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

[SwissVan]

So where does this leave those of us who sold or normal road bikes for a disk brake version? I am by no means a PRO but would like to race as a licensed rider.

The same place if you bought glencore shares when they first listed, you lost $$$

But you probably have more chance of a recovery in the long term.

 

But good question, can a licensed roadie ride in events at the moment..... I suspect not....

[Ramrod]

The same place if you bought glencore shares when they first listed, you lost $$$

But you probably have more chance of a recovery in the long term.

But good question, can a licensed roadie ride in events at the moment..... I suspect not....

That sucks balls!

[SwissVan]

That sucks balls!

 

Don't take my word for it, especially wrt SA Cycling regulations.

Maybe the local SA Cycling rep will come online and advise....   

[Ramrod]

I am in NZ.  Should maybe ask here.

[Reghard111]

I normally don't get involved in these discussions but being on a Disc bike since December I hoped my input might help?

First of all, there is none of the fly over the handlebar super stopping power and getting rear ended by the whole peloton everyone warned about!

The brakes feel like a well setup conventional brake at normal speeds (30-50kmh), but where they're impressive are on fast descents 60 kmh + where the bike still stops well with little effort and great feedback. In the wet they lack that same initial bite but once temp builds up they are in a different world and actually stop the bike like you would want them to! Added benefits are no moved brake arches causing dragging, out of round wheels rubbing and a much cleaner looking frame.

Downsides are a bit of a weight penalty and incompatibility with conventional wheel sets. 

The whole story of discs being lethal and the pics at the beginning of this thread holds no water with me, just my opinion as it can be argued about for days.

 

Here comes the problem though:

 

At KZN champs I asked and I was assured no issue in running disc brakes which I did with not a mention about them.

 

SA champs we were told under no circumstances could we use them unless we were in a pro elite team and I had to borrow a bike the day before the event.

 

Tour Durban: I line up In VC batch and immediately the officials started pointing at my bike, making notes and phoning other officials. I asked what the problem was and they said they are not sure if I am allowed to run them. My reply was that I will be happy to pull out if they insist but then they need to remove every fun rider on a MTB with disc brakes as well. This seemed to take the heat off me and nothing else was mentioned.

I did hear that someone in a batch before me was told to take his bike and go home because of the disc issue.

 

My main gripe here is the lack of consistency, they need to decide if its yay or nay and stick with it.

By the way, my bike is sponsored and the above points are from a neutral view point.

I can say Id be very pissed if I spent money on a new road bike only to have it declared illegal.

....just my 2c worth...

[Patchelicious]

I normally don't get involved in these discussions but being on a Disc bike since December I hoped my input might help?

First of all, there is none of the fly over the handlebar super stopping power and getting rear ended by the whole peloton everyone warned about!

The brakes feel like a well setup conventional brake at normal speeds (30-50kmh), but where they're impressive are on fast descents 60 kmh + where the bike still stops well with little effort and great feedback. In the wet they lack that same initial bite but once temp builds up they are in a different world and actually stop the bike like you would want them to! Added benefits are no moved brake arches causing dragging, out of round wheels rubbing and a much cleaner looking frame.

Downsides are a bit of a weight penalty and incompatibility with conventional wheel sets. 

The whole story of discs being lethal and the pics at the beginning of this thread holds no water with me, just my opinion as it can be argued about for days.

 

Here comes the problem though:

 

At KZN champs I asked and I was assured no issue in running disc brakes which I did with not a mention about them.

 

SA champs we were told under no circumstances could we use them unless we were in a pro elite team and I had to borrow a bike the day before the event.

 

Tour Durban: I line up In VC batch and immediately the officials started pointing at my bike, making notes and phoning other officials. I asked what the problem was and they said they are not sure if I am allowed to run them. My reply was that I will be happy to pull out if they insist but then they need to remove every fun rider on a MTB with disc brakes as well. This seemed to take the heat off me and nothing else was mentioned.

I did hear that someone in a batch before me was told to take his bike and go home because of the disc issue.

 

My main gripe here is the lack of consistency, they need to decide if its yay or nay and stick with it.

By the way, my bike is sponsored and the above points are from a neutral view point.

I can say Id be very pissed if I spent money on a new road bike only to have it declared illegal.

....just my 2c worth...

Off the bat this seems like a very good point, until we think that Open Seeded bunches are not running the same rules are licenced riders. What a pity, I was loving the break aways in VA on my MTB, with knobblies

[Spinnekop]

I normally don't get involved in these discussions but being on a Disc bike since December I hoped my input might help?

First of all, there is none of the fly over the handlebar super stopping power and getting rear ended by the whole peloton everyone warned about!  No one braking in front of you in the peleton doing 50km/h crashing?

The brakes feel like a well setup conventional brake at normal speeds (30-50kmh), but where they're impressive are on fast descents 60 kmh + where the bike still stops well with little effort and great feedback. In the wet they lack that same initial bite but once temp builds up they are in a different world and actually stop the bike like you would want them to!  I guess they have not given you a decent burn yet touching them after that big downhill stop. 

Added benefits are no moved brake arches causing dragging, If I had a R1 for every disk brake dragging in the Nissan trailseeker race, I'd be a millionaire by now.  out of round wheels rubbing I've seen more bent disks in my time than I have seen out of shape wheels and a much cleaner looking frame.  But a dirtier wheelset

Downsides are a bit of a weight penalty and incompatibility with conventional wheel sets. That's it.  Me as a weight weenie, this will never do

The whole story of discs being lethal and the pics at the beginning of this thread holds no water with me, just my opinion as it can be argued about for days.  Months.  years in the UCI's case.....

 

Here comes the problem though:

 

At KZN champs I asked and I was assured no issue in running disc brakes which I did with not a mention about them.

 

SA champs we were told under no circumstances could we use them unless we were in a pro elite team and I had to borrow a bike the day before the event.

 

Tour Durban: I line up In VC batch Vets abide by UCI regulations (not funriders) and as part of a licensed rider bunch you should know that UCI has banned/suspended the use of disk brakes.  and immediately the officials started pointing at my bike, making notes and phoning other officials. I asked what the problem was and they said they are not sure if I am allowed to run them. My reply was that I will be happy to pull out if they insist but then they need to remove every fun rider on a MTB with disc brakes as well. This seemed to take the heat off me and nothing else was mentioned.  They'll keep coming at you at the next race and the next.  VC = Fully licensed = strict UCI rules

I did hear that someone in a batch before me was told to take his bike and go home because of the disc issue.  Also heard of guys having to bail because of officials chasing them away on their disk brakes

 

My main gripe here is the lack of consistency, they need to decide if its yay or nayAt this time UCI says NO and stick with it.  They are.

By the way, my bike is sponsored and the above points are from a neutral view point.

I can say Id be very pissed if I spent money on a new road bike only to have it declared illegal.  Agreed.  I think being a funrider makes it easy.  Go for what you love.  Being competitive and having full racing license brings you under a bit of a magnifying glass.  Numbers not folded.  No short sleeves.  Frame numbers. Disk brakes.  6.8kg bike.  Etc. etc.  

....just my 2c worth...

And around and around we go.....

hehehehehe

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

two camps on this topic and no inbetween ground to be had.

 

Its just going to stay that way until the dust settles

[Patchelicious]

two camps on this topic and no inbetween ground to be had.

 

Its just going to stay that way until the dust settles

Yeah I'm not sure what the fuss is about.

 

Disk brakes are better for stopping ????????

Disk brakes are apparently dangerous ????????

 

So put little plastic covers on them, thereby keeping the superior braking and removing the supposed burn and slice factors. Badabing badaboom, problem solved??

 

However I honestly believe that there is more behind this than "safety" if it was only about that the above would be in place already.

 

I think this is more of a "traditionalist kicking up against change" thing.... Whenever there is big change people fight it for a while until it finally becomes the norm.

[Paul Ruinaard]

Yeah I'm not sure what the fuss is about.

 

Disk brakes are better for stopping

Disk brakes are apparently dangerous

 

So put little plastic covers on them, thereby keeping the superior braking and removing the supposed burn and slice factors. Badabing badaboom, problem solved??

 

However I honestly believe that there is more behind this than "safety" if it was only about that the above would be in place already.

 

I think this is more of a "traditionalist kicking up against change" thing.... Whenever there is big change people fight it for a while until it finally becomes the norm.

 

 

So I think everyone knows where I stand on the technology side of this debate. I am pro discs.

 

But your point is what I also started to realize. And possibly its not a bad thing to be as traditional as UCI is when you look at how technology has made F1 a dog show. There was an interesting insert where they reckon in F1 the driver is responsible for about 15 to 25% and the team and car the balance.

 

It would be a sad day if cycling wasnt about the rider.

 

Just saying....

[Patchelicious]

So I think everyone knows where I stand on the technology side of this debate. I am pro discs.

 

But your point is what I also started to realize. And possibly its not a bad thing to be as traditional as UCI is when you look at how technology has made F1 a dog show. There was an interesting insert where they reckon in F1 the driver is responsible for about 15 to 25% and the team and car the balance.

 

It would be a sad day if cycling wasnt about the rider.

 

Just saying....

Where have you been? According to the Hub it's about the best Doctor ????

[Ramrod]

 

 

My main gripe here is the lack of consistency, they need to decide if its yay or nay and stick with it.

By the way, my bike is sponsored and the above points are from a neutral view point.

I can say Id be very pissed if I spent money on a new road bike only to have it declared illegal.

....just my 2c worth...

And herein lies my problem. Having changed both mine and my wifes bike to disk brakes as we were moving to NZ where it does rain a lot (or so I am told) I now find myself in a position where I cannot legally race in a licensed category unless it is classed as a fun race/club race.

 

That's a lot of money spent on a garage ornament if I cant use these bikes!

[Paul Ruinaard]

Not sure if you can see the video here but its pretty clear what he is showing.

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007761856635

[Malpiet]

The marketing dept. and number crunchers at Shimano/SRAM/Campag as well as the frame manufacturers must be having sleepless nights .... it was their next big 'upgrade money maker' for road bikes not so?

as far as I know campag disc brakes are only still in test phase,shitmano and sram are in production already and will be certainly be feeling the crunch a lot more.

 

I assumed disc brakes to be better seeing how they perform on the mtb's but if you a pro weighing under 70kg then normal pads will suffice, for piece of mind change to swiss stop, its the heavier riders and the late brakers that need that extra binding power!!

[Patchelicious]

One thing that we know, you cannot stop technology, sooner or later if a new tech is superior no amount of heel digging will stop it. and frankly it shouldnt, why intentionally stop tech advancement, thats a bit silly.

[splat]

Not sure if you can see the video here but its pretty clear what he is showing.

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007761856635

 

In the same vein:

 

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/04/opinion-how-the-uci-and-manufacturers-collectively-bungled-the-disc-brake-trial/