I've had cantis, Vs, cable and hydraulic discs, and the best are hands down hydraulic discs.
It's true that Vs provide a much better braking power than cantis, but they are way more finicky to keep working well. Plus the pads dig into the rim, not as easy to replace as a rotor.
Cable discs require quite a bit of a squeeze to stop you. The great thing about hydraulic discs is that you can do a stoppie one-fingered. That's a lot of comfort being able to keep three fingers wrapped around the bar and still be able to stop on a dime.
As far as reliability and durability, I have never had an issue with hydraulics. I have Maguras and Hayes, and both are set-and-forget. The only annoying thing is I have aftermarket pads (EBC I think) on my Hayes and they rattle like crazy. Doesn't affect performance however. And I put a decent amount of miles on those things.
You choose what you prefer. Vs will do the job, but hydraulic disc brakes have come a long way.
Maurice
It's true that Vs provide a much better braking power than cantis, but they are way more finicky to keep working well. Plus the pads dig into the rim, not as easy to replace as a rotor.
Cable discs require quite a bit of a squeeze to stop you. The great thing about hydraulic discs is that you can do a stoppie one-fingered. That's a lot of comfort being able to keep three fingers wrapped around the bar and still be able to stop on a dime.
As far as reliability and durability, I have never had an issue with hydraulics. I have Maguras and Hayes, and both are set-and-forget. The only annoying thing is I have aftermarket pads (EBC I think) on my Hayes and they rattle like crazy. Doesn't affect performance however. And I put a decent amount of miles on those things.
You choose what you prefer. Vs will do the job, but hydraulic disc brakes have come a long way.
Maurice