Remote Regions and Disc Brakes

Psamathe · Post by **Psamathe** » 5 Oct 2014, 9:28am

There has recently been discussions here about 26" vs 700 wheels and the availability of parts when touring countries outside the western world; general conclusion being stick to 26" as 700 availability is a big problem.

But what about disc brakes. Seems to me they are a moderately recent innovation and there seem a wide variety of pads. You have to get the right pads for your particular brakes. Ignoring the additional complexities of hydraulic ones (which must make maintenance outside the "west" even more challenging). OK, spare pads are small and light to carry, but if doing a long tour ...

What made me think is another current thread about Surley where there was a 26" Disk Trucker (touring Africa). And I thought, fine 26" for parts availability but what about the brakes.

So is disc brake maintenance easy throughout the world or for true extended touring outside the west, is is best to stick to more traditional brakes ?

Ian

simonhill · Post by **simonhill** » 5 Oct 2014, 10:02am

The bottom line is that spares for such exotic things as disc brakes will be unavailable in many parts of less developed countries. If you think you won't need spares, then no worries. If you do need spares then you will need a fallback plan. You takes your choices, as they say.

I toured in India with a friend with hydraulic discs. I was aware that a failure might prove terminal to the trip. There was no failure and all was OK. On another trip a friend shredded a 700 rim and had to make a cross border trip to replace it.

You could equate it to your passport. If you lost it you would have major hassles replacing it, almost certainly involving travel to capital or major city. I keep my passport round my neck or down my trousers - a bit difficult to do with a pair of disc brakes!

Tigerbiten · Post by **Tigerbiten** » 5 Oct 2014, 10:19am

I've had hydraulic brakes fail while on tour in Europe.
I just phoned, then e-mailed, Inspired Cycle Engineering for a replacement set.
I just sat around for a few days while the set was I the post.
But I know that my recumbent trikes manufacturer will ship replacement parts for anything that breaks.

foxyrider · Post by **foxyrider** » 5 Oct 2014, 7:40pm

Disc pads weigh nothing and take up the space of two pound coins - yes hydraulics could be an issue but most cars/motorbikes seem to get by okay. If you are still concerned put a set of mechanicals on instead, its only a cable you need worry about then.

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 6 Oct 2014, 12:04am

I had Magura Hydrailic brakes (V brake fitting) and had a failure, n=mind you this was in the early 1980s

Had to travel some 60 miles with one brake to find as hop that could repair

... and that was in South Wales!

Had a similar difficulty getting a repair on a set of Hope disc brakes in the mid 1990's in Northern England

In both cases it was the tubing that failed

Now use Avid BB7 as these take standard cables and inners

A set of pads have always been in my tool kit

Dudley Manlove · Post by **Dudley Manlove** » 6 Oct 2014, 12:29pm

I've yet to be lucky enough to tour in 'remote regions', but if I didn I'd probably risk using discs - they're fit and forget. In the last 7 years I've had one problem with discs and that was due to poor fettling (I didn't bend the pin holding the pads in properly and they fell out). And mechanical discs are pretty straightforward - you could even take a spare caliper, but that would probably be overkill.

andrew_s · Post by **andrew_s** » 6 Oct 2014, 2:24pm

The most likely problem with disc brakes is a bent disc.
It's not likely when riding, but more so when in transit - flying, or when the bike's on the roof of the bus along with loads of other stuff.

Gearoidmuar · Post by **Gearoidmuar** » 6 Oct 2014, 5:57pm

V-brakes are a safer bet. I've two bikes with hydraulic disk brakes but tour with Vs

gplhl · Post by **gplhl** » 6 Oct 2014, 7:05pm

Avid BB7's are well tested and mechanical. I'm carrying 4 sets of pads to replace to ne able to replace both front and back twice. I've now done over 7,000 miles on the bike and only needed to change the rear pads in Mali!

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk

Psamathe · Post by **Psamathe** » 6 Oct 2014, 8:10pm

gplhl wrote:I've now done over 7,000 miles on the bike and only needed to change the rear pads in Mali!

Is that on organic, semi-metallic or sintered ?

Ian

Dudley Manlove · Post by **Dudley Manlove** » 7 Oct 2014, 10:52am

gplhl wrote:Avid BB7's are well tested and mechanical. I'm carrying 4 sets of pads to replace to ne able to replace both front and back twice. I've now done over 7,000 miles on the bike and only needed to change the rear pads in Mali!

Gary
http://www.longbikeride.co.uk

I would certainly recommend spare pads! - apart from my mention of pads falling out earlier in the thread (which I found, but might not have). I lost some pads after getting caked in clay on a bridlepath - clay got everywhere, including on the disc rotors and calipers, and after a few hundred yards of extremely hard going it had completely scoured out the pads. Tyres were so heavy with crud that rim brakes probably wouldn't have fared any better or maybe worst, but it's scary that out the blue you're suddenly looking at having no brakes.

Tigerbiten · Post by **Tigerbiten** » 7 Oct 2014, 4:13pm

Dudley Manlove wrote:............ ,but it's scary that out the blue you're suddenly looking at having no brakes.

Try having your brakes fail when trying to get out of the center of Belgrade on Eurovelo 6, when it's the afternoon rush hour and you cannot really see where you're going due to monsoon type rain.
EV6 goes across a dual carriageway bridge that has no footpaths on it.
That was interesting .......

Luckily I was able to find a cheap hotel where I could hide the trike while I sat and waited for the new set of brakes from England.

The reason for the failure was loss of oil due to the brake lever piston seal having fine grit washed into it and wearing out.

gplhl · Post by **gplhl** » 8 Oct 2014, 7:31am

Psamathe wrote:
gplhl wrote:I've now done over 7,000 miles on the bike and only needed to change the rear pads in Mali!

Is that on organic, semi-metallic or sintered ?

Ian

Hi Ian, Sintered, the pads the Abid BB7 brakes came with.

Yo be fair, the west coast of Africa's quite flat. Now I'm on the East and bits much hillier. I don't think the pads will last as long this side of the continent!

Gary
www.longbikeride.co.uk

pq · Post by pq » 11 Oct 2014, 3:57pm

If I was buying a remote region tourer now, I'd use BB7s and take a V brake as a spare. In the event of failure, you can simply shorten the cable and attach the V brake. V brakes are cheap, compact and weigh very little.

As it is, my tourer is way too old to have disc brakes and retro-fitting would be insanely expensive. There are arguments to be had about V vs disc brakes on remote tours, but really it just doesn't matter that much if you've figured out what you'll do in the event of problems.

gplhl · Post by **gplhl** » 11 Oct 2014, 4:12pm

That's a good idea! There is one reason not to go with a rear disc when coupled with a Rohloff. Rohloff's weep oil, if you get any on your disc you need to degrease them. Has happened once to me. Although I didn't degrease, descending a big hill it's possible to burn it off if you put the brakes on hard.

Gary
http://www.longbikeride.co.uk

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