All disc brakes are not created equal. Yes, that's right: the hydraulic brake systems that are virtually de rigueur these days may look similar but they don't all perform to the same level as you'd hope or expect.
With many things folks put faith in the assumption that if it costs more, it'll be better. But we all know that generalisation doesn't necessarily hold true, especially when you look at things in more detail. The results of What Mountain Bike's new disc brake test in issue WMB106, on sale on Wednesday (10 February), certainly make for interesting reading and, in some cases, debunk this myth.
The test is our most in-depth and thorough disc brake test ever. But it's not simply the summation of longitudinal real-world testing – although, of course, this is a large and essential part – but also empirical and scientific dyno testing in both dry and wet conditions.
We put 19 cross-country/trail brakes through their paces on Fibrax's (a British disc brake pad manufacturer) purpose-built disc brake dyno. From race brakes through to trail brakes, budget to top-end, we tested the lot.
Add Mountain Biking UK's recent disc brake test using the same dyno process, and you've got yourself the most thorough, comprehensive and objective guide to the best brakes to buy, whatever your budget. You can see the video here:
Unable to load media
What Mountain Bike 106 is on sale on Wednesday (10 February) and also includes our all-new 37-page Buyer's Guide – which combines our choice of 'Best Buy' bikes from the hundreds we've tested, together with 1,076 bikes in our listings section, from over 70 brands.
Quite simply it's the ultimate buyer's guide.
We hope you like it.