Disc brakes on road bikes

[oldandslow]

Notwithstanding all the stated advantages, I'm interested that, if anything, crashes in the pro peleton now seem to be more frequent and worse. It's hard to lay that at the door of disc brakes, but it doesn't look like better modulation etc. in practice. And if there is theoretically better modulation, but in practice people brake later because of it and therefore crash more, well it's the reality rather than the theory that matters, surely?

As I said, hardly proof that brakes are the cause, but equally hardly convincing evidence of improvement.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Notwithstanding all the stated advantages, I'm interested that, if anything, crashes in the pro peleton now seem to be more frequent and worse. It's hard to lay that at the door of disc brakes, but it doesn't look like better modulation etc. in practice. And if there is theoretically better modulation, but in practice people brake later because of it and therefore crash more, well it's the reality rather than the theory that matters, surely?

As I said, hardly proof that brakes are the cause, but equally hardly convincing evidence of improvement.

The current UCI points system, introduced in 2016 is the main driver of the increase in crashes. Points go much further down the placings than they used to, which means team members who would in previous days have sat up and coasted home in stage races or abandoned one dayers once they had done their job now have to fight for a decent placing.

It has made the latter stages of races much more frantic and dangerous than they used to be. Crashes are not caused by better brakes and tyres.

 

[Milzy]

My post was in response to Milzy's patently false assertion that rim have better modulation and their frankly risible one that they cause crashes.

Anyway it's far from just me. It's most people who have (a) actually tried them and (b) aren't luddites. They're objectively better in most respects.

Discs have:
Better braking dry and especially wet.
Better modulation
Lower maintenance
No rim wear
Self adjusting (hydraulic ones anyway)

Which is worth it off road. On road just not required. Us guys who ride modern classics because they’re better than the rip off rubbish of today never have any problems on rim brakes.

 

[cyberknight]

The current UCI points system, introduced in 2016 is the main driver of the increase in crashes. Points go much further down the placings than they used to, which means team members who would in previous days have sat up and coasted home in stage races or abandoned one dayers once they had done their job now have to fight for a decent placing.

It has made the latter stages of races much more frantic and dangerous than they used to be. Crashes are not caused by better brakes and tyres.

And comments from the older riders was that the young guns have no respect for the established high ranking riders and are going for gaps that are not there.