Your thoughts on (bicycle) disc, as opposed to rim, brakes?

[calab]

Of course, an overthought and generalization on my part in assuming v-brakes and caliper brakes are the same.
So would that mean that v-brakes are generally heavier then caliper brakes, or caliper brakes get more bite unto the rim?

 

[Chalo]

So would that mean that v-brakes are generally heavier then caliper brakes, or caliper brakes get more bite unto the rim?

Not necessarily on either count. Calipers are at their very best when they're short (therefore stiff and lightweight), but when they're short they'll only reach around a skinny tire. As the reach gets longer, increasing flex and falling mechanical advantage become problems.

V-brakes don't have that issue, but they're clunky compared to short reach calipers. V-brakes were used on hybrids and MTBs with larger tires, and they still are on budget versions of such bikes.

Either a good short reach caliper or a V-brake can outperform a disc brake, and exceed most tire adhesion. They need good pads and good setup to do it, though. Discs do whatever lame-to-okay-to-good job they're capable of, almost regardless how you set them up (unless they get contaminated). Poor setup can result in rubbing, noise, and quick or uneven wear, but the brake will work more or less as normal until the pad material is gone.

 

[jimmyhackers]

i honestly doubt there is much in the weight different between calipers and vbrakes.
calipers use one bolt/mount/pivots point, vbrakes use two.
but caliper arms are longer and would probably weigh more....
v brakes have more tyre clearance.

internet says vbrakes have slighlty more stoping power, but i half think that performance between the two would be down to pad size and compound and how welll they are set up/aligned.

i guess people use calipers if thats what their bike mounts, retrofitting vbrake posts or brake disc caliper mounts to forks isnt the easiest thing to do.

 

[calab]

So the older cantilever just dont have enough leverage action as v-brakes.

 

[Hillhater]

Caliper brakes are only any good for Road race rims and 28mm tyres.
Average V brakes are better than cheap disc brakes.
Good Disc brakes are better than good V brakes.
Disc brakes are simpler and easier if you have to remove/replace the wheel frequently for transportation etc

 

[Chalo]

So the older cantilever just dont have enough leverage action as v-brakes.

Cantilevers have variable mechanical advantage, based on the straddle cable angle. This is a great benefit for fine tuning the brake to the lever. It has the drawback that the mechanical advantage falls throughout the brake's stroke, so you use up the strongest part of the stroke getting the pads to the rim.

V-brakes have an inherently higher (and constant) mechanical advantage compared to cantilever brakes, but it's so different that they have to use different levers that pull a longer stroke of cable.