Anyone know anything about disc brakes?

If all else fails with shimano just open the lever, top it up and squeeze the lever repeatedly until it works, topping it up as it goes down, it's good enough as a temporary fix at least.

How much do you think someone would normally spend on rotors and pads over a year? Not sure how long they last but distance wise it'd be about 5000km per year, rain or shine. Trying to weigh discs up against a pair of £130 mavic aksiums and brake pads per year.

Like rims, it'll depend on the conditions. I've replaced the pads on my 29er once since Feb last year - ridden mainly in Peak/Pennine grit and grime all through the winter. Rotors still look fine. Using stock/cheap rotors and standard BB7 sintered pads, nothing fancy or expensive.

Braking is more reliable in poor conditions, would say that's more important than any cost consideration.

Thanks Andy,
Yeah, I'm just trying to make compromises as my commuter budget has unfortunately halved =[
I'll have to compromise elsewhere and save money in the long run by not buying new wheels every year.
Thanks!

disc rotors generally last a long time - generally until they get warped and even then they can be straightened out. - pads depend on conditions they are used in, some particularly sandy muds can destroy them quickly, or if they get contaminated. organic pads last less long (generally) than metallic

Can anyone recommend a place to pick up disc rotor spacers? Preferably a London shop so I can sort this weekend.

I need to space the front rotor ~2mm in order to stop the caliper interfering with the spokes.

Actually, there are no issues with clearance when I use the mount for 180mm rotors. I imagine it's probably best for me to try and squeeze in a 180mm rotor, rather than spacing things out for 160mm.

Better braking, better spoke clearance, only trade off might be a rotor slightly more susceptible to buckling.

Wouldn't you also need to put spacers on the calliper too?

I spaced mine out with a few washers as a temporary fix while i waited for a new rotor to come. It arrived a week ago and I haven't got round to putting it on because I'm to lazy.

Are your calipers spyres?

Another plus 1 on epic bleed kits.
Got the Avid version as the real branded kit price was silly money.

Wouldn't you also need to put spacers on the calliper too?

The mount allows for lateral adjustment of the caliper. I can move the caliper far enough over to avoid interfere with the spokes, but the rotor needs to move over also.

Are your calipers spyres?

Pretty much, they are the TRP Spykes which are seemingly identical (aside from the pull amount).

I have Spyres on another bike and clearance was just OK.

I'm not sure I'll be able to clear 180mm rotors in my fork, so I've ordered some of these in various sizes as a backup option.

Hope Rotor Spacer

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/hope-rotor-spacer/rp-prod3288

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceDXIqhVf7k

142 x 12mm and flat mount it seems

Stupid question time, can disc brakes be tighten? Noticed that on my CX bike I have to pull the brake leavers quite far back in order to stop, they stop fine but they just feel very soft when I apply pressure on the leavers.

Mechanicals? Set the pads up closer to the rotor, especially the one that doesn't move if there is one.

Might be a stupid question. Disc calipers have the same pull as road rim calipers right? A 5800 groupset will work with trp spyre calipers yeah?

Disc calipers designed to work with road levers do, such as the spyre. Most other calipers are designed for MTB use and long pull levers though.

Nice one. I'll stick to calipers marketed as 'road' calipers. Set on the spyres after discussions on this thread.

You may like the look of these then.

Thanks, interesting.
What's the difference between 'spyke' and 'Spyre'?

Oh dear, I misread that and have sent you a useless link.
The Spyke is for MTB and the Spyre is for road bikes. My bad...

Ah no worries, sorry I assumed you were the seller. Thanks for trying though! Haha.

Haha, no - I just spend too much time lurking on the classified forums! Saw them and wondered if I wanted them. Now I definitely don't...