Penny S wrote:
> In another discussion, a gal said that "soon all mountain bikes will have discs; V- brakes are
> being phased out"... I was thinking she was full of it, but then I started looking at the '04
> online catalogs of some manufacturers. I was surprised to see how many disc brakes were on
> bikes... so maybe she is right?
>
> Discuss, if you want.
>
> PS
>
>
FWIW, I used to scoff at increasing brake technology. I had Cantilever brakes on the Merlin for
years into and after the V-brake interregnum. But eventually I was forced into V-brakes and Guess
what. They stopped just as good, if not better than properly set up cantis, AND they were a breeze
to install and adjust. Joy.
Then came discs. And again I scoffed. "pure gew-gawry" I chortled to myself, "the industry has
tricked the sheeple into paying more for heavier gear." Then my race bike for 2002 arrived, fitted
with hayes <gasp> hydraulic <shudder> disc <swoon> brakes.
And guess what. I loved them. It wasn't so much the increased power. Like any effective governmental
system, brakes are only as good as the control they allow you to have over said power. And the
control was what won me over. No more skidding. Effective in wet. No fade on extended downhills.
And so. The Karate Monkey arrived. Discs.
The Merlin cracked: They offered me options on the new frame. Disc specific, "yes please".
disk dropouts.
http://www.vanillabicycles.com/photo/cross03.jpg
So. Long story short. I'm a convert.
