My new Bike - Advice on upgrades please. (maggeh, dis fo yew.)

[Col. Psycho]

Hey. My DMR arrived today, and im not happy with it because the ar$ehole who sent it hasnt sent a crank bolt and a spacer for the crank, so i cant even ride the thing. anyway. Im actually asking for advice on the rear break assembly.

I want to upgrade to disc brakes on the back too. Since my birthday is next week, i asked if i could keep it simple and get some ride gear and a new back brake. I have a mechanical disc on the front, now i need to know what sort of disc to get on the back. Preferably mechanical because apparently they are practically as good as hydraulic but easier to maintain. I've looked at this so far:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?modelID=6145

any thoughts or opinions on it? apparently its pretty good according to reviews. Thanks in advance.

[Teedy]

Bah, at first I thought you meant bike as in motorcycle. :(

[pk!]

get a little gps unit - they are great and quite cheap.

[Col. Psycho]

i dont think i need GPS for what i do. :D im into freeride / downhill. :) but thanks for the suggestion.

[StandingCow]

Unless you are riding through mud and shit I think its best to avoid disc brakes... but.. we will wait for maggie to give you the low down.

[maggie]

They are easier to maintain than hydraulics (not as easy as v-brakes), but nowhere near as good.
Still a bit stronger than v-brakes though, so meh.
I know I looked at the photo, but I can't recall now; I assume your frame is set up for a rear disc? If not, you're scuppered.
What about your rear wheel? It has a disc hub? If not, the expense will be more than it's worth.

Your link isn't working for me right now, so I can't comment on that specific brake (i assume that's what you linked).

Assuming the frame and rear hub are disc-compatible, the next concern is how many bolts the rotor needs. There are different bolt patterns, so make sure you know which you need.

After that, you worry about brand.
Hayes and Avid both make decent mechanical discs at reasonable prices. Shimano does okay too, but I don't like their entry level discs as much...they seem to be a bit noisier and harder to adjust.

I'll check this link again later and see if I can give you any specific advice on the model you're looking at.

[Col. Psycho]

yep the bike can accept disc brakes, the hub and frame are both compatible. its a 6 hole rotor setup. the link that doesnt work contains the specs for a Hayes HMX-2 Mechanical XC Rear Brake. most reviews say its a good alround brake.

should i get another mechanical brake or should i just save up and buy a pair of hope hydraulic disc brakes? D: i have a shimano mechanical disc brake in the front. im probably going to replace that later anyway.

[maggie]

Good hydros are pretty sweet, but they do bring with them a host of other maintenance issues. If you're willing to learn to maintain them, or regularly bring them to a reputable shop to be maintained, go for it. For off-road, there's nothing finer.
With mechanicals, the maintance is simpler - just a matter of having to bend the disc back if it gets warped and adjust cables. The Hayes HMX-2 will be a good solid brake. That inner pad adjustment is a really nice feature that you don't get on a lot of entry-level discs, and it makes adjustments sooo much easier.
I think for now I'd just add the mechanical rear, and see how to like them before dropping a shit-ton of money on hydros.