Open letter by Vents regarding disc brakes **Graphic photos**

[Snow]

Anybody who says a roadie should use a camelbak should be stoned like that priest in Life of Brian!

Enough said

[Ramrod]

Lets just ban brakes completely because the levers are dangerous too!

[EmptyB]

Lets just ban brakes completely because the levers are dangerous too!

Eina!!!! Enough now...

[Patchelicious]

Lets just ban brakes completely because the levers are dangerous too!

Is that Shimano or SRAM?

[Bonus]

Against my better judgement I opened this pandora's box of a thread . . .

 

I'll be leaving now!

[Patchelicious]

If only the UCI were as quick to act against killer motos.....

[Ramrod]

Is that Shimano or SRAM?

Hope

[Thor Buttox]

but you are not a roadie .. you ride mtn bikes ... AND road bikes ... you are a crossbreed ...

To paraphrase my mom, when I evaluate my riding, I am almost never cross. Just disappointed.

[Paul Ruinaard]

[Paul Ruinaard]

So it's Friday. And I have been sitting on the sidelines on this one, because it really is a bit of a strange event.  And biting my tongue. But now its too much.

 

THis looks like a bunch of soccer players taking a dive...

 

So my 2 cents worth. Its not what you expect...

 

Everyone knows i am a fan of tech and innovation and this banning is all like the normal UCI thing looking for reasons to keep their sport pure and avoid innovation and advances, or control it. A bunch of crusty old stuffed shirts that are luddites and want to have this thing hark back to the old days of "hard men" who are meant to bleed through their eyeballs every Sunday for the entertainment of the audiences. Without any help (chemically at least they turned a blind eye) 

 

Witness the hour record debacle, Lance and all the doping and all the other things.

 

Very much like FIFA isn't it?

 

But

 

Then I was looking at Formula 1 racing - which has become so stupidly advanced its completely boring as the cars essentially are using so much tech that the driverless series is just around the corner. Mark my words. And it's 100% the fault of the technology. The aerodynamics on the noses of these cars are just unbelieveable. Break one tiny winglet and your day is over.

 

That is tech extended to the extreme - innovation in Formula 1 wins world championships. Mercedes last and this year. Ross Brawn got Jenson his World Championship by building something that no other car could catch. Vettel it could be argued was similar with Red Bull. Witness Mario Andretti with the ground effect Lotus . And the list goes on.

 

So tech and advancements in tech and the leapfrogging of the tech and innovation has made the wetware inside the car less of a factor and the software and hardware around him more of a factor. 

 

So how does this apply to cycling you say.

 

Watch this space...

 

And as much as i hate to admit it - the truth is that the lack of innovation and making sure that tech advancements are banned and controlled by the UCI has lead to the racing still being about the rider.

 

So the luddites may have this one right, as it keeps the sport more about the riders.

 

Now if you know me this is totally contrary to my normal point of view and how i espouse tech. Damnit - i sell the stuff for a living. So i am pro technological advancements.

 

But if you look at what is going on in Motogp with the winglets - same thing applies. Riders, and i mean good riders, are anti technology.

 

And the racing in Motogp is brilliant....

 

So wrapping it up - this is really a crock - no evidence can be provided that the discs were the issue.

 

Riders are getting ridden over by bikes and cars and they are having a massive outcry about - disc brakes - did i hear you say?

 

What a lot of BS. What about the elephant in the room and how dangerous the cars and bikes following them are for the rider. Why not ban them and make it about a solo effort unsupported? That would add drama...

 

Discs are the future and by hook or crook they will become the norm.

 

If discs were dangerous close dices on MX bikes and MTB races would have people sliced up by discs regularly when there were falls. THat doesn't happen. So what did this twat manage to do?

 

So this is just a lot of BS. That wasn't a disc and if it was you had  a freak accident as well as a stupid rider cause it would have happened elsewhere. Where are the disc injuries in MotoGp? IN MX? in MTB? 

 

Chain rings are much more dangerous left exposed.

 

All of us have chainring injuries on their legs. Its accepted in the sport. Exposed chainsaw blades

 

But i do understand why these crusty old UCI farts are so resistant to tech and want to keep their sport pure....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jcza]

TL;DR 

 

As long as the riders are against it the change won't happen. 

[GLuvsMtb]

TL;DR 

 

As long as the riders are against it the change won't happen. 

Riders will back whatever their sponsors and suppliers wants them to back.

[American Flyers]

Is that Shimano or SRAM?

It must be Shimano, because Movistar team use Shimano.

[jcza]

Riders will back whatever their sponsors and suppliers wants them to back.

 

Sure about that? Hence the open letter I guess. Recall the rider protests some years back? 

[Fat Boab]

Lets just ban brakes completely because the levers are dangerous too!

 

Looks like a bad wrist brake.....

[GLuvsMtb]

Sure about that? Hence the open letter I guess. Recall the rider protests some years back? 

 

Am I the only one wondering if the response from Ventoso would have been different if Canyon had a Team Edition disc brake road bike?