Are disc brakes better than rim brakes?
Usually our braking performance is limited more by the friction between tire and trail than by the friction between pad and rim. If we can lock up a wheel, then locking it up using less power is hardly much of an improvement. But the gain here would be during long descents where less finger pressure would lead to less arm strain. With disc brakes the maker gets to make the whole package – pads, rotor, lever, cylinders – so they can engineer them to compliment each other with minimum compromise. The limiting factor with rim brakes has got to be the soft alloy rims and pads that surrender stopping ability because of their needed softness necessary to prevent damage to these rims. Another limiting factor is their closeness to the water and mud that we ride through. But we do find that power, modulation (smooth application of that power), longevity, adjustability are generally better with disc brakes. Disc brakes suffer far less than rim brakes in poor conditions.
