Disc brakes on road bikes

[Dogtrousers]

There is no way you can "Bomb proof" a bike that has sat outside unused for two years. The chain and sprockets will be rusted solid and the tyres will be deflated and cracked. And in many of the times when bicycles were cheap and practical far fewer people rode them than is the case now. Not that you can't get bikes that are cheap and practical now, walk into any bike shop and there are plenty of them.

A fixed gear bike with solid tyres would go some way to bomb proofness. I can't help with the rusty chain though. Maybe stainless steel?

 

[matticus]

Doesn't it depend on how close the bomb is?

 

[All uphill]

When did anyone ever buy a bike for purely rational reasons?

One part of the market wants a suspension fork, because they are better,

One segment wants what the TdF riders have, because that is better.

One segment wants disc brakes because they are better.

We are just not made to be rational.

Apart from me, of course.

 

[Punkawallah]

A fixed gear bike with solid tyres would go some way to bomb proofness. I can't help with the rusty chain though. Maybe stainless steel?

Belt drive?

 

[Punkawallah]

Doesn't it depend on how close the bomb is?

And, of corse, how big the bomb is :-)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My Rim brakes are easy to set up, no bleeding. No disc rubbing. No weight penalty.

You have to get the toe in correct and the pads rub on the rim, and braking is uneven on anything other than a perfectly new rim and brake blocks. As to weight penalty, the biggest one is you.

 

[Alex321]

Of course. But consider, Clarks rim brakes are £18, cable disc brakes from same are £36. Would Joe Public rather their bike was more or less expensive? Do the majority of people ride in the wet?
If you are an ‘enthusiast, or a ‘sportsman’ rider who is ‘in training’, then disc brakes could be considered essential. But the estimate for cyclists who ‘compete’ rather than ‘ride casually’ is about 1 in 20. So the industry is potentially selling 19 out of 20 cyclists something they don’t need for their usage - like carbon wheels or aero frames when only a fraction of users can make use of them.

I think you have a third category. You say "enthusiast" or "sportsman", then seem to only include "sportsman". Many enthusiasts (I would consider myself one) don't compete, but still ride fairly often in the rain (hard to avoid doing so in South Wales!), on hills, where disc brakes are definitely beneficial.

And I suspect more will fall into that "enthusiast" category than fall into the "compete" category. Still a relatively small proportion, but more than 1 in 20.

 

[Alex321]

You have to get the toe in correct and the pads rub on the rim, and braking is uneven on anything other than a perfectly new rim and brake blocks.

Yep. My experience is bthat rim brakes were much more fiddly to keep working optimally than hydraulic disc brakes are.

As to weight penalty, the biggest one is you.

Very much so in my case.

 

[HLaB]

You have to get the toe in correct and the pads rub on the rim, and braking is uneven on anything other than a perfectly new rim and brake blocks. As to weight penalty, the biggest one is you.

I used to go for the whole toe in thing, but I haven't bothered for the last 80,000 miles. Setting them up is just a 20sec job. Loosen the pad holder, pull the brake, and whilst keeping it pulled tighten the pad holder. I've never had a problem with things wearing over that time. The lighter you are though the more weight matters.

 

[Dadam]

Disc brakes are excellent for all riders in all types of riding.
Rim brakes are adequate for most riders in some but not all scenarios.

 

[classic33]

What about drum brakes?

 

[matticus]

I used to go for the whole toe in thing, but I haven't bothered for the last 80,000 miles. Setting them up is just a 20sec job. Loosen the pad holder, pull the brake, and whilst keeping it pulled tighten the pad holder. I've never had a problem with things wearing over that time.

Same here. Assuming we're talking about dual-pivots - which must be 90%+ of road rim-brakes currently - there is no setup beyond (somestimes) letting out a bit of cable. That stuff about toe-in and rubbing is total BS. With respect.

And I'm sorry if that sounds whiney, Ming! x

 

[Alex321]

What about drum brakes?

Many modern EVs are going back to drum brakes on the rear!

Apparently because with regenerative braking, the discs were getting so little use they were rusting. Drum brakes can be better sealed from the weather.

 

[matticus]

Many modern EVs are going back to drum brakes on the rear!

Apparently because with regenerative braking, the discs were getting so little use they were rusting. Drum brakes can be better sealed from the weather.

But are they bomb-proof?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Another aspect can be rapid wear of (rim) caliper brake shoes, especially in winter

I used to find that, when commuting into Leeds, the rear shoes wore twice as fast (or even more) than the front, it seemed to be partially due to road-grime dripping onto the pads/down the caliper arms being abrasive