Depends. As I use to bicycle all over my hometown during my college days rim brakes could be a problem when it rained or snowed. Mostly because the obvious problem of getting a solid grip on the rim is impeded by the moisture. I'm not sure if a disc brake is any better in this capacity but if it is even marginally better then if I was a PD using bikes to get riot police around I would accept the cost of the maintenance of a disc brake over rim ones.