Advantages and disadvantages of using mechanical disc brakes on gravel bikes

Review the different types of disc brakes

There are two types of disc brakes on gravel bikes

Hydraulic disc (oil pressure in the hose moves the pads)
Mechanical disc (pads are moved by pulling the brake wires)

Middle grade and above gravel bikes often use hydraulic brakes, while entry to middle class gravel bikes often use mechanical brakes.

Generally speaking, hydraulic brakes are lighter and less tiring to pull, but recently, brake calipers that work and feel similar to hydraulic brakes have been introduced, such as the EQUAL brake caliper released by Growtac, a Japanese bicycle parts manufacturer.

EQUAL Mechanical Disc Brake Caliper Set

Advantages of Mechanical Disc Brakes

There are three advantages to using mechanical disc brakes on gravel bikes

easy maintenance by yourself
you can use your existing parts assets (1) Less hassle when transporting your bike on a bicycle.

However, a set of solid mechanical disc brakes costs more than 20,000 yen, so mechanical disc brakes are not necessarily cheaper than hydraulic disc brakes.

Easy to maintain by yourself

The greatest advantage of mechanical disc brakes, or conversely, the greatest disadvantage of hydraulic brakes, is maintainability.

In the case of mechanical brakes, the wire is pulled by a lever just as in the case of rim brakes, so anyone with an Allen key can assemble and adjust them. On the other hand, in the case of hydraulic type, it is necessary to fill the hose with oil and bleed the air, so special tools and equipment are required.

You can use your existing parts assets.

If you buy a gravel road bike with hydraulic disc brakes from the beginning, it is fine, but if you upgrade from mechanical to hydraulic, you will need to replace the following parts.

STI levers
brake caliper
hydraulic hose

In total, the upgrade will cost several tens of thousands of yen.

On the other hand, if the STI lever is a mechanical type, it can be used as it is if it is a wire puller, and the mechanical type STI lever is inexpensive, so you can use your existing parts assets and upgrade at a lower cost.

Less hassle when wheeling

Gravel bikes are also chosen as touring bikes, and there will be times when you will need to take the bike on a train to go "on a loop.

With hydraulic disc brakes, if the lever is pulled without pads, the pads will not return to their original position, so it is necessary to use spacers on the pads when transporting the bike on wheels.

Disadvantages of mechanical disc brakes

Lightness of braking is higher with hydraulic discs.

Mechanical disc brakes are fine if the route is mainly flat or gravel with some ups and downs. However, on routes that include trails and downhills, braking takes longer and hand fatigue is more noticeable.

Especially on downhills where you have to lock the brakes and change direction, there is a risk of falling off the bike because the force is not transmitted properly. When riding on routes that are more like MTB trails than gravel, it is safer to use hydraulic brakes.

In addition, tire performance, pad/rotor compatibility, wheel hub rigidity, and lever lightness are all factors that affect braking effectiveness before mechanical or hydraulic brakes are used. This is not the case in many cases.

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