Greatest cycling invention of the last 25 years?

[Andy in Germany]

Finally worked up enough curiosity to Google it, and find that ‘Superteam Wheels’ would seem to disagree?

https://superteamwheels.com/pages/can-rim-brake-aero-wheels-compete-with-disc-aero-performance

Don’t know how ‘scientific’ their opinion is. If companies are constantly trying to improve their aero disc wheels, does this mean they are not as aero as one might think?

If it improves the aero by 00.00001% then they can sell it as "more aero".

On the other hand, you can make the wheel as slim and "aero" as you want, but how useful is this when there's a large lump of metal and hydraulics on the side of the wheel?

Also, knowing how much it costs to buy and maintain disc brakes, I wonder how the increased price to the improved performance works out if the only consideration is speed and wind resistance?

 

[Punkawallah]

If it improves the aero by 00.00001% then they can sell it as "more aero".

On the other hand, you can make the wheel as slim and "aero" as you want, but how useful is this when there's a large lump of metal and hydraulics on the side of the wheel?

Also, knowing how much it costs to buy and maintain disc brakes, I wonder how the increased price to the improved performance works out if the only consideration is speed and wind resistance?

Come now. -Everybody- knows the -only- considerations are speed and wind resistance ;-)

 

[Webbo2]

Finally worked up enough curiosity to Google it, and find that ‘Superteam Wheels’ would seem to disagree?

https://superteamwheels.com/pages/can-rim-brake-aero-wheels-compete-with-disc-aero-performance

Don’t know how ‘scientific’ their opinion is. If companies are constantly trying to improve their aero disc wheels, does this mean they are not as aero as one might think?

No they are trying to build a faster wheel than their competitors.

 

[Punkawallah]

No they are trying to build a faster wheel than their competitors.

The question was largely rhetorical, but I take your point.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I read an article about disc v. rims a while ago

a lot of the article was that the disc work better because they are based on a disc of metal that is designed purely to grip the pads and stop the wheel rotating
and it does it by pads - which are also designed solely to grip the disc - gripping from both sides of a solid disc at the same time

rim brakes are gripping onto the rim but the other side of the metal/whatever of the rim is just empty (ish anyway)
so it has a tendency to deform when pressed and has to be made stringer in order to resist the deforming effects and grip the pad

so it makes the rim design a compromise between the perfect side to the wheel
and the perfect grip for a single pad (mirrored on the other side but not a solid object

plus nowadays, pro bikes are all limited by the regulations on weight - so saving a fraction of a gram is not a priority as they could do that easily elsewhere

so combining the 2 discs stop the bike better and the rim can work better as just a rim and not a brake disc as well

I read into that, that the aero savings from a "just a rim" design over-rode the aero penalty from the "disc system nailed to the side of the frame" problems
or at least reduced it to the point that the disadvantages were not important


I suspect that marketing have a say in the matter as well


That is what it said anyway

 

[rydabent]

While disc brake -rims- might be lighter and more aero, are not rim brake wheels lighter and more aero overall?

How could they be, when they have to have a large "sidewall" for a braking surface.

 

[HLaB]

When was the hybrid bike invented, that's the best cycle marketing invention!

 

[Ian H]

When was the hybrid bike invented, that's the best cycle marketing invention!

Early MTBs remarketed as hybrids. Very early MTBs were Schwinn cruisers (which could at a stretch be called hybrids). Add drop-bars to a hybrid and you have a gravel bike. The magic of marketing.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Early MTBs remarketed as hybrids. Very early MTBs were Schwinn cruisers (which could at a stretch be called hybrids). Add drop-bars to a hybrid and you have a gravel bike. The magic of marketing.

Although it's a bit more than a triumph of marketing. An old Schwinn Cruiser compared to a modern gravel bike is like comparing a Model T Ford to a Tesla.

 

[Webbo2]

When was the hybrid bike invented, that's the best cycle marketing invention!

For who.🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[Ian H]

...comparing a Model T Ford to a Tesla.

You might have to tell me which you consider to be superior.

 

[Milzy]

Garmin Radar light. Other brands are available but not as good. Tires with a very high TPI.
Carbon rim brakes.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Although it's a bit more than a triumph of marketing. An old Schwinn Cruiser compared to a modern gravel bike is like comparing a Model T Ford to a Tesla.

A modern gravel bike ridden badly can feel sketchy quite quickly. A 1990s mountain bike tends to forgive far more mistakes.

 

[Webbo2]

Garmin Radar light. Other brands are available but not as good. Tires with a very high TPI.
Carbon rim brakes.

Carbon rim brakes are pants compared to discs. My Dura ace rim brakes on Zipp rims do stop my bike but take some finger power. Where as my discs will stop with one finger on the levers.

 

[Alex321]

A modern gravel bike ridden badly can feel sketchy quite quickly. A 1990s mountain bike tends to forgive far more mistakes.

I think that is true of most "high performance" bikes compared to older, more mundane models.

And not just bikes. As a general tendency, "High performance" = less forgiving.