Is anyone using road disc brakes at road races?

[thisismyotherbike]

Hi all,

 

A mate is dying to get a proper road bike but would prefer to have discs.  He mostly rides mtb but will be doing the major races on his roadie (Argus, DC etc).

 

Now I realise that CSA's official position is pretty much straight-forward, no discs in road races

https://www.cyclingsa.com/road-cycling-press/2017/6/21/the-use-of-disc-brakes-in-cycling-sa-road-events

 

I also realise that this is not enforced as at every road race I see plenty of people on mountain bikes that ALL have discs and have yet to see somebody blocked from entering the chute.

 

My question is, do any of you regularly race on a road bike with discs?  Have any of you ever been prevented from doing a race?

 

Is this another rule that is enforced for the elites and age category racers but not us mere seeded riders?  

 

He's a reasonably strong rider, but certainly not age category racing strong.  Middle of the pack.  Is it a risk worth taking or at all?  If he splashes on this bike he certainly would like to race DC and Argus on it.

 

Incidentally, this is what he wants:

http://road.cc/sites/default/files/styles/main_width/public/canyon-ultimate-cf-slx-disc-8.0-di2.jpg?itok=PXGK4y56

[City Cycling Athletic Club]

if he races a sanctioned event and is involved in an accident and someone is

hurt / cut by his disc brakes then the organisers might be in breach of their

public liability insurance by allowing him to ride. if he sneaks into the

race hhmmm.....not too sure.

[Schnavel]

They normally only check the racing bunches (Elite, vets etc.) - you aren't allowed to race in these groups if you have discs.

 

I haven't heard of any issues with racing in the alphabet soup groups...

 

*Edit: That Canyon is beautiful! I can see why he wants to buy it!     

[sliktrik]

raced (well rode) weekend before last at Race for Victory, on my Trek Domane 6.9 disc, stood in front of more than one marshall at the start and afterwards without issue (  for the Canyon, F10 disc inbound for me, will never ride with rim brakes again if I can avoid it)

[Ramrod]

So i have a disk braked road bike. Checked with CSA if i can ride 94.7 with the wife and they confirmed it was ok. As long as you are not racing in the Elite/VA/VB etc. If you are riding in the open seeded it will be fine.

 

Also heard from them that the UCI is meeting in October to make a decision on road disk brakes for what its worth.

[MDJ]

> My question is, do any of you regularly race on a road bike with discs

 

Yes, I've been riding a disc roadbike since December 2016. Also moved over from MTB, sold on hydraulic discs .

 

> Have any of you ever been prevented from doing a race?

 

No, never been questioned or had any issues. I've done about 10 PPA/Funrides including 99er, West Coast Express, with my road disc bike - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/za/bikes/on-road/endurance. I normally ride in the "fun" seeded letters highest group was D batch - here MTBs are welcome.

[etienne_jordaan]

Your mate can buy a road bike with disc brakes. The technology is here to stay, it's not going away. Besides it being beter performance in wet and dry the Industry and manufacturers are gonna push it. It's only a matter of time before UCI will have no choice to allow it.

[scotty]

In open seeded you need not worry, CSA officials are only concerned with lic group and important stuff like length of socks and size of lic number. In the almost 20 odd years I've been cycling I have never seen a CSA official even remotely glance at any open group, its far beneath them. 

[thisismyotherbike]

Great thanks all!  Sounds like it's a fairly safe purchase

 

If I were in the market for a new roadie it would certainly have discs 

[Face Plant]

I read somewhere over the weekend that the UCI had approved the use of disc brakes for all types of races, trying to find the article

[gummibear]

I read somewhere over the weekend that the UCI had approved the use of disc brakes for all types of races, trying to find the article

Cant see them stopping anyone that's riding in a fun ride from taking part.

 

Still not allowed for drafting triathlons over here tough.

 

Just make sure that the pads are in good shape when you start a race though and especially if it's wet.

[Ramrod]

I read somewhere over the weekend that the UCI had approved the use of disc brakes for all types of races, trying to find the article

PLease post the link if you find it.

[Barend de Arend]

So i have a disk braked road bike. Checked with CSA if i can ride 94.7 with the wife and they confirmed it was ok. As long as you are not racing in the Elite/VA/VB etc. If you are riding in the open seeded it will be fine.

 

 

94,7 allows ice cream bikes, unicycles and all sorts of costumes in the alphabet soup.  It's a carnival, not a race.

[Ramrod]

94,7 allows ice cream bikes, unicycles and all sorts of costumes in the alphabet soup.  It's a carnival, not a race.

You are missing the point i was trying to make

[City Cycling Athletic Club]

just for interest sake - do disc brakes get sharper as they wear down?

[Kalahari Vegmot]

just for interest sake - do disc brakes get sharper as they wear down?

The rotors get thinner the more they wear, so I guess you could say so.