Road Bike Disc Brakes

No. There are two different fitting mounts, 6 bolt and Centrelock - these fit 6 bolt or centrelock wheels. Rotors also differ in size from 140mm to 200mm in diameter. Most road and gravel bikes use 140 or 160mm rotors. Mountain bikes have 160 - 200mm rotors.

No. Post mount fitting is used for mountain bikes and was used on gravel and cyclocross bikes a few years ago. Flat mount is now the fitting standard for gravel, road and hybrid bikes. The main difference between the two fitting mount types is that flat mount is more aesthetically pleasing and less bluky - ideal for neater, more minimalist road and gravel bike applications.

Cable operated discs offer some of the benefits of disc brakes (no rim wear and more consistant braking) and some of the benefits of using cables (lower cost levers and easier DIY maintenance). The main downside to cable discs is the lack of power and modulation compared to hydraulic systems. Hydraulic brakes are a sealed system, they offer 'fit and forget' performance without the need to replace cables, as you would on cable disc brakes.

Yes and no. Because the hydraulic brake is a closed system, once they are set up, they should not require much servicing at all. If you regularly use the brakes in filthy weather or in deep mud, braking could wear rotors prematurely because of the mud and grit on the pads grinding into the rotor.

Disc brakes offer more powerful braking and smooth modulation. Disc brake bikes feature through axle mounting for the wheels, this provides a more solid connection between the wheels and frameset. However! Many riders don't need powerful braking and don't want the extra weight of hydraulic bisc brakes, in addition riders with rim brake race wheels might want to keep using them.

Firstly, check brake manufacturer & model, disc brake pads differ in size and shape between models. Pads come in three types; Sintered, Organic and Semi-Metal.

Sintered Pads last the longest, but take a while to bed-in and can be noisy.

Organic Pads are quick to bed-in, less noisy, but can glaze over and don't last as long as sintered.

Semi-Metal Pads combine the best elements of sintered and organic, they can glaze over and are more expensive.

Yes. Providing stock is available, you can select options such as crank length, cassette ratio, bottom bracket type and derailleur cage length, this allows a good level of customisation for your new build.

It is usually cheaper to buy a full bike because the manufacturer has the economies of scale purchasing components, and they can usually do this more cost effectively than the individual. However! If you want a specific build that the manufacturer doesn’t offer or if you want to use your existing wheels or components you have sitting collecting dust in the garage, it may well be cheaper to build your own.

Yes, it is more cost effective to buy a full groupset rather than individual components. Buying a groupset from Merlin allows component options too (providing stock is available), so it is also easier to get exactly what you would like.