Giant Talon vs Cube Analog (Hydraulic vs mech disc)

2 Wheels Good

Hi, a friend is looking at getting a mtb on the bike to work, he has it down to the Giant Talon vs Cube Analog. Any suggestions either way?
Also, haven't invested in the technology yet so any experience/reviews on hydraulic vs mech disc brakes?

EamonnL

Do not get a bike with mechanical disc brakes. They are no more powerful than ordinary cantilever brakes. They are also more likely to have problems. There's a reason every vehicle bigger than a bike will have hydrolic brakes.

penexpers

EamonnL wrote: »

Do not get a bike with mechanical disc brakes. They are no more powerful than ordinary cantilever brakes. They are also more likely to have problems. There's a reason every vehicle bigger than a bike will have hydrolic brakes.

Interesting advice. I have mechs (Avid BB7) and they are plenty powerful and easily more powerful than cantilevers.

Gavin

EamonnL wrote: »

Do not get a bike with mechanical disc brakes. They are no more powerful than ordinary cantilever brakes. They are also more likely to have problems. There's a reason every vehicle bigger than a bike will have hydrolic brakes.

Yeah this is fairly dubious. I've only heard good things about Avid BB7s. I've seen several experienced mtbers comment that they are just as good as hydraulics in terms of stopping power.

slickmcvic

gettin worried now!...ordered a bike with avid BB5's...are they any good (as mechanical discs??!

pobrien

Very close to hydros, have them on a road/flatbar bike and work very well. No comparison to rim brakes in the wet; way, way better (if you're a 'normal' sized person and not a skinny weasel).

monkeyslayer

I've used both quite a lot, only major difference between mechs and hydraulics for me was that the mechanicals required a much stronger gripping of the lever for as much stopping power as the hydraulics. So yea the difference for me was in the lever and handling of it. But you'd get used to it fairly quickly. I really liked the mechanicals, and much easier/cheaper to maintain. When the pistons blew on my front avid exilir i almost went back to the mechanicals, installing new pistons, getting the old ones out and a rebleeding really wasn't much fun.

zil

pat_hurley@yaho wrote: »

Hi, a friend is looking at getting a mtb on the bike to work, he has it down to the Giant Talon vs Cube Analog. Any suggestions either way?
Also, haven't invested in the technology yet so any experience/reviews on hydraulic vs mech disc brakes?

Can't really speak to the hyd vs mech but from what I've heard hyd doesn't need as much strength to brake as effectively as mech. If you've got strong hands and can lock up the tyres with mechs then that doesn't really matter but for most of us one finger braking on mechs will tire you out pretty fast and soon enough you'll start using 2 finger braking and with fewer fingers on the bars your bike handling suffers.

As to the talon vs cube, we'd need to know which model Talon you friend was looking at. There's quite a big difference between the specs on the different models and depending on which one they were planning to get it could be way better or worse than the cube.

2 Wheels Good

It was the Talon 2.5 so it's a bit heavier, spec isn't as good as far as i can see, bar it having hydraulic vs mech disc brakes

zil

pat_hurley@yaho wrote: »

It was the Talon 2.5 so it's a bit heavier, spec isn't as good as far as i can see, bar it having hydraulic vs mech disc brakes

Yea much of a muchness, cube is lighter and has a better dérailleur but the giant has the hydra brakes. I'd say go with whatever's cheaper, your friend should be able to pick up some second hand stuff if he wants to upgrade bits and pieces later on.