Weaknesses: Saddle, but thats just coz my bum got soft.
Overall: I did a bit of MTBing about ten years ago on a Diamond Back Ascent. Wanted to get back into it so bought the Rockhopper. Wow what a difference ten years of development have made lighter, better gear shiting AND hydraulic brakes front and rear. The saddle did cut in a bit for me so a new gel saddle and sprung seat post were added and have made a world of difference. I would like to go back to the supplied one when the bum hardens up again.
'Better than my old centre pulls. Yes centre pulls!!'
Strengths: Good stopping power, no screeching.
Weaknesses: Plastic levers
Overall: This is the first set of disc brakes I have ever had (came on my new bike). I did have to re-bleed the front brake as it felt spongey but after that it seems fine. This I think needed doing due to the fact that the fluid level was a bit low in the reservoir and after travelling home laying down in the back of the car this allowed air in the system. They certainly are more powerful than the center pull brakes on my ten year+ old Diamond Back Ascent, but the front still struggles to lift the back wheel off the ground. Still it does mean it won't throw me over the bars. Not had them long enough to say about relibility and not ridden any other bikes with discs to compare them with. So good all round in my views apart from the plastic levers.
