Ah thanks for the explanation. I did notice on my test rides that it seemed to take a few more seconds to slow, but it was smoother whereas the brake pads were more of a "stab."

I stopped at another store that carried a lot of the Specialized bikes, and I was really getting into the Rockhopper. Good price point. I am looking for value, mainly. I can't see spending $1500 on a bike right now.