Rim vs Discs - again.

[roubaixtuesday]

But braking habits and anticipation are just if not more important. Those who don’t anticipate and brake late, in the wrong place etc. are to be steered clear of.

100% - Far, far more important.

(IMO discs maybe a little more hazardous as it's easier to inadvertently skid with a reflex yank)

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Is it?

I've told this story before but anyway.

In the 70s I had an early morning paper round. I was into fettling bikes and the day before I'd fitted new brake blocks and tightened the cables. I decided to test them.

Any residents of a quiet cul de sac who were up early that morning would have been treated to the sight of the paper boy furiously accelerating, then for no reason jamming on the brakes and flying off the front of his bike.

Once an idiot, always an idiot

Well - yes - if you really try then you can

but I was told - with certainty - that if you even touched the front brake without having already applied at least the same force to the back brake
then you would certainly fly directly over the bar and hit the tarmac

This was known!!

which has led to a well ingrained habit of always putting the back brake on a fraction of a second before the front
I have tried stopp "front only" and there was no problem but I was very nervous about it!

 

[Vapin' Joe]

which has led to a well ingrained habit of always putting the back brake on a fraction of a second before the front
I have tried stopp "front only" and there was no problem but I was very nervous about it!

As any motorcycle instructor will tell you, front brake first. On two wheels I only used the rear brake on loose or wet surfaces, or very gingerly if I needed to scrub off some speed mid corner.

 

[rydabent]

Interesting watch and conclusions from GCN.


View: https://youtu.be/BIwVbaLMezw?si=mQDPE0C8lPIWUG2W

The two main things, disc brakes do not wear out or scab up expensive rims, and disc brakes work better in the wet.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

but I was told - with certainty - that if you even touched the front brake without having already applied at least the same force to the back brake
then you would certainly fly directly over the bar and hit the tarmac

This was known!!

By your 8 year old mate it was 😂

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The two main things, disc brakes do not wear out or scab up expensive rims, and disc brakes work better in the wet.

The rims thing is for sure an advantage (for me the biggest advantage) of discs.

In the wet? It's a mystery to me why people swear by this as it's easier to lock up wheels in the wet than the dry with rim breaks. Braking is limited by road friction, not braking force, and in the wet, even more so.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The rims thing is for sure an advantage (for me the biggest advantage) of discs.

In the wet? It's a mystery to me why people swear by this as it's easier to lock up wheels in the wet than the dry with rim breaks. Braking is limited by road friction, not braking force, and in the wet, even more so.

I have had a situation when rim brakes get wet and then just do not work to any extent
This never happens with disc brakes
but you do have to be more careful in the wet to avoid locking the wheels
but then you do with any brakes except for those with good anti lock systems

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I have had a situation when rim brakes get wet and then just do not work to any extent

This has never happened to me since the onset of alloy rather than steel rims, which were awful. Across multiple bikes with multiple different rim brake designs, commuting in all weather an on some of the biggest descents in the UK and the Alps.

Like I said, I find it a total mystery that people report this.

 

[matticus]

The two main things, disc brakes do not wear out* or scab up expensive rims, and disc brakes work better in the wet.

These problems are significantly worse if you use poor brake blocks. As standard Shimano blocks are in this category, I can understand how this idea is so popular!

*I do realise that as I mainly own wheels with easily replaceable rims, not everyone will have the same priorities as me in this area. But hey, what can I do?!?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

This has never happened to me since the onset of alloy rather than steel rims, which were awful. Across multiple bikes with multiple different rim brake designs, commuting in all weather an on some of the biggest descents in the UK and the Alps.

Like I said, I find it a total mystery that people report this.

to be honest, I have no idea what our folder - and my previous pre 2016 ebike - have their rims made of

but all of them take time to stop when the rims are wet

none of them are likely to have had expensive wheels - so maybe they are/were steel???

I was not aware of the change that using alloys makes - so thanks for the info

 

[roubaixtuesday]

to be honest, I have no idea what our folder - and my previous pre 2016 ebike - have their rims made of

but all of them take time to stop when the rims are wet

none of them are likely to have had expensive wheels - so maybe they are/were steel???

I was not aware of the change that using alloys makes - so thanks for the info

Steel rimmed wheels basically don't brake at all in the wet. You used to get brake blocks with I think leather inserts on them. They didn't work either!

But I've not owned one for maybe 40 years. I doubt they're sold at all other than as retro things. And I'd be very surprised if a 2016 bike had anythign other than alloy rims.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Steel rimmed wheels basically don't brake at all in the wet. You used to get brake blocks with I think leather inserts on them. They didn't work either!

But I've not owned one for maybe 40 years. I doubt they're sold at all other than as retro things. And I'd be very surprised if a 2016 bike had anythign other than alloy rims.

Actually it was more like 2010 - I got it used in 2011

but it was a sort of very early lithium battery powered ebike
but everything on it spoke of "use the cheapest everything else we can and make it the cheapest lithium ebike around
(PowaCycle Salisbury if anyone in interested)

but I can believe that the wheels were alloy
but the brake blocks may well have been cheap ones
worked find in the dry
in the wet you were often better off putting your foot down - it slowed the bike faster!!!

on which basis I presume the brake blocks on that were the problem

 

[MontyVeda]

I have had a situation when rim brakes get wet and then just do not work to any extent
...

So have I... but only with steel rims way back in the last century. Never had a braking problem with alloy rims, wet or dry.

 

[tyred]

More chance of Rod Hull making comeback....

I'm going to develop rod-operated disk brakes

 

[Webbo2]

This has never happened to me since the onset of alloy rather than steel rims, which were awful. Across multiple bikes with multiple different rim brake designs, commuting in all weather an on some of the biggest descents in the UK and the Alps.

Like I said, I find it a total mystery that people report this.

Try using carbon wheels with rim brakes in the wet. It usually leads to needing a change of shorts and not because they are wet from spray off your back wheel.😱