I always wonder why disc brakes are so popular on town bikes. Obviously on a cargo bike you've got a lot of weight, but on a town bike you're not gonna be carrying more than your weight + maybe 10kg.
Considering that disc brakes need servicing/replacement parts relatively often, and that they're quite fragile (discs bent doing the bike rack shuffle), you'd think that more town bikes would have hub brakes - as well as being impervious to weather, they're robust and almost maintenance free.
Plus I think hub brakes are actually lighter.
Shimano Deore XT brake setup (I couldn't find a total weight for everything listed anywhere so I had to add up parts which might not be the exact same combo of parts that you'd buy from a shop, but it should be a reasonably accurate estimate)
lever = 240g
caliper inc lines = 450g
disc = 160g
hub = 260g
total = 1,110g
Sturmey Archer XFD hub
hub = 770g
cable lever = 180g (ish)
total = 950g
I also remember reading about oversize hub brakes that had stopping power comparable to disc brakes. Heavier, for sure, but with some development (remember that disc brakes have already had a head-start in development) I imagine the weight could be shaved down a little, too.
I always wonder why disc brakes are so popular on town bikes. Obviously on a cargo bike you've got a lot of weight, but on a town bike you're not gonna be carrying more than your weight + maybe 10kg.
Considering that disc brakes need servicing/replacement parts relatively often, and that they're quite fragile (discs bent doing the bike rack shuffle), you'd think that more town bikes would have hub brakes - as well as being impervious to weather, they're robust and almost maintenance free.
Plus I think hub brakes are actually lighter.
Shimano Deore XT brake setup (I couldn't find a total weight for everything listed anywhere so I had to add up parts which might not be the exact same combo of parts that you'd buy from a shop, but it should be a reasonably accurate estimate)
lever = 240g
caliper inc lines = 450g
disc = 160g
hub = 260g
total = 1,110g
Sturmey Archer XFD hub
hub = 770g
cable lever = 180g (ish)
total = 950g
I also remember reading about oversize hub brakes that had stopping power comparable to disc brakes. Heavier, for sure, but with some development (remember that disc brakes have already had a head-start in development) I imagine the weight could be shaved down a little, too.