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I loved the "hydraulic brakes are different and hard to maintain"... that's changed in the last few years, they're now common, reliable, and plug'n'play. I have
by Psychlist 5y ago
I loved the "hydraulic brakes are different and hard to maintain"... that's changed in the last few years, they're now common, reliable, and plug'n'play. I have been fitting them to my bikes as upgrades because for under $100 you get a lever+caliper that will just work forever. Pad replacement with disks is no harder than on rim brakes, and with hydros you have to replace them less often ... and they work better. I haven't bled bydro brakes for at least 10 years.
The exception is if you have drop bars, because hydraulic brakes are still kinda new there. But if you're looking at beginner guides you should have drop bars anyway.
- KennyBlanken 5y agoYeah, the entire article is written by a snobby retrogrouch who has no idea what modern bicycles are like and is largely repeating myths.
- bobetomi 5y agoYeah, I very much disagree with the hydraulic brakes part too. Every bike shop employee I've talked to told me hydraulic brake maintenance is harder, but you need to do it so infrequently that they take less total effort. They feel great and have been working great for me with no work needed so far. I used to have mechanical disc brakes and IMO they were worse than both rim and hydraulic disc brakes. They constantly needed adjustments, the cables stretched, they rubbed and made awful noises, and they weren't nearly as precise or effective as hydraulic disc brakes.