Today folding bikes are much better than those in the market ten years ago. In today’s retail market it is hard to buy a “bad” folding bike. We will assume everyone has a nice folding bike for the purposes of this article. We will discuss disc brake upgrades and when they make sense on folding bikes. We will also compare the cheapest folding bike in the USA that is 100% disc ready, the Downtube 9FS (MSRP $549).
Disc brakes are a very popular upgrade however they are not for everyone. To use disc brakes you need to have disc hubs (6 bolt are standard) and disc tabs on the fork and rear frame to install the caliper. Very few bikes under $1000 have disc tabs on the frame and fork, even less have disc hubs. There is one, the Downtube 9FS folding bike, which is 100% disc ready with disc hubs, tabs on the fork & frame, and it even includes cable routing for the housing. Bikes that do not include disc hubs will require a wheel upgrade that will cost around $250, a fork upgrade will run over $100, and the disc brakes will run about $100 per wheel. Therefore the financial cost of disc brake install is normally over $550, the Downtube 9FS does not require any component upgrades, it is 100% disc ready at $549!
Most riders do not need disc brakes. Rim brakes on machined sidewall rims stop bikes very quickly (not so quickly on non-machined rims since the brakes slip). The machined sidewall gives the brake pads a rough surface to bite down on, making the brakes super-efficient. Additionally disc brakes have some risk; once the rotors are bent the brakes will squeak with every revolution, which is extremely annoying. Rotors are more likely to bend on portable folding bikes, since the risk increases every time you fold your bike. Therefore most customers should stick with the cheaper V brakes with machined sidewall rims. Do not settle for non-machined sidewall rims, they do not allow the brakes to engage properly because the brake shoes will slip on the rims surface.
Riders that live in mountainous environments require disc brakes. On long windy mountainous descents rim brakes will melt from the heat generated by using them for a long period of time (they never get a chance to cool). Once they melt you will not have any brakes, hence you can either engage your brakes on the descent and they will melt by the bottom or risk not using them on the descent so they will operate at the bottom of the mountain.
I lived in the Virgin Islands in 2003 and lived on just such a mountain. Usually, I chose to not engage my brakes until I really needed them at the bottom. This was a dangerous daily commute, and I would highly recommend disc brakes be used in any mountainous terrain. Volcanic islands and big hills in the Rocky's and Appalachian mountains require disc brakes. Otherwise stick with the rim brakes, they will save you money and you will be much happier with the quiet results long term. If you decide to go with disc brakes take a look at the Downtube 9FS folding bike it is the best disc ready folding bike in the USA, and retails for under $550.
Disc brakes are a very popular upgrade however they are not for everyone. To use disc brakes you need to have disc hubs (6 bolt are standard) and disc tabs on the fork and rear frame to install the caliper. Very few bikes under $1000 have disc tabs on the frame and fork, even less have disc hubs. There is one, the Downtube 9FS folding bike, which is 100% disc ready with disc hubs, tabs on the fork & frame, and it even includes cable routing for the housing. Bikes that do not include disc hubs will require a wheel upgrade that will cost around $250, a fork upgrade will run over $100, and the disc brakes will run about $100 per wheel. Therefore the financial cost of disc brake install is normally over $550, the Downtube 9FS does not require any component upgrades, it is 100% disc ready at $549!
Most riders do not need disc brakes. Rim brakes on machined sidewall rims stop bikes very quickly (not so quickly on non-machined rims since the brakes slip). The machined sidewall gives the brake pads a rough surface to bite down on, making the brakes super-efficient. Additionally disc brakes have some risk; once the rotors are bent the brakes will squeak with every revolution, which is extremely annoying. Rotors are more likely to bend on portable folding bikes, since the risk increases every time you fold your bike. Therefore most customers should stick with the cheaper V brakes with machined sidewall rims. Do not settle for non-machined sidewall rims, they do not allow the brakes to engage properly because the brake shoes will slip on the rims surface.
Riders that live in mountainous environments require disc brakes. On long windy mountainous descents rim brakes will melt from the heat generated by using them for a long period of time (they never get a chance to cool). Once they melt you will not have any brakes, hence you can either engage your brakes on the descent and they will melt by the bottom or risk not using them on the descent so they will operate at the bottom of the mountain.
I lived in the Virgin Islands in 2003 and lived on just such a mountain. Usually, I chose to not engage my brakes until I really needed them at the bottom. This was a dangerous daily commute, and I would highly recommend disc brakes be used in any mountainous terrain. Volcanic islands and big hills in the Rocky's and Appalachian mountains require disc brakes. Otherwise stick with the rim brakes, they will save you money and you will be much happier with the quiet results long term. If you decide to go with disc brakes take a look at the Downtube 9FS folding bike it is the best disc ready folding bike in the USA, and retails for under $550.
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