disc brake upgrade

[SCKINZ1]

My winter upgrade is disc brakes. Avid mechanicals have received high marks. Will need new wheelset. Looking for recommendations. I ride a Gary Fisher Tassajara. What are pitfalls? Do I replace levers and cables at same time? Anything special to consider?

[Buddylee]

I just upgraded to the IRD mechanicals and love them. Even easier to set up and adjust than the Avids and i think they work just a little better.
I'm not knocking the Avids, they are very nice, just giving another option. :cool:

http://www.interlocracing.com/discbrake.html

Lee

[rpiontek]

My winter upgrade is disc brakes. Avid mechanicals have received high marks. Will need new wheelset. Looking for recommendations. I ride a Gary Fisher Tassajara. What are pitfalls? Do I replace levers and cables at same time? Anything special to consider?

When you buy mechanicals you don't get levers, so you use your current ones unless you want to spend more money. With hydros you always get levers, something to think about when comparing cost. You'll need new cables since the brakes are farther away. Maybe they come with the brakes, I don't know. I don't really think it's worth the money, though, if you have to buy new wheels, too. That's coming from me though and I always have a hard time investing money into an old bike.

[PaulJ]

You may want to consider only adding a mechanical disk to the front. I did this on my previous bike with an avid mechanical and had real good results. The frame was too old and did not have the universal mount in the rear.

PaulJ

[buckwheat]

I upgraded to the Avids this past spring and I couldnt be happier with the decision. It cost me about $300 total including a new wheelset (Rhyno Lyte XL/ Shimano XT). I shopped around on the web quite a bit before I bought anything because things go on sale frequently and sometimes you have to grab them quick. I opted to upgrade my cables with the install but that only ran about $20. While I gained some weight with the Rhynos and the disks, I now have a wheelset that can take anything I throw at it and never pinch flats or comes untrue. Also, the confidence gained with disk brakes is very noticeable. I have great control and rarely loose tire traction by skidding, even on the steepest descents. Get the disks...youll be happy you did!

[HeadSet]

Hey, if anybody is interested, i have two sets of Hayes hyd disk brakes, slightly used, with a set of replacement pads for sale cheap

[themonkeyman]

I recently finished building up my new freeride bike (:D) and I have a set of Avids on it. I love them! they are super easy to set up, and have tons of stopping power. also, the pads last for a long time (even up to a year or more!). Even when it is time to replace the pads, they only cost about $20 bucks. If I were you, I would defifintely try and make the upgrade. Discs are much better than v-brakes in the mud and wet conditions, and the rim doesn't need to be perfectly in true. Plus, they have much more modulation, and won't skid as easily(as some one stated before). Jensonusa.com has a good deal on a disc set, I think it's a rhyno wheelset. Here's a link--right here (http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product.aspx?i=WH707A17) Good luck--Monkeyman