View Poll Results: Hybrid with 3" tires?
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Hybrid with 3" tires, direct-mount brakes?
05-14-20, 02:46 PM
#1
we be rollin'
Thread Starter
Hybrid with 3" tires, direct-mount brakes?
Would you buy a bike like this? I know I talked about bikes with 2.5" tires and I've seen some like the Breezer Midtown and Surly Bridge Club with 2.4" tires. But, I went to a store where I saw bikes with 2.35" and 2.8" ties and have the impression if you really wanted real protection against potholes, rocks etc. you might want something like 3".
And as far as brakes are concerned, I read disc brakes can be superior in the snow. However, mechanical disc brakes to some are no better than V-brakes. And hydraulic brakes may freeze in certain temperatures. So since I read direct-mount brakes (calipers with two mounting points) are almost as good as disc brakes, I figure that might be a good fit. What do you think? I mean some people like Arnold Schwarzenegger ride fat bikes (and even people like Floyd Mayweather). So I'm pretty sure some people would go for the "cool factor" of large tires.
And as far as brakes are concerned, I read disc brakes can be superior in the snow. However, mechanical disc brakes to some are no better than V-brakes. And hydraulic brakes may freeze in certain temperatures. So since I read direct-mount brakes (calipers with two mounting points) are almost as good as disc brakes, I figure that might be a good fit. What do you think? I mean some people like Arnold Schwarzenegger ride fat bikes (and even people like Floyd Mayweather). So I'm pretty sure some people would go for the "cool factor" of large tires.
05-14-20, 07:08 PM
#2
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Direct-mounted brakes really aren't compatible with fat tires like that. Direct-mount brakes are typically designed with very little tire clearance and for aerodynamics. Best I can tell, they're a modern reinvention of the old centerpull brake, which also had two brake caliper pivots (and the U-brake as well). Disc brakes facilitate all sorts of tire widths because you don't have to have a caliper that needs to reach around the tire. Making a rim brake caliper with an arm that long would have poor mechanical advantage and a lot of flex.
I would consider a hybrid with a 3" tire, but I don't think you'll find one with a rim brake, direct-mounted or not. I think the Specialized Roll (with its 2.3" tires) is probably about as wide of a tire as you'll see with rim brakes, and it uses fairly wide rims and linear pull brakes, which somewhat mitigates the issue with the large tire volume.
I would consider a hybrid with a 3" tire, but I don't think you'll find one with a rim brake, direct-mounted or not. I think the Specialized Roll (with its 2.3" tires) is probably about as wide of a tire as you'll see with rim brakes, and it uses fairly wide rims and linear pull brakes, which somewhat mitigates the issue with the large tire volume.
05-15-20, 06:33 AM
#3
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Would you buy a bike like this? I know I talked about bikes with 2.5" tires and I've seen some like the Breezer Midtown and Surly Bridge Club with 2.4" tires. But, I went to a store where I saw bikes with 2.35" and 2.8" ties and have the impression if you really wanted real protection against potholes, rocks etc. you might want something like 3".
And as far as brakes are concerned, I read disc brakes can be superior in the snow. However, mechanical disc brakes to some are no better than V-brakes. And hydraulic brakes may freeze in certain temperatures. So since I read direct-mount brakes (calipers with two mounting points) are almost as good as disc brakes, I figure that might be a good fit. What do you think? I mean some people like Arnold Schwarzenegger ride fat bikes (and even people like Floyd Mayweather). So I'm pretty sure some people would go for the "cool factor" of large tires.
And as far as brakes are concerned, I read disc brakes can be superior in the snow. However, mechanical disc brakes to some are no better than V-brakes. And hydraulic brakes may freeze in certain temperatures. So since I read direct-mount brakes (calipers with two mounting points) are almost as good as disc brakes, I figure that might be a good fit. What do you think? I mean some people like Arnold Schwarzenegger ride fat bikes (and even people like Floyd Mayweather). So I'm pretty sure some people would go for the "cool factor" of large tires.
I rode with U brakes BITD and still have a few bikes with them, they are similar in power to V brakes. They are still used in BMX where fat tires, and crank clearance is required. For MTBs they died out quickly for many reasons, which not only still apply but some are made worse with 3" tire clearance:
1/ Fat tire removal is a pain. Got a flat and inflated it? Now you gotta uninflate it to squeeze it between the pads and then pump it up...again. Yay
2/ Constant pad adjustment due to lessening mech advantage. These brakes are extremely sensitive to pad wear and require constant fiddling to maintain max brake power. My freestyle friends used to carry tools and adjust them mid ride. If you neglect this too long, you get
3/ Tire sliced by pad. Due to the angle of the arm, as pads wear they hit the rim higher and higher until one day you are slicing your sidewalls.
4/ Mud clearance is not good, as in terrible
5/ Location. 3" on the seat stay creates many issues, BB placement is "better", but terrible to work on.
