Hello. I'm just wondering if I could get people's opinions on whether hydraulic brakes are worth the extra cost?
I'm not a hardcore cyclist but I do use my bike to commute to work wherever possible. I have been using a crappy old Halfords hybrid I bought nearly 15 years ago, and have decided to upgrade to a Gravel bike. It seems like a gravel bike will give better versatility than another hybrid and will allow me to do more road cycling along with light offroad cycling.
I am looking at the Boardman 8.8 and the Boardman 8.9. These bikes are very similar, but the main difference is that the higher spec model has hydraulic brakes, and the lower spec model has mechanical brakes.
I'm in Ireland, and the 8.9 costs €300 more than the 8.8 model. My inclination is to go for the 8.8 model because I'm a bit of a cheapskate. 8.8 costs €1140. 8.9 costs €1440.
The attached photo is a very basic summary of the difference between these two models. Is the 8.9 worth the extra €300? Thanks!
by PlethoraOfEpiphanies
5 Comments
I think so. And the Shimano group vs the microshift is also a big difference
If you want to save more money, and can wait, Halfords sells their bikes at a large discount a few times a year.
The last sale was in Dec/Jan, and these bikes were around 20% off.
Wouldn’t buy anything from halfrauds I’d shop around for a better deal
I know it’s not answering your question but I have had the 8.9 for a while for both commuting and leisure and it’s served me extremely well.
I wouldn’t pay even $10 more for hydraulic brakes. Not only are they more expensive, they’re also more difficult to service/repair, and cable brakes are very good.