Is it worth it making those changes? Or is it just better if i buy the Trek 4300 with disc brake option?my bike is still in great condition, so i don‘t see buying another one as an option.i just want to try to make those changes, but if just buying one is the better option then so be it
sounds like you have a collapsed brake line , so break the bleeder valve lose and see if it goes all the way down then, if it does then you have a collapsed brake line, replace it, that should stop the overheating and dragging
the piston is suppose to be flush with the caliper when you push it back in. if it sticks out loosen the bleeder then push it back in then tighten the bleeder.if the piston sticks out too far then the pads won,t go over the rotor.
Making the change is feasible only if your frame has the mounting lugs for the discs. If that's not the case then either a new bike with discs is in order or a new frame for yours. There's no economical way to mount disc brakes if your frame doesn't have the lugs. Look on both the rear of your frame near the drop-outs and on the forks, if there's not two lugs with mounting holes present on both of them your bike won't accept discs. One other point, if you can do it. do it with hydraulic discs not mechanical, for far superior performance.
I think you've been quite well advised by most of the answerers so far. For commuting I would recommend you choose a more conventional town bike with mudguards (fenders) - unless of course you live in the desert - rather than a mountain bike. Not only do the knobbly mountain bike tyres create a bit more drag but the rough profile throws around a lot of water riding wet roads and quite often you can't retrofit fenders. With reasonably robust tyres (say around 30mm) and having some profile you will be safe on your commute and you can easily tackle simpler trails. If you're ever in a hurry, want to keep up with others or have to climb hills, then weight is a disadvantage - but generally less weight is more cost. Choose a frame size that seems a little too small for you rather than on the large side. As to which make - I don't think it matters much, except that really cheap or unknown is usually a heap of problems; any of the well known brands including those you mention, should be satisfactory. As others have said, disc brakes are more powerful and more progressive than rim brakes; they are also a lot more reliable in the wet since the rims are exposed to a lot of water which lubricates the brakes. On the downside if your office commute involves you leaving the bike where it may get kicked around, the discs will soon get buckled which is mostly only curable by replacement. Consider hub brakes - a little heavy but essentially immune to the latter problem and having all the other advantages except that removing the wheel is a little more complicated due to the brake cable. Hope this helps you find a good compromise, Bramble.
First make sure your bike's frame has the mounting bosses for disc brakes. Lets say you go with the Avid BB7 brakes. They're a good entry level brake with lots of adjustability, and they cost about $ 70 each, You will need two of them. Chances are that your bike's wheels don't have a hub that will accept disc brake rotors. The cheapest way to remedy that is to get new wheels. You can find a set for as low as $150 to $200. Providing that you will be able to reuse your old brake levers, the only thing left to buy is two sets of brake cables $15 each. If you install them yourself you can expect to pay around $370. You just have to decide if it's worth it. In my opinion, a Trek 4300 isn't worth that kind of upgrade. Let me give you something to think about. I have two bikes. One is a Santa Cruz Chamelean set up as a singlespeed. I have a really nice Fox fork on it, and the Avid BB7 disc brakes. I ride in the desert mountains of the Southwest. I usually encounter some technical downhill sections, and the disc brakes work great. My other bike is a 1998 Cannondale Super V 1000. I have it set up as a 27 speed, and it has the old V brakes on it a set of Avid Single Digit 7's. I ride both bikes on the same trails, and have not encountered any noticable braking differences in terms of performance. If you're interested in the Single Digit 7's Jensen USA has a great deal on them right now $21.95 a set. That's a little more than half off.
