So, I have been hanging out at the bike shop (bad idea, I know). I currently have a Trek 7.2FX hybrid (in-between a road bike and a mountain bike) I purchased new in 2010 or so. I love it, and I have over 2500 miles on it already. I actually wore out a set of tires a coupla years ago. I just got it re-furbished in 2021 (tore one of my biceps tendons so I wasn't riding much that summer), and I really don't *need* a new bike.

But,

They have a new bike there that REALLY has me drooling. I'm looking at the FX 1/2 Disc (though I'm leaning towards the FX 2 Disc for $100 more). The main selling point for me is the disc brakes. Their website claims this has great stopping power even in the rain or on wet roads. Now, this is a good selling point for me, if accurate. I can justify the money for safety (cheaper and more convenient to have a new bike than to go to the ER and spend months in therapy after even a minor accident). I don't have to have the newest/greatest gear, which is why I have kept the same bike for 12 years now.

Are the disc brakes worth spending the money on a new bike?

I ride mostly through my suburbs. I try to minimize the number of drivers who can run me over. I hop on sidewalks when cars drive by, and I don't go out on any of the major streets. I like the hybrid concept, as a pure road bike would limit me to the road only (duh), and I like my options of going across light gravel, dirt, or grass with a hybrid. I'm not too keen on a mountain bike, as they are typically slower than the hybrids (fatter tires; I live in San Antonio now, so there aren't any mountains near me like there were in Colorado).

Any thoughts, advice, etc?

Here is a stock photo of my current bike. I really love it.


Here is the FX2 (probably worth the extra $100 for hydraulic disc brakes?).

If you plan to ride in or through water/mud then the disc brakes are better.

Not having ridden a bicycle for many years (it ended shortly after getting my driver's license), I can't say if they're "worth it" or not. It does look like the disc brake will complicate the removal of the front wheel for maintenance or fixing a flat. With quick-release axles and calipers, the front wheel comes right off. This won't without removing the caliper. On the plus side, the disc brake won't be dependent on a perfectly true wheel to work properly. I'm sure rough ground will tweak a rim out of true faster. A hydraulic also won't get out of adjustment. Also, rim brakes are a disc brake, just "inside out."

I'm indifferent.

I'm not sure, but I think the caliper brakes I have on one bike stops better (although both types will lock the wheels).

The caliper brakes are 'plug and play' easy while the disk brakes sometimes requires some tweaking. Both are easy to maintain though.

I don't usually ride in the wet but if I did, disks would be my choice. Also, they disks are less susceptible to oil when lubricating the chains and gears; I'm always mindful of cleaning up the rims for caliper brakes after lubricating anything.

For me and my riding (old, fat and just riding for some fitness; I'm not doing serious mtn biking or downhills), while I'm largely indifferent, I guess I would lean toward disk brakes (mechanical, not hydraulic). But I don't think I would pay a ton extra for them.

I have both systems. Overall, discs are the better setup. Better to have wet conditions stopping power when the need arises. The ones on my bike are mechanical.

Longtime bike rider will answer , yes.

The new Trek design looks good. I have a 2015 Trek FX 2 that I upgraded the disc brakes from the factory offering.

And I swapped out cranksets, now the gearing matches my preferences.

Disc brakes allow you to have the largest tires your forks and chain stays will allow. I believe even mechanical disc is better than those v-brakes on your current ride. The modulation provided with hydraulic disc is the bee's knees but requires a little upskilling on maintenance. Disc setups are almost ubiquitous these days and the rim set up is slowly going retro but it is easier to maintain. With that said, now is as good as ever I suppose to upgrade to disc. Now, the question is, are the wheels tubeless ready?

If you decide to get a whole new bike, then get the disc version. It is worth $100 more.

If you're wondering if the FX2 disc will outperform your current 7.2FX, that depends. You said you got it refurbished last year, so it depends on what your current rim brake set up is. A good rim brake set-up will outperform a cheap disc set-up. POS department store bikes often come w/ disc brakes now. I wouldn't automatically qualify them as better.

As has been pointed out, the benefits of a good set of disc brakes will mostly be noticed in wet &/or muddy conditions and as speed dramatically increases (e.g., high speed descents).

Disc brakes are awesome on a bicycle and worth it. The are not any more fiddly than caliper brakes, probably less so. With mechanical disc brakes you have an adjustment to get the pads centered on the disc and one for how close to the disc they start. You have the same with caliper brakes, but then you have to adjust the height, angle, and toe of the pads.

Then there’s the stopping power difference. The lowly disc brakes on my $150 Wal-Mart special out brake the cantilevers on my Bianchi cyclocross bike. They have a firm, easy to modulate feel and don’t require gorilla levels of grip to stop.

They do brake better. For the type of riding you're doing, I don't think it matters much. But it really is the standard now, so if you're getting a new bike anyways, I'd get it.

Is 9mm better than 45 ACP? These things are simply unknowable.

I think disk brakes allow wheel rim designs to be optimized for weight and aero. Of course, this benefit is of value only above 20 mph average speed. AVERAGE.

Rim brakes for me. 2013 Ridley Helium SL.

Thanks for all the feedback.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
guess I would lean toward disk brakes (mechanical, not hydraulic).

Is there any real difference, performance- or maintenance-wise, between the hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes? Why the preference for mechanical?

Also, to change out tires on my caliper-brake bike, I just release the calipers, undo the quick-release, and take the tire off. Is it overly-complicated to remove the tire on a disc brake bike?

quote:

Originally posted by SigSentry:
Now, the question is, are the wheels tubeless ready?

No. These are only the low-end FX1 ($700) and FX2 ($800) models, but they have tubeless ready wheels on the FX5 model ($1800) and FX6 model ($2800).

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
As has been pointed out, the benefits of a good set of disc brakes will mostly be noticed in wet &/or muddy conditions and as speed dramatically increases (e.g., high speed descents).

I don't plan to ride in the rain much, but I like the option if I wanted/needed to. Also, I don't want to ride through a puddle of water or lawn sprinkler run-off and then crash because I couldn't stop in time. My route has some pretty good hills on it. I reach usually reach 23-27 mph on my rides (on the longer descents), and I've been up to 30mph already. I'm somewhat on the chonky side (for now), so I have a lot of mass to stop. This is my main concern.

I'm not a competitive cyclist and I am not looking at shaving seconds off my route times; I am primarily concerned with the safety aspect of it. Typing this out, I just realized I have already decided it's worth it. For as much riding as I do, I would rather spend some money I didn't need to than have an accident by trying to go 'cheap.'. .

Now, I only need to figure out if it's worth the extra $100 for the hydraulic discs on the FX2 vs the mechanicals on the FX1 (there are other differences between the two bikes, but this seems to be the main one I can notice/understand). I am leaning towards the FX2, since it has 18 gears instead of 16.

If you’re going the “new bike” route, then I’d look for a belt drive.

Disk brakes= yes
Hydraulic= better x4

Ease of removal? No cable to release so easier than calipers. Maintenance difference btwn cable and hydraulic disks? Pads are the same. Cables have to be lubed/replaced from time to time while hydraulic brakes have to be bled on occasion. So no advantage either way.

Power and modulation? Hydraulic all day long

I've been riding and wrenching for more than 30 years. Disc brakes are a significant upgrade for safety and reliability.

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
I ride mostly through my suburbs. I try to minimize the number of drivers who can run me over. I hop on sidewalks when cars drive by, and I don't go out on any of the major streets.

I used to be a die-hard mountain biker back in the days of John Tomac (I still have his 78 Special bike/frame built by Doug Bradbury) during the late 80s- 90s. Basically a cross-country racer wannabe. Never really had a problem with my rim brakes during those years, no failure in hundreds of rides.

Today, I ride pretty much the same terrain as you, oddly with the same mtn bike (which is in great condition) and my Bike Friday, both with cantilever brakes. They're easy for me to adjust and work on. Just biking around town on concrete bike trails, basically getting the heart pumping, getting exercise. For my type of casual riding, I see no need to upgrade to anything new. But if I was back in the mountains doing 20 mile rides again, I would have the latest stuff, including suspension and disc brakes.

I ride a few thousand miles a year. Disc brakes are absolutely worth it. It's not difficult to make wheel/tire swaps on disc versus the outdated brakes.

Ride the bikes and compare the brake distances. After you try the disc brakes, you won't want to go back.

Spend the money up front now and get the better system. Buy once, cry once.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Not having ridden a bicycle for many years (it ended shortly after getting my driver's license), I can't say if they're "worth it" or not. It does look like the disc brake will complicate the removal of the front wheel for maintenance or fixing a flat. With quick-release axles and calipers, the front wheel comes right off. This won't without removing the caliper. On the plus side, the disc brake won't be dependent on a perfectly true wheel to work properly. I'm sure rough ground will tweak a rim out of true faster. A hydraulic also won't get out of adjustment. Also, rim brakes are a disc brake, just "inside out."

Maybe on some, but not on my son’s (Trek?). While helping pack his truck for his drive back to college last Sunday it became clear that the bike would fit better/easier with the front wheel off. No need to do anything with the brakes. Just undo the quick release on the axle and slide it out. Back when I was riding I always had to release the front brake, but apparently not with disc brakes.

Above comments on a few advantages are correct. Biggest is the wet weather stopping power. One omission is that you can also keep riding home if you break a spoke or have a slight bend in rim. The more all weather you are, harder you ride, these may help.

Having spent a lifetime in bikes, because of how I ride I could care less Also above, both kinds have ample stopping power and capable of locking up the wheels, discs are heavier, more expensive and a new kind of maintenance I do not need.

This is a timely question. I opted not to go with disc brakes because I didn't feel my type of fitness riding would warrant them....not going super fast and I honestly didn't want to spend the extra. I will say it wasn't an easy decision though. I like to buy quality.

You clearly want the disc bike. Is the extra $100 going to screw up your budget? If not then pull the trigger. QED