Pros and cons of hydraulic brakes

[meamoantonio]

@GirishH if you find yourself in the Philippines ill sponsor you some hydraulic brakes if my bike shop is still open when you arrive haha just look for https://www.instagram.com/cadencecyclehub/

[GirishH]

Thanks, @meamoantonio.

You wouldn’t believe how badly I want to explore Southeast Asia—I can’t wait to get to the Philippines, Indonesia, or return to Vietnam and the Mekong Delta with Mister Gordo.

No need for sponsoring hydraulic brakes.
Meeting a fellow cyclist brother is the biggest blessing for me. :-)

Right now, I’m trying to get a new cassette hub for my fat bike. The tiny spring holding the pawls broke, so I’m either fixing that or replacing the hub before continuing my ride through Nepal:
https://forums.bikeride.com/thread-9355-post-50790.html#pid50790

Sorry for my ignorance: how's the terrain in the Philippines? I am from relatively plain South India or plain Boston area. I will take mountains over plains, any day..:-)

I love Nepal for how wild it is. I’ve been avoiding major highways because the real beauty ( for me) — scenery, villages, and raw humanity—lies off the paved roads. And, the trail running, cycling scene is next level here..:-)

Truly, truly looking forward to crossing paths with you one day soon.

(08-06-2025, 11:11 AM)meamoantonio Wrote:  @GirishH if you find yourself in the Philippines ill sponsor you some hydraulic brakes if my bike shop is still open when you arrive haha just look for https://www.instagram.com/cadencecyclehub/

[GirishH]

@Flowrider, Surprisingly, these mountain villages are well-connected to the outside world. Manang (11,000 ft) or Thorog Phedi (16,000 ft) have Wi-Fi. Pretty deep in the Himalayas, today I was able to conduct my online class with clear video..:-)

   
But, the cliffside villages, hamlets have preserved their always-smiling spirit. Many residents have spent 10–15 years abroad working or studying. Those who return are “modernized,” while those who stay, farm and carry 30–40 kg of rice or construction supplies on their backs—still smiling, often living into their 90s up in the mountains.

   
Two days ago here, at around 2 p.m a stranger on his porch invited me for ice-cold stream water. I shared my coffee and an apple I was carrying. We talked all afternoon, then carried a 25 kg rice sack up the mountain to his parents’ home.
   

The view from his parents hamlet was breathtaking. I stayed with his family that night, and the next day forced myself to say goodbye and continue my slog toward "the" Himalayas. My new friend has worked in Qatar for 12 years, seen wealth, yet remains rooted. On the way, we visited his 97-year-old grandmother—still talking, seeing, and hearing unaided.

(08-05-2025, 02:29 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  Another world...in many ways, they are 'lucky' enough not to know what drama there is going on in the world and truly live in the moment daily.

Their outlook on life would be incredible to hear.

Keep posting!

Look forward to reading what's going on in a land we don't hear enough of.

[Flowrider]

You have a fantastic and amazing attitude to life that is unique! Well done!

What online course do you run?

Are you able to post a link here?

[GirishH]

Hello @Flowrider and BikeRide folks, please, please, please make a trip to the Himalayas if you haven’t already. It has tested my mental strength, heart, and definitely pushed me beyond my comfort zone. Again, MisterGordo is willing to go anywhere. It's me who's been holding it back..:-(
   

I’m not smart enough to play with stocks, crypto, or coding. Instead, I teach a few languages I know—English, Kannada, and Hindi—and the ones I picked up during my cycling journey—Spanish and Nepali.

https://www.italki.com/i/reft/fDfFcF/fDfFcF/kannada?hl=en&utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=share_teacher

3 days ago, I reached Upper Pisang at 3,300 meters and spent three nights acclimatizing. On the second morning, I went mushroom picking in the mountains with the locals.    

Yesterday, I trekked up to a 4,400-meter Yak herder's hut. I was out of breath, but since I’ll be hitting 5,600 meters in about a week, I need the training.
   

The view from my tea house...
   

(08-18-2025, 03:08 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  You have a fantastic and amazing attitude to life that is unique! Well done!

What online course do you run?

Are you able to post a link here?

[Flowrider]

Awesome pictures.

I believe the predominant attitude you have is one of acceptance.

You display an acute awareness and use acceptance as the camera to focus on your mindfulness approach to your journey.

Fantastic! Keep going

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I'd like to add that I've seen this recently, which is a mount for running two calipers in the back.

This might be moreso what you're looking for.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809253308501.html

[GirishH]

Thanks, @Flowrider. Out here, no other attitude would keep me moving...:-) Over the past few days, there’s been very little actual riding on MisterGordo—it’s been mostly pushing, since the “roads” are brutally steep. For example, today I gained about 940 meters in just 6–7 kilometers, all of it by pushing.
   

I eventually turned back barely 150 meters from my goal for the day (Ice Lake at 4,600 m) when a storm rolled in. And, you can sew how beautiful the day was with blue skies before things changed..

https://youtube.com/@motaacycle?si=ixBQgBbSsslWXv42

You can see some of the terrain in the videos—it’s pure insanity, enough to test any bike to its limits. And with mine, I know exactly what is wrong. :-)

   

(08-21-2025, 10:31 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  Awesome pictures.

I believe the predominant attitude you have is one of acceptance.

You display an acute awareness and use acceptance as the camera to focus on your mindfulness approach to your journey.

Fantastic! Keep going

[enkei]

Great photos and text @GirishH ! Thanks for sharing.

What brake pads are you using, organic, sintered, or semi-metallic?

[GirishH]

Thanks, @enkei.

I have a mix of brake pads. Up front, I’m using some off-brand, unpackaged pads I picked up in Eastern India. That's the only I could find there.

At the rear, I believe they’re organic—but I’ll need to check.

These pads have been hard to find. Even in a big city like Kathmandu, where you see loads of Giants, Yetis, and Canyons, my pads are scarce. It’s because all the big brands use hydraulic brakes, which take different pads. And the cheap mountain bikes usually run rectangular mechanical disc brakes. I’m somewhere in between.

I’ll check mine and share a photo later.

I know I’ll be changing pads again soon—you can see the slopes I went down yesterday.

   

And this is pretty normal here. Up to 14,600 ft I was pushing MisterGordo, but on the way back I was flying downhill trying to outrun a storm. I dropped about 1,700 ft in just 1–1.5 miles. It was pure ATV-style terrain—unpaved, rocky, pebbly, sandy—and I was gripping the brakes as I ‘raced’ away from the storm.

The video is here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/jr5ZgDnZbEc?si=KM_2csDBw3XqgDDr

(08-27-2025, 02:20 PM)enkei Wrote:  Great photos and text @GirishH ! Thanks for sharing.

What brake pads are you using, organic, sintered, or semi-metallic?

[rydabent]

To me, hydraulic brakes just seem to be a needless complication.

[GirishH]

To be fair, I have seen how "good/fast" hydraulic brakes are compared to my mechanical but knowing how hard I brake and how I ride brakes, I ended up staying with my mechanical brakes..:-(

(09-05-2025, 10:45 AM)rydabent Wrote:  To me, hydraulic brakes just seem to be a needless complication.

[meamoantonio]

so did you bite the bullet and go hydraulic already or did you stick with cable actuated? im super curious @GirishH

[GirishH]

@meamoantonio, I didn’t bite the bullet, because that would've meant eating dirt every time I ride...:-) I stuck with mechanical brakes.

I tend to “ride” the brakes too hard and am still learning not to overreact whenever I feel scared, whether warranted or not. Hydraulics would be too much for me.

Just yesterday I went mountain biking with a Nepali on 5-inch tires. For once, nobody was gawking at my 4-inch tires..:-)

That ride was only 10 miles but took nearly three hours. I braked hard countless times. At one point, approaching a steep drop, I wanted to slam the brakes, afraid of what might be on the other side—a boulder or another drop. I held back, and didn't brake as hard as I wanted. And,it went smoothly as I landed on my fluffy 4+inch tires..
   

With hydraulics, I’d probably already be in the hospital.

(09-11-2025, 11:15 AM)meamoantonio Wrote:  so did you bite the bullet and go hydraulic already or did you stick with cable actuated? im super curious @GirishH

[Old Fat Guy]

(07-14-2025, 09:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Like some of you know, I’m bikepacking on my fatbike. I’m a bit of a chicken on downhills, but this bike came with mechanical disc brakes, and they’ve been great so far.

Right now, I’m in Nepal chasing mountains. I can’t stand the plains—too hot and muggy, even for me (an Indian!).

Anyway, a friend who rides a Giant Talon suggested I switch to hydraulic brakes for better control on steep descents and rough trails. So I’m curious—what’s been your experience?

Before this bike, I’d only ever used rim brakes, so mechanical discs were already a big upgrade and a learning curve for me. I’m not very mechanically inclined, but I can check brake wear, replace pads, and tighten things when needed. This is after some damaging learnings..



How easy or difficult is it to maintain, bleed, or vent hydraulic brakes on your own? How challenging is the switch from mechanical to hydraulic from a bike mechanic’s perspective?

I’ll be visiting a few bike shops here in Kathmandu today or tomorrow, but I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

On some trails, I know I’ll wipe out—sometimes even braking hard won’t fully stop the bike from rolling!

---

Another complication: my handlebar is always loaded, and I already know that my mechanical disc brake and gear-shifting cables are bent because of this. How would this affect or damage a hydraulic brake line or oil system?

(07-14-2025, 09:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Like some of you know, I’m bikepacking on my fatbike. I’m a bit of a chicken on downhills, but this bike came with mechanical disc brakes, and they’ve been great so far.

Right now, I’m in Nepal chasing mountains. I can’t stand the plains—too hot and muggy, even for me (an Indian!).

Anyway, a friend who rides a Giant Talon suggested I switch to hydraulic brakes for better control on steep descents and rough trails. So I’m curious—what’s been your experience?

Before this bike, I’d only ever used rim brakes, so mechanical discs were already a big upgrade and a learning curve for me. I’m not very mechanically inclined, but I can check brake wear, replace pads, and tighten things when needed. This is after some damaging learnings..



How easy or difficult is it to maintain, bleed, or vent hydraulic brakes on your own? How challenging is the switch from mechanical to hydraulic from a bike mechanic’s perspective?

I’ll be visiting a few bike shops here in Kathmandu today or tomorrow, but I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

On some trails, I know I’ll wipe out—sometimes even braking hard won’t fully stop the bike from rolling!

---

(09-05-2025, 10:45 AM)rydabent Wrote:  To me, hydraulic brakes just seem to be a needless complication.

Hydraulic brakes are trouble free for me. I have 8,000 miles on my Trek Domane and have never added fluid, bled or adjusted the disc brakes. Why anyone would use mechanical is beyond me.
I ride in USA from low mountains to the ocean.

[GirishH]

Hello @Old Fat Guy, great to hear you had a good experience with hydraulic brakes.

The only reason I’ve stuck with mechanical brakes—and will continue to—is that I feel safer with them. I tend to brake hard, suddenly, and all the time. With hydraulics, I’d probably be flying over the handlebars nonstop… at least until I finally get used to downhills and learn to manage my urge—or my fear.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Sw1idCgCusk?si=YLTALZUkoozefoZ0

As I completed the Annapurna Circuit, I finally learned not to let fear take over, but to enjoy the air, speed, and fun—especially since I’ve earned it by climbing to the top. That said, I still have a long way to go in learning how to brake smoothly and use hydraulic brakes...:-(

(09-24-2025, 02:50 PM)Old Fat Guy Wrote:  

(07-14-2025, 09:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Like some of you know, I’m bikepacking on my fatbike. I’m a bit of a chicken on downhills, but this bike came with mechanical disc brakes, and they’ve been great so far.

Right now, I’m in Nepal chasing mountains. I can’t stand the plains—too hot and muggy, even for me (an Indian!).

Anyway, a friend who rides a Giant Talon suggested I switch to hydraulic brakes for better control on steep descents and rough trails. So I’m curious—what’s been your experience?

Before this bike, I’d only ever used rim brakes, so mechanical discs were already a big upgrade and a learning curve for me. I’m not very mechanically inclined, but I can check brake wear, replace pads, and tighten things when needed. This is after some damaging learnings..



How easy or difficult is it to maintain, bleed, or vent hydraulic brakes on your own? How challenging is the switch from mechanical to hydraulic from a bike mechanic’s perspective?

I’ll be visiting a few bike shops here in Kathmandu today or tomorrow, but I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

On some trails, I know I’ll wipe out—sometimes even braking hard won’t fully stop the bike from rolling!

---

Another complication: my handlebar is always loaded, and I already know that my mechanical disc brake and gear-shifting cables are bent because of this. How would this affect or damage a hydraulic brake line or oil system?

(07-14-2025, 09:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Like some of you know, I’m bikepacking on my fatbike. I’m a bit of a chicken on downhills, but this bike came with mechanical disc brakes, and they’ve been great so far.

Right now, I’m in Nepal chasing mountains. I can’t stand the plains—too hot and muggy, even for me (an Indian!).

Anyway, a friend who rides a Giant Talon suggested I switch to hydraulic brakes for better control on steep descents and rough trails. So I’m curious—what’s been your experience?

Before this bike, I’d only ever used rim brakes, so mechanical discs were already a big upgrade and a learning curve for me. I’m not very mechanically inclined, but I can check brake wear, replace pads, and tighten things when needed. This is after some damaging learnings..



How easy or difficult is it to maintain, bleed, or vent hydraulic brakes on your own? How challenging is the switch from mechanical to hydraulic from a bike mechanic’s perspective?

I’ll be visiting a few bike shops here in Kathmandu today or tomorrow, but I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

On some trails, I know I’ll wipe out—sometimes even braking hard won’t fully stop the bike from rolling!

---

(09-05-2025, 10:45 AM)rydabent Wrote:  To me, hydraulic brakes just seem to be a needless complication.

Hydraulic brakes are trouble free for me. I have 8,000 miles on my Trek Domane and have never added fluid, bled or adjusted the disc brakes. Why anyone would use mechanical is beyond me.
I ride in USA from low mountains to the ocean.