Discs, are they the DBs?

[lutonloony]

Apologies if this has all been discussed before. Looking at getting a new steed, budget approx £700. Have noticed that a few bikes have disc brakes, are they the way to go?

Also am I right that the order of gear quality is Sora, Tiagra, 105?

Going to be using mostly for commuting, with the possibility of joining club for "gentle" Sunday spins. No interest in TT etc, not sure I really need an 11 speed block

Sorry post is so long, any thoughts gratefully received

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Apologies if this has all been discussed before. Looking at getting a new steed, budget approx £700. Have noticed that a few bikes have disc brakes, are they the way to go?

Yes

Also am I right that the order of gear quality is Sora, Tiagra, 105?

Yes

Going to be using mostly for commuting, with the possibility of joining club for "gentle" Sunday spins. No interest in TT etc, not sure I really need an 11 speed block

Then don't get an 11spd equipped bike, which is unlikely?

 

[MichaelW2]

In the dry, they work as well as a very good caliper. In the the wet they work as well as a very good caliper in the dry. No more factoring of an extra rotation before the brakes bite.

 

[RoubaixCube]

IMO while disc brakes are great (i have them on my hybrid) I have noticed it adds around an extra 800g-1kg to a bike so its your choice choice to make, either save weight and go for the traditional style caliper brakes or take the slight weight penalty with the disc brakes.

If the bike is just for commuting and rolling around town on a weekend then I dont think that extra weight makes a huge differences unless youre commuting long distances to work. Thats why its good to have two bikes sometimes - A bike for commuting/bad weather/winter bike and one for everything else that you might get upto.

Thats not to say that you have to have two bikes, but its quite refreshing going out on a ride thats not the bike you ride to work on monday to friday etc etc. Its always nice to have the best of both worlds

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

IMO while disc brakes are great (i have them on my hybrid) I have noticed it adds around an extra 800g-1kg to a bike so its your choice choice to make, either save weight and go for the traditional style caliper brakes or take the slight weight penalty with the disc brakes.

The rim braked variant of my disc braked bike is heavier by some margin

 

[RoubaixCube]

The rim braked variant of my disc braked bike is heavier by some margin

my comment comes after careful analysis of Cube bikes from the 2016 Attain & Agree range, though YMMV

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

my comment comes after careful analysis of Cube bikes from the 2016 Attain & Agree range, though YMMV

Indeed. Weight increases from discs are not a definite, there are many variables that can either add or shed weight to a bike build.

 

[Crackle]

No one has mentioned the fugly factor on road bikes. Fugly and mechanical fugly at that

 

[jay clock]

11 speed seems to be very common now and has the advantage that you are less likely to be hunting down obsolete parts.. As I found out when looking for a Di2 rear mech

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Discs - no brainer. they simply work come rain or shine.

Pro's are able to use them from 2017.

Rim brakes will be history in a year or two despite the desperate cling to tradition from some with Luddite inclinations.

Quick filter on Evans shows this;

Road Bikes:

Rim 275

Disc 91 (58 Hydraulic / 33 Cable)

Hub 1

CX:

Rim 2

Disc 37 (22 Hydraulic / 15 Cable)

Adventure:

Rim 3

Discs 51 (27 Hydraulic / 24 Cable)

Hybrid:

Rim 190

Discs 167 (135 Hydraulic / 32 Cable)

Hub 32

***

Huge increase in discs from last year and once the 2017 models are announced it will rise even further.

Same will happen with flat mounts & thru-axles.

 

[Profpointy]

The rim braked variant of my disc braked bike is heavier by some margin

Is that really like-for-like though. I'd need a lot of convincing that the brake parts alone weren't a good bit heavier, so unless weight has been save elsewhere on the bike - how isn't the bike lighter with rim brakes all things being equal? (this applies whatever the other merits of discs)

 

[jowwy]

Is that really like-for-like though. I'd need a lot of convincing that the brake parts alone weren't a good bit heavier, so unless weight has been save elsewhere on the bike - how isn't the bike lighter with rim brakes all things being equal? (this applies whatever the other merits of discs)

You can easily work it out yourself......find out the weight of the caliper brake, then find out the weight of a disc brake, also the weight of the disc............

I know for a fact the weight between the set-up of 105 caliper brakes and pads, are only 10grammes lighter than a trp spyre disc brake c/w disc.......a measly 10grammes

No need to factor in cables etc as the trps arr mechanical and not hydraulic, so same lever, same cables

Trp disc caliper- 146grammes. Disc 58 grammes = 204 grammes
105 caliper with swisstop pads and holders = 195 grammes

 

[NorthernDave]

My hybrid has discs, my road bike has rim brakes (although I notice that the 2016 model has upgraded to discs...).
Even with top of the line aftermarket brake blocks fitted to the road bike it has nowhere near the stopping power of the discs on the hybrid, especially in the wet.

My next road bike will almost certainly have discs, mainly for the vastly improved stopping power but also to get away from the horrible grinding of the rims in mucky conditions.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Is that really like-for-like though. I'd need a lot of convincing that the brake parts alone weren't a good bit heavier, so unless weight has been save elsewhere on the bike - how isn't the bike lighter with rim brakes all things being equal? (this applies whatever the other merits of discs)

Yes. The frames are identical with the exception of disc caliper mounts

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Disc brakes are advantageous in wet braking. However, that doesn't mean that they brake better under all conditions. The factor limiting your maximum stopping distance is isn't the brake itself, but the moment of inertia around your centre of gravity and the front wheel. In dry conditons, discs cannot make you stop quicker than reasonable quality rim brakes. You will endo before you reach the type of deceleration that will cause a front wheel to skid.
Disc brakes have some disadvantages though. They require heavier forks, are best paired with through-axle hubs rather than QR hubs, they are noisy, contamination reduces performance and increases noise and vibration and, cable disc brakes are a step backwards.
Disc brakes are still poorly understood with the trade who frequently match the wrong pads with a specific type of disc and then don't understand how the noise is generated under such conditions.
Disc brakes require very careful bedding in after each pad change and when new. Few people, including the trade, pay enough heed to this requirement and end up with substandard, disappointing brakes.
The biggest driver towards disc brakes on high-end bikes is carbon wheels, not better stopping. Carbon wheels don't like hub brakes at all. The biggest driver on entry-level bikes could be quicker reaction time in the wet but being a cynic, I'll say it is false belief that they are better overall. They are not.