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I don't personally 'get' the faff thing with cable disks - it might depend how steep the hills are where you're riding, but my commuter does ~100 miles a week, every week, and has done for 2 years. I'm on the first set of pads, and other than tweaking the pads in once every 4 months, its had no maintenance at all.
It totally depends upon the weather/road conditions. I got 6-7 months out of my first set, then destroyed a couple of sets in a week flat (there was a lot of crud getting washed down the back of the fork and into the caliper - I've put a flap on to stop that now). With mechanical discs I had no brakes by the end of some 10 mile rides (despite setting them up very tight at the start) as they needed adjusting.
I've had a few months from subsequent sets, but in the dry they'd last pretty much forever.
Same type of pads? I can't help but think that if the brakes needed adjustment after 10miles then it wasn't the fact that they were mechanical or not was to blame.
It has to be hydro brakes, as cable disks require more faff and general maintenance
Not in my world,but you do get a good bar end position on the [s]ugly[/s] massive hydro hoods.
As far as budget,if you are doing lots of miles over the dark months then get something nice that fits well. Life's too short.It's a bit like buying cheap shoes for work then moaning that they leak and your feet hurt . 🙂
I don't personally 'get' the faff thing with cable disks
YMMY and all that. I do similar commute miles to you, I needed to adjust mine every few weeks, completely killed a set of pads in 6 months and by the end of the winter (despite the regular adjustment and attention) they'd seized and I couldn't re-adjust the 'static' piston back out to fit new pads in.
Then you're using a cable which is susceptible to corrosion and contamination...
Same type of pads? I can't help but think that if the brakes needed adjustment after 10miles then it wasn't the fact that they were mechanical or not was to blame.
Yes. In fact I got to try quite a few pads when I was getting 1-2 weeks out of them and the pad didn't make much difference, but I'm using Shimano resin ones now (probably could get a bit more out of sintered, but it made next to no difference when I was having the issues below).
As I said, I realised that in bad weather/shitty roads, crap was being washed down the back of the fork leg and into the caliper, which I've massively reduced with a bit of a flap just above the post mount. I might've stuck with the mechanicals if I hadn't realised that (now have cable actuated hydraulics... One day may upgrade to 11 speed for full hydros but only when everything gets knackered, and it'll probably be new bike time instead tbh.)
I was riding BB7 on my MTB commuter and during winter they could go from working fine to almost touching the bar over a few days due to the fact it was being used on filthy farm roads. ~100 miles before it needed a tweak so only once a week not each day, but annoying enough when you only realise it needed done when you are ready to go or when you get to a point you need to brake hard. Add that to the fact the BB7 it was always the back pad that needs adjusted and when the bike is covered in cack you get it all over your gloves and jacket only to find the adjuster is probably seized and needs the wheel out to get enough of a grip on it. Compare that to my other commuter used on same roads and some bridleways had no problems (SLX hydro).
As mboy says, life's too short to ride cr@p bikes.
I spend as many, if not more months, riding my winter bike as my summer bike (typically Nov-May vs. Jun-Sep), so why not be delighted with your winter steed, and look forward with excitement to the ride?
Here's my new winter steed freshly built up (steerer tube will be trimmed next week):
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