Disc brakes

[Racing roadkill]

Thanks and while they are certainly overkill, the level of feedback to the rider far exceeds that of rim brakes.

But it also doesn't help when we the consumer are being forced down a route by the manufactures and the media hype. I was talking to the owner of my LBS last weekend and he was saying that some bike manufacturer's have stopped producing rim braked bikes altogether.

I was given that impression as well. I think it must be a circle of kickbacks between component manufacturers and bike companies, that are forcing this issue. I'm sure the lucrative 'MAMIL' market must be creating the demand. As long as someone is still making road bikes without disc brakes, I'm happy.

 

[boydj]

I can see a situation where pro riders will stick with rim brakes on flat stages, but go with discs on the mountain stages because they will be able to descend more quickly. Riders tend not to be tightly bunched on the descents anyway and I agree that the dangers caused by discs in crashes are overstated.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I run different wheels on my MTB too, changing wheels isn't an issue, providing you have the wheels to change of course, that wasn't my point?

I would argue with anyone that good quality rim brakes are equally as good as discs in the dry for 95% of riding. The discs come into their own on Alpine descents, but not to many of those around Worcestershire to be honest. And of course in the wet, when yes I agree discs are better of course they are. BUT...its a bit like driving on the ice in your car, you make allowances for it. I also accept that from time to time something will happen that we require a sudden stop and with rim brakes you may have to look a least than ideal way out, usually via a hedge!
On the flip side, if you have to brake that hard with discs, either you're going over the handle bars or your tyre looses traction, either way the end result will still be same!!

There's another issue with disc brakes too. If you get a badly bent disc in a tumble, which is far easier to achieve than with the bigger MTB type discs, which you can't true at the roadside, you are more than likely going to find yourself walking home / calling in a spousal evacuation. If you can bodge it by unhooking the effected calliper and cable tying it out of the way, you're riding with one brake missing.

 

[AlanW]

There's another issue with disc brakes too. If you get a badly bent disc in a tumble, which you can't true at the roadside, you are more than likely going to find yourself walking home / calling in a spousal evacuation. If you can bodge it by unhooking the effected calliper and cable tying it out of the way, you're riding with one brake missing.

That's actually a sort of fair point, as I have witnessed that happen. A guy was drinking from his bottle and the rider in front stopped so he ploughed into the back of his bike, badly distorting his front disc. We had to unbolt the caliper and zip tie it to the handle bars so that he could get home.

But and as a counter argument, I have been stranded when I have had a spoke go in my Kysrium rear wheel and the wheel went so far out of true it wouldn't pass through the chain stays. I've also been stranded when I tore a bloody great hole in a tubeless tyre and no way to repair it.

So to be fair, there are lots of things that can fail and leave us stranded, not just a bent disc.

 

[Jody]

I run different wheels on my MTB too, changing wheels isn't an issue, providing you have the wheels to change of course, that wasn't my point

Misread that, apologies. You meant the other wheels will become redundant due to being rim type.

 

[AlanW]

So I have a MTB with two pairs of wheels, I have a track bike also with two pairs of wheels. I have three road bikes all with Ultegra 11sp group sets, and five pairs of wheels, touring wheels, 2x training wheels, winter wheels and deep section carbon wheels. So I can swap them around to my hearts content, just coz I can.

If I go for the disc option, one bike one set of wheels, unless I start buying more wheels for that bike as well!

 

[Jody]

unless I start buying more wheels for that bike as well!

Just the type of consumer the bike industry is after

 

[Milkfloat]

So I have a MTB with two pairs of wheels, I have a track bike also with two pairs of wheels. I have three road bikes all with Ultegra 11sp group sets, and five pairs of wheels, touring wheels, 2x training wheels, winter wheels and deep section carbon wheels. So I can swap them around to my hearts content, just coz I can.

If I go for the disc option, one bike one set of wheels, unless I start buying more wheels for that bike as well!

How often do you actually change wheels though? On my MTB, sure because I am lazy to change tyres, but on my road bikes, I run what is on the big - I prefer to switch bikes.

 

[AlanW]

How often do you actually change wheels though? On my MTB, sure because I am lazy to change tyres, but on my road bikes, I run what is on the big - I prefer to switch bikes.

Not very often to be fair, but at least I have options that I can utilize should the need arise which it does from time to time

 

[Alan O]

Wait until you take the wheels out on a disc brakes road bike, after a few fast descents, then accidentally squeeze the brakes with the wheel out, that's great fun.

I'll be careful not to do that

Probably quicker as you don't need to disconnect them to get the tyre past the brake blocks

Good point, yes. One road bike has caliper brakes and there's enough room to get the relatively narrow tyres through, but my bike with cantilever brakes does need them to be unhooked to get its wider tyres through.

(Just for the record, I'm not recommending disc brakes for road bikes here - I've no experience with such a combination, so I can't really offer any opinion.)

Alan

 

[mynydd]

For what it's worth, I bought my first disc road bike last week. With shimano hydraulic brakes.
I also have a Tricross (cantelever) and cube peloton (105 callipers) that I love dearely.
However after only a week on discs I can honestly say I don't think I'll buy anything other than a disc bike in the future, now. They're fantastic.
I live pretty much on top of a mountain and do lots of descending (as well as climbing obviously) it feels so much better, safer and fun with disc brakes.

 

[iandg]

My next purchase will be an adventure bike/29-er with discs. I've always used rim brakes (cantilever, caliper and V) and wheels have lasted me years no problem. But last year I wore through a rim for the first time (rear wheel, work bike with V brakes) and I've taken to the local trails on a cross-check and I'm amazed at the amount of rim wear over the past winter (I've also been wanting for more stopping power at times)

 

[Tojo]

I have a road bike with ultegra rim brakes and a CX with hydr disc brakes can't fault either and prefer that set up on each one......

 

[Truth]

I am a rare one but I converted to disc brakes when I had the Boardman but I prefer the rim brakes on my Kona in all honesty ......

 

[SpokeyDokey]

There's another issue with disc brakes too. If you get a badly bent disc in a tumble, which is far easier to achieve than with the bigger MTB type discs, which you can't true at the roadside, you are more than likely going to find yourself walking home / calling in a spousal evacuation. If you can bodge it by unhooking the effected calliper and cable tying it out of the way, you're riding with one brake missing.

There's a question that really needs asking I feel - just so we can get away from possibly/probably/definitely hyperbolic disaster musings.

For CC cyclists who have disc braked road bikes:

Have you ever taken a tumble and bent the disc of your road bike to the extent that you have had to submit to spousal evacuation?

If we get dozens of genuine yes's I will cede that the aforementioned catastrophe is indeed worth bearing in mind.

As an aside; I am trying not to contemplate the term 'spousal evacuation' too hard.