amyvegan

Hi.

Please give advice about choosing V-brake rim vs. Mechanical Disk on E-assist Bike Friday New World Tourist (folding).

The BF sales guy thinks I will be FINE with V-brakes but almost everyone else I know and talk to thinks mechanical disc (even though not hydrolic) will be better.

I will be hauling a loaded Burley Bike trailer a few times a week and it rains where I live and can be hilly in parts of the city, Portland, OR.

Pros for rim: easy to fix myself, cheaper, I'm used to rim brakes.
Cons for rim: unable to get parts in the future/obsolescence//losing resale value or having no resale appeal, less braking power in the rain.

Pros for disc: rain, stopping power, not going obsolete anytime in the future.
Cons for disc: noise, cost of repair, can be "finicky."

THANK YOU.

2old

V brakes with Kool Stop pads have always worked well for me, and I don't like the look of unadorned brake studs, but I think that since you're in a rainy environment, Avid BB7's would be superior.

amyvegan

thanks. i will ask BF about BB7s.

2old

As you say, it's a good idea to ask about in another BF sub-forum since this isn't an "e" specific consideration IMO (except for the extra weight of an ebike).

amyvegan

i did. thank you.

veganbikes

Yes disc brakes always disc brakes on an e-bike and ideally hydraulic disc brakes.

Rim brakes and certainly mechanical disc brakes are fine for normal bikes but for an e-bike I want good reliable stopping power especially pulling trailers and riding in the rain frequently. My Magura MT4s and MT5s have been trouble free, the only thing I have needed to do in 3000 miles is replace some pads no adjustment or noise or anything and the pads aren't exceptionally more expensive than my rim brake pads and I don't necessarily have to replace them quite as often and no cables or housing to fray.

If I was sticking with rim brakes (which again would not do on an e-bike) I would get SwissStop or KoolStop pads and Jagwire Elite Link Housing/Cables or similar compressionless housing with stainless polished cables with no coatings.

amyvegan

thanks so much vegan person from another vegan person!

2old

If you can go hydraulic, I've had excellent success in a pretty extreme off road environment with inexpensive Shimano M-200 brakes which are about $60 per wheel and come pre-bled so all you need to do is install them. However make sure you order the appropriate length.

Doc_Wui

Yes. I've also used the MT200, although I got mine from China for less. Also working well for me, but I cannot vouch for reliability is the equally cheap Zoom HB200 full hydraulic set.

For both, I had to epoxy magnetic brake cutoff switches to the brake levers. I attached the magnets with screws..

veganbikes

No worries, happy to help. There are a few other vegan folks around here as well.

Good luck with the bike.

cat0020

Disc brakes have clear advantage over rim brakes, which can wear out the rim prematurely from the braking surfaces.
With smaller wheel diameter, the rims can heat up significantly on sustained downhill and result in flat tire while traveling.
If the rims are out of true, you can still ride the bike without annoying brake rub.

Yes, hydraulic disc brakes have clear advantages over mechanical disc, unless you're carrying significant weight like a cargo ebike,
or frequently traveling downhill over long distance; mechanical disc brakes are just fine.
Hydraulic disc brakes are overkill for bikes with smaller wheel & narrow-ish tires/rims.
Mechanical disc brakes are easier to maintain, no harmful fluids to replace, or source when you need to replace the fluids.
Brake cables are easy to find replacement.
Personally, I see the simplicity of mechanical disc brakes outweighs the performance that I rarely need for hydraulic disc brakes.

tds101 

IMO any ebike that hits 20+ mph should have disc brakes. Also if there's massive hills involved. That's my opinion, so YMMV.

BobG

No problem here with Paul cantilevers and Kool-Stop pads on my ebike retrofit (cross top levers help immensely for power braking with drop bars). Prior to becoming an ebike I rode it cross country for 20 years with up to 30 pounds of camping gear in four panniers or BOB trailer. Riding it now locally with 17 pounds of motor and battery doesn't suddenly make it unwieldy! I descend and re-climb a long 14% grade every day just going to the coffee shop under total control.

If I were buying a new Bike Friday as Amy is I'd likely use discs, but I'm certainly not going to throw away a classic frame designed for a load because it doesn't have the latest brakes. I now use 700x43 gravel tires and have shed the fenders around town ...


Bruce Gordon Rock 'n' Road ebike retrofit

same bike pre-electrification with a heavier load, no problems with braking, rain or shine ...


Gibbons Pass MT

tds101 

A conversion is fine, but a new purchase is a whole different matter.