Is anyone using road disc brakes at road races?

[Spinnekop]

I thought this article has a lot of good info and questions.

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/complete-faq-to-road-disc-brakes/

[gummibear]

26ers are perfectly fine, don’t fall for this 29er marketing nonsense!

It's not about the bike...  

[Patchelicious]

And this is what grinds me to NO END and pissed me off.

 

We.  The consumer.  DON'T have a choice.

 

2020 (or at least within the next five years) you won't have an option to buy a normal frame from manufacturers.

Your wheels, your spare wheels and your groupset will HAVE to be replaced if you want to buy a new frame.  

And if you crash and HAVE to buy a new frame?  Then you'll need to save up for new groupset and wheels.

 

No choice.

That is my gripe.

 

But whatever.

This whole point will become mute over time.

 

I think what saddens me is that I have not had it thick in life and I have built up this amazing bike over many many years meticulously deciding what to use and what not.

And if I go for a new frame, I will have to do everything over again and I don't have that much time in life left anymore.

Ok, but thats a whole different discussion to your previous argument.

[Patchelicious]

It's not about the bike...  

Ok, then send that new MTB of yours my please...

[Spinnekop]

26ers are perfectly fine, don’t fall for this 29er marketing nonsense!

Jip.

 

Saw that one coming a MILE away.  You are becoming insanely predictable!  bahahahhaha

 

There are measurable advantages and it OUTWEIGHS the disadvantages.

 

With discs not so much.

 

There is NO clear advantage except for braking ability in the wet.

 

For the pansies taking your bike to the bike shop to get everything done, all the disadvantages becomes the bikeshop's problem.  *** en betaal boetie.  

[gummibear]

I thought this article has a lot of good info and questions.

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/05/complete-faq-to-road-disc-brakes/

Interesting that they mention cable vs disc brakes.My gravel grinder had cable actuated TRP brakes and  40mm tyres.I loved that bike and never had issues with the brakes in wet or dry conditions.

[gummibear]

Ok, then send that new MTB of yours my please...

That bike was a year old last month.....so not so new anymore.

[Simon123]

Very easy.

 

I still brake okay with my road bike with normal callipers.  And I save 1kg.  Jip....1000g over your disc bike just by not falling for the latest money making scheme of the bike industry.

 

Road discs have been "legal" to compete with for quite a while now in the funrider groups.  UCI approved this months ago and CSA a few month after that.

 

The amount of *** those discs bring to the party is laughable.  The bike shops love it cause they make money off it. 

Not everyone can install them their selves.  

Break rub.  Cable issues with bubbles.  Horrible aerodynamics.  Heat.  (with higher speed comes higher heat and road discs are notorious small) 

 

But they don't tell you that.  Only the positives gets put forward.

Talk to any pro-tour mechanic that builds bikes daily and he'll tell you.

 

It all boils down to braking.  Yes discs break better.  But what you will have to ask yourself is......with how much crap will I have to deal with for that "better braking"?

 

In SA where the avg rider don't ride in the rain and where we don't have mountains, there is NO reason for you to buy a disc bike.  Only the suppliers and bike shops will push it.  Money is the game.

Posts like the above is why I get banned from the Hub from time to time.     But that could be down to them being more sensitive than a millennial finding out Bootleggers doesn't have almond milk today.

 

There really just no polite way to reply to this rubbish.  But I'll do my best.

 

Save 1kg?  Absolute rubbish.  Even a FULL set (levers, hoses, 4 pot calipers, rotors and mounts) on my trail MTB bike only weigh 800g if that.  But on a road bike, you already have the levers due to being STI's, and I reckon a caliper and disc are probably within 50g of your rim brake caliper.  So that rubbish is busted.

 

"*** those discs bring to the party".   Hmmm, most people wont need to install as older frames are not compatible, and they come standard.  But I have yet to see brake rub on disc brakes that you even took 1min to set up.  Bubbles?  Definitely not on proper bled setup.  Aerodynamics?  To miss your sub-3 argus by the 2secs?   Heat?  You do know even on 140mm discs it's still better than rim brakes on longer descents, right?

 

Pro tour mechanic?  link us up man!  Because I reckon this TdF is all about discs now.

 

And in your second to last paragraph, "Discs break (sic) better".   That's what it's about.  Lighter brake lever feel, better modulation, consistency in braking and best of all - pretty much maintenance free (in my maybe 20+ years of bicycle disc brakes).

 

And I'll say it again, my original point:  there is no point buying a NEW bike that is not disc equipped.  I'm sure you also poo poo'd microwaves or something when they first came out, but I'll bet in 5 years you'll also be riding on these crappy disc things and raving about how much better they are than little rubber blocks on wobbly wheels.

[lechatnoir]

I ride a disc-equipped bike because it looks damn cool and makes me want to ride my bike more. at 7.6kg for an endurance bike, that's not too shabby... weight is not a complaint. Neither is it's aero-ness - it's and endurance bike for goodness sakes! As for the headaches that discs create - never experienced a moment of it yet.

 

Call me stupid, call me fickle, tell me I've got more money than sense and that's fine. Why you care is interesting though... Never quite understood the mindset really. Each to his own I guess.

[Patchelicious]

Jip.

 

Saw that one coming a MILE away.  You are becoming insanely predictable!  bahahahhaha

 

There are measurable advantages and it OUTWEIGHS the disadvantages. TO YOU

 

With discs not so much. TO YOU

 

There is NO clear advantage except for braking ability in the wet.

 

For the pansies taking your bike to the bike shop to get everything done, all the disadvantages becomes the bikeshop's problem.  *** en betaal boetie.  

Being predicable doesn't mean its wrong.

 

You need to calm down, you are starting to sound like a redneck who thinks his AR15 is going to be taken away.

[FrankG]

There is NO clear advantage except for braking ability in the wet.

 

To be fair, improved braking in the wet is a pretty big adavantage!

 

I completely get your argument about eventually not having a choice, however I do think rim brakes will be around for some time. Personally, I love the 'purity' of a rim brake bike, but was impressed by the instant bite of discs on my road bike. I never had such long descents that brake fade became an issue.

 

Aside from preference, my opinion is the relevance of discs depends on where you live - living and riding in a predominantly wet and not too hilly country, discs make sense.

[SwissVan]

Ok, so here's the thing.

 

Stopping power is only 1 very small thing that disc brakes bring to the party.

 

Without a brake strip, rims can now be made thinner, lighter and way more aerodynamic as they no longer need to incorporate pads. Rims are also no longer subject to heating up and cooling down on a regular basis which means they are less prone to fatigue and tubeless is not subject to the sealant going through the same process.

 

Installing them 0nce... seriously, installing them is not difficult and if done properly you will have no problems whatsoever. Please. Brake rub? Again, my missus can adjust her brakes to avoid cable rub and she hardly rides.

 

Also, you mention riding in the rain and dirty roads. With disc brakes you can still ride in the rain, get your carbon rims as dirty as you want and when you brake you won't scratch them, so you can ride your fancy carbon rims in any weather without having to have multiple sets of wheels.

 

Everyone gets hung up on the stopping power, but really that is a moot point and not the main reason discs are an advantage.

 

However, for the average joe riding to the coffee shop I agree, it's not worth shelling out a gazillion bucks. But then why not? You aren't buried with your money and having nice things is sometimes good. If you have a sick bike it might make you more excited to go riding and there is no harm in that.

 

Necessary? No.. but the practicality cannot be shut down because you think it's a waste of money.

 

Guys rode Freedom Challenge with tubes, elastomer shocks, 26 inch wheels and V-brakes. They rode it fast and they finished. Now people get to do the same route in the same time with all the modern trimmings. Arguing that road bikes should stay traditional and not use or at least try using proven tech is like arguing that air shocks are a waste of money and tubeless is stupid.

The problem is when one day you want buy a new bike and you will only have one choice of brake type I.e discs

 

I don’t want to be forced to buy discs when I don’t want them.... that sucks but like Madonna they are coming and we have no option.

[Spinnekop]

Pro tour mechanic?  link us up man!  Because I reckon this TdF is all about discs now.

I will bet you that there will be MORE rim brake bikes used that disc brakes in this TdF.

[SwissVan]

I had a disc BMC for a few days while my bike was in for repairs and it was an eye opening experience.

 

The bike was fitted with 28mm tyres and 140mm brake discs.

 

First day was ok as the route was flat but eish....the second day was crazy.Had a long 4km descent with a few hairpin bends and on 2 occasions the brakes got hot and the power faded and i almost crappped myself.Not sure of the type of resin on the pads but they also wore down very fast.

 

3rd day it was raining and there is just to much braking power for the thin tyres.Tyres locked up a few times and is not funny when you not expecting it.

 

Theres a reason why motorbikes have ABS and i hope the next move for road bikes is ABS with the discs

 

I'll stick to my rim brakes for now thanks

Willkommen!!!

 

Nice post Gummi, excellent points

[Spinnekop]

"*** those discs bring to the party".   Hmmm, most people wont need to install as older frames are not compatible, and they come standard.  But I have yet to see brake rub on disc brakes that you even took 1min to set up.  Bubbles?  Definitely not on proper bled setup.  Aerodynamics?  To miss your sub-3 argus by the 2secs?   Heat?  You do know even on 140mm discs it's still better than rim brakes on longer descents, right?

 

None of the above points are ADVANTAGES.  Only Dis'

Crap aero

Crap weight

Bikeshop maintenance.

 

Where are the "it is better"??

All the above points....negatives.

 

Longer descents?

Bhahahahahah.  In South Africa?  Hahahhahaha.

BHAHAHAHHA.

Seriously.  None of SA decents show any problems for rim brakes.  

If you watch the GCN vids posted you'll also see that the diffence is SECONS faster on a more long decent in Europe.

So again.....I put it to you.  Where is that CLEAR advantage?  

[Mongoose!]

Willkommen!!!

 

Nice post Gummi, excellent points

 

agree 100%