whats better

[johnsteve]

I am truly conflicted on what type of brakes I want on my rear hub. I am even conflicted on the rear hub I want to build. Are people really using the simple ball bearing hubs that come on the cheapo bicycles? Aside from going with a IGH what are the other options out there?

I noticed that there are not that many heavy duty hubs out there that have the disc brake option. Why is that? Is it because that the drum brakes are really that much better? I would just like to know before I spend money on it and have buyers regret.

Which is better for a rear hub and why: drum brakes, or disc? Please explain your reasoining.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Perhaps have a look at tandem hubs. I have an old (but still new) Hope "Big Un" 48 hole, extra huge, very noisy freehub and a five arm rotor to match. I haven't got a rim for it yet but I would like the Halo SAS. DT Swiss spokes. I might just get a used 36h downhill mountain bike wheelset off the eBay at the end of summer to tide me over as it's another costly mission I could avoid/postpone.
Disc brakes have air cooling, drums have no cooling. The cooling only matters if you are racing or doing long alpine descents IMO. Discs look cool though.