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Comment by Gualdrapo | Hacker News Reader

In my experience hydraulic disc brakes require less maintenance than rim brakes.

Living on a hill (like I had to go up a ~150m 23% wall to get home, and go braking down it to go places) meant I had to spend frequently on rim brake shoes and, eventually, rims. The frequent rain and mud makes it to the rim brake shoes and diminish braking power if you don't keep them clean.

That doesn't happen with hydraulics - clean them with alcohol, bleed them once each year and you're set. I agree, they're the greatest thing ever.

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> The frequent rain and mud makes it to the rim brake shoes and diminish braking power

I'll never forget when I was a kid (13 or so) going for a ride in the city during a downpour, slamming on the brakes because a pedestrian stepped out in front of me (mixed pedestrian/bike zone, no cars, we both assumed no-one else was dumb enough to be out), and ... nothing happened. Damn near shat my pants. Luckily the pedestrian saw me and jumped out of the way.

In retrospect that was too much downpour. Could literally see water spraying out my brakes. The hot cocoa after was fantastic tho

> In my experience hydraulic disc brakes require less maintenance than rim brakes.

Cable operated disc brakes seem to be a sweet spot IMHO.

I've only once in my life worn out a set of rim brake pads I wore out the thin, small disc brake pads on my gravel bike in the first ~2000 miles. It didn't even _occur_ to me that the sound I was hearing was my brake pads being completely gone on what was a basically-new bike.

Worse, I've worn out a rim when the sidewall basically delaminated after a few thousand kms and gritty conditions. After the UCI allowed disc brakes on gravel racers and manufacturers switched it made a great style of bike just about perfect

> I've only once in my life worn out a set of rim brake pads

I wore one set out... But I bought a new old stock bike that was made the same year as me... the tubes were ok and the tires are fine, but the brakes wore through very quickly. Probably 200 miles or less.

Rim brakes last ages. I used to ride 100 miles a week easily up and down hill on my mountain bike V-brakes for 3 or 4 years and had to change the pads like maybe twice.

Maintenance of cantilever and v-brakes is changing the pads every so often and putting some oil/grease on the cable/replacing the cables. None of this is that difficult.

I don't understand why people pretend that lining up some pads, and then adjusting the cable is super difficult

> The frequent rain and mud makes it to the rim brake shoes and diminish braking power if you don't keep them clean.

People greatly exaggerate how much of an issue this is. I could lock up the wheels even in the wet and muck with V-brakes. TBH, You have to ride to the conditions anyway.

Rim brakes are even worse when you're riding a recumbent with 20" (406) wheels. Nothing like being over an hour from home and having a rim give out after hitting a bad bump. I'm very grateful that my trike has drum brakes and my MTB has mechanical discs.

Hydraulic rim brakes also exist and they are amazing too

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