras need manual wear adjustment on the fixed brake pad, and Shimano aren't here yet. Hope have a pad adjustment dial on the brake lever, which I really like, and all the spare parts are easy to come by. The model range now stretches from £115 to £200, and the hubs are cracking value for money. AND they're British AND extremely well made!
What if you simply haven't the cash? Well I can sympathise, I've got no money, I just have my spending priorities wrong!!. A damn fine alternative for lesser cash is the 'Poor man's disc':- Magura rim brakes running on ceramic rims. Ceramic rims are a bit steep at £50+ each, but they'll last at least 4 times as long if they are well spoked, as the sidewalls wear out much more slowly. They are also less effected by mud and water. Magura rim brakes are now very reasonable at £120 or so for front & rear. They offer all the benefits of low maintenance and improved control typical of hydraulics. Also the pads can be changed in seconds without any tools.
Last Updated 21-12-2000
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