Hydraulic Brake VS Mechanical Disc Brake - Which One is Better

This time we will talk about electric bike brakes. Brakes are a very important part of electric bicycles. Since electric bicycles ride way faster than normal bikes, the requirements for the brakes will be relatively high. Generally speaking, there are two most popular electric bicycle brake types, one is hydraulic brake and the other is mechanical disc brake. What's the difference between the two brakes?

Hydraulic Brake

The principle of hydraulic braking is that after pressing the brake lever, through the medium of brake fluid (mineral oil), the piston of the brake caliper is squeezed to drive the brake pads to clamp the brake disc, thereby stopping the electric bicycle. Mineral oil is very smooth, so it reduces friction during braking, it doesn't freeze or boil, so the brakes are stable in all conditions. And mineral oil is not corrosive, so handling and outflow of the liquid shouldn't be a big problem.

To sum up, the advantage of hydraulic brakes is that they are very smooth and can play a good braking effect under any conditions. Therefore, electric bicycles with hydraulic brakes are more suitable for people with less strength or beginners. They can easily brake the e-bike with a light touch of the brake lever.

Of course, such a good brake will inevitably be expensive and difficult to maintain, because there is liquid in it, and special tools are required to ensure that there is no air in it after repair, and the liquid will not leak. For those who lack relevant maintenance experience, it is recommended to seek professional help (bike shop).

Mechanical Disc Brake

Compared with hydraulic brakes, the repair of mechanical disc brakes is much easier, would be simply replacing parts and accessories. Even though repairs may be more frequent than hydraulic brakes, they can be repaired by yourself with simple tools and without costly repairs. So, if you're on a budget and want to reduce the cost of future repairs, mechanical disc brakes are a good option.

Of course, the braking performance is an important factor in comparing the two brakes. The principle of mechanical disc brakes is to press the brake lever and pull the lines, thereby acting on the brake disc and producing a brake. This also shows that the mechanical disc brake is not as smooth as the hydraulic brake and requires greater force control, so the hydraulic brake can achieve a slightly better braking performance because it is smoother to control.

Both brake systems have their strengths and weaknesses, but both provide powerful braking. So please consider carefully according to your needs and budget.