well, Hydro is nice. but lighter? I personally don't think so.. ya empty they are, but the fluid adds up more than the cables do. though there isn't all that much.

One thing that made me go to Mech over hydro is the branches and trees... you get a hydro line caught/damaged... your done... if you get a cable caught... well it's not great it can usually get you home... personal experience with a friend... he walked that day. It was less than a mile from the van though. Lucky him.

hydro is better/smoother braking and it is noticeable at least to me.. but going from v to disc... you'll love anything. Power isn't that big of a deal... once you lock up the tire it really doesn't matter how much more grip the pads/brakes have.

Actually if you want to just try.. I have a set of avid BB5's you can have. just pay shipping. they are slightly worn but only put like maybe 100 miles on them if that. I would HIGHLY recommend getting the BB7's but the BB5's are a great start and then you can upgrade as you go