Bikes - Disk Breaks

[Carper GT]

Do i need a bike frame specificaly for disk breaks to have them on my bike? or can i put them onto the hub and then on my plain bike frame?

 

Thanks all

[Emz]

I aint got a clue mate, its a long time since I rode a bike! Gee your making me feel old now

 

I didn't realise that bike brakes are dependant on the bike frame :S

[Guest Ferret1959]

Do i need a bike frame specificaly for disk breaks to have them on my bike? or can i put them onto the hub and then on my plain bike frame?

 

Thanks all

 

 

I have dics brakes front and rear on my ATB but I can't see how the would fit a normal bike.

 

I'd stick with the 'V' brake, my disc brakes ain't that hot.;(

[Dan]

It could be done but you'd need to braze on the mountings and sort out the spacing on the wheel prob not worth it?

[Ken L]

Change the front forks.

[rich]

Yes you can retro fit disc *BRAKES* but its a very tedious and messy affair. I'm guessing you dont have disc ready wheels, so add another £200 to your budget as the hubs are disc specific for mounting the rotor.

 

Front wheels can be easily converted by upgrading your forks to something like these.

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8363

 

As I said, you'd need a disc specific hub.

 

Rear wheels are slightly different. again you can upgrade but you'd have to include something like a woodman addaptor or an A-Z addaptor, both IMO are a waste of time.

 

As for brazing a disc mount, I'd avoid that right away, the first reason being that if you dont have a disc mount already your frame will not be suitable for discs in that the stress analysis will not have accounted for them. The woodman addaptors allow for this by transfering braking forces through the frame via the seat stays.

Imagine the additional forces required to slow a wheel at a radius of 90mm instead of 330mm, brake mounts have been know to have been ripped off by using unsuitable equipment, ie a rotor larger than that reccomended by the fork manuracturer.

 

The second reason is they look crap.

 

Ignore the "avoid disc brakes" comments, chances are those people are running a cheap OEM cable discs, hope hydraulics are perfect when set up properly as are any other discs from reputable manufactures, look at Hayes, Magura or shimano for other options.

 

If you upgrade, make sure you check what mount your brakes/forks have. There are two types, ISO and post mount, Hayes are mostly post mount as they are canadian where as Hope etc are ISO. Addaptors are available for switching between the two.

 

If all this is too much then go for Magura HS33 Hydro rim brakes, I recently fitted them to my Santa Cruz and they are powerfull enough for me and I ride hard.

 

available here at less than you would pay for one disc.

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6003