Rim or disk brakes on same bike, why the extra price?

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Lucabike

Regular
Why, when you look at bikes online to buy, you can see the normal version and a disc version? And why is it more expensive?

Mod Note:
@Lucabike please do not post in large capital letters, stick to the forum's formatting.
Cheers!
 
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raleighnut

Legendary Member
:welcome:

Discs are perceived to be better and in certain circumstances they are, they are fugly though but I spose once you've got a fugly carbon frame it doesn't matter rhat much.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I think I'm correct in saying the frame is different and may therefore be more expensive to manufacture. I can't see why it would be more costly but chuck this in as a possibility.

When I say cautiously the frame is different this is because I'm not aware of a frame which can take both rim and disc brakes depending on one's choice.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
I think one of the Spa Cycles disk brake bikes has mounting points for calliper brakes.

Can't think why you would want to.
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
Spa's first generation Wayfarer will take both disc and V/cantilever brakes, although the brake studs aren't supplied as standard. Second gen models are disc only.
In addition to extra disc brake mounts needing to be welded/brazed/glued? on, the forks need to be beefed up and I think the same goes for the chainstay/seatstay depending on where the rear caliper is mounted.
I'm unsure about other bikes, but my Wayfarer also has cable guides welded on specifically for disc brake cable routing.
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
But the money saved replacing wheels every couple of years on rim brake bikes outweighs the extra cost for a disc brake bike. For that and many other reasons, discs are for me.
 
I think I'm correct in saying the frame is different and may therefore be more expensive to manufacture. I can't see why it would be more costly but chuck this in as a possibility.

When I say cautiously the frame is different this is because I'm not aware of a frame which can take both rim and disc brakes depending on one's choice.

The only case I've found is on the Xtracycle extension, that's the silver frame seen here seen here bolted to the back of my elderly Raleigh MTB.

cleanxtra_01.jpg


I'm using it with V-Brakes but there are mounts for discs. This makes sense as they wanted to make one unit that fitted any bike, but it is also a smaller and therefore probably stronger frame.

I'll ask the Elder Son if he's seen any disc/rim brake frames at work.
 

Zanelad

Guru
Location
Aylesbury
Bit of a thread drift, but what's the thinking behind the mods?

What's the handle under the seat for?

How is it standing up?

Yours, curious of Aylesbury :blush:
 

sleuthey

Legendary Member
But the money saved replacing wheels every couple of years on rim brake bikes outweighs the extra cost for a disc brake bike. For that and many other reasons, discs are for me.
I have had a Boardman with rim brakes for 5 years and done approx 9000 miles, the brakes still work fine on the original rims. Am I very lucky or am I doing low mileage?
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
I think I'm correct in saying the frame is different and may therefore be more expensive to manufacture. I can't see why it would be more costly but chuck this in as a possibility.

When I say cautiously the frame is different this is because I'm not aware of a frame which can take both rim and disc brakes depending on one's choice.

When discs started to become popular on MTB’s (late 90’s?) it wasn’t uncommon for frames and suspension forks to come with both disc and canti mounts - the latter were quite often removable.
 
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