I’m embarking on a tour in Europe and I wondered on your thoughts on what would be best regarding mechanical disc brakes or hydraulic disc brakes. Does it really matter that much?
Thanks for all your answers. Learnt a ton!
I’m embarking on a tour in Europe and I wondered on your thoughts on what would be best regarding mechanical disc brakes or hydraulic disc brakes. Does it really matter that much?
Thanks for all your answers. Learnt a ton!
What matters is what the local bike shop to where you have your mechanical happens is likely to be able to fix. I would hope every bike shop in Europe is capable of repairing issues with hydraulic brakes. As others have said, they are quite reliable - just make sure your pads are pretty fresh and your hoses have been bled recently before setting off.
If you're cycling somewhere less developed where no-one else rides with hydraulic brakes, or worse still, there aren't any bike shops for miles and miles, hydraulic brakes are probably a bad idea.
Genrally the question with cycle touring components is you can choose between high tech low maintenance kit (like hydraulic brakes, hub gears, gates carbon belt drive), or high maintenance low tech. In Europe I'm happy with high tech low maintenance.
Il be in Europe, I went for hydraulic in the end :)
Nice - thanks for the update! I cycled from the UK to Rome last year on hydraulic brakes
Wow what a journey! How was it?
Sounds it! Nice bike set up, you didn’t take panniers?
Nope, bikepacking setup instead. I've now changed my setup somewhat for this year's adventure in the south of France: Tailfin Aeropack on the rear, with two cargo cages with Blackburn dry bags attached.
That’s amazing how did you fit all your stuff? Did you stay in Airbnb and such?
This is my packing list:
**Tent stuff**
Tent
Sleeping bag
Silk liner
Inflatable pillow
Sleeping matt
Stove (lighter, fork, knife, spoon, bowl, oil, washing up liquid)
Stove Fuel
**Cycling Clothes**
2x Shorts
2x jerseys
1x Lightweight rain jacket
1x Packable down jacket
Cycling Shoes
Cycling Sandals
Waterproof socks
Glasses
Casquette/Cap
Helmet
Mitts
Glasses + Case + cloth
**Casual Clothes**
2x underwear
2x socks
1x long sleeve shirt
1x t-shirt
1x lightweight jumper
1x trousers
**Electronics**
2x USB Batteries
2x USB-C cable
1x long usb c cable
1x MicroUSB cable
1x mini-USB cable
1x rear light cable
Front light
Rear light
Garmin
Kindle
Headphones + case
**Tools**
Everything in saddle bag
flat repair kit
AXS Charger
pump
**Wash**
Sun block
toothbrush
toothpaste
Vaseline/chamois cream
I'm going to ditch at least one of the USB batteries, I've now got a Pedalcell dynamo which can charge my phone 30% in 60 minutes, pretty handy! My front light doubles as an 8,000mAh USB battery which can also be charged by the dynamo.
I think I stayed in an AirBnB once, besides that, a few hotels, warm showers, campsites, a few wild camps.
Thanks il check out these bags once my bike arrives!!