Road Bikes Disc Brakes vs Rim Brakes!

[SwissVan]

While recently selecting which frame type to go for, I researched a myriad of articles, videos and opinions from various sources from the internet. There were countless arguments for and against for both brake types!

At the risk of causing the world's cycling community to split down the middle, here is my 'opinion'.

This includes: 

 

• disc brake set-ups still have 500 - 800 gr weight disadvantage, depending on group set and frame. Yes, disc weights might be coming down slowly but are not yet compatible with rims at the present time.
• The rim brake installation instructions listed the bike frame and brake manufacturers manuals constituted of two pages; i.e. not really required but mentioned it for comparison sake. The disc brake equivalent was more than 20 pages! This included installation and mounting, aligning, filling the oil, bleeding (with some sort of kit and all kinds of special tools required), maintenance and so on. Rim brakes can be installed, change cables, replace pads and adjust within five minutes per brake. I can only guess how long this would take with discs.
• Various considerations to consider when changing a flat/ wheel in a hurry.  I saw the various acts of drama that a number of riders and their mechanics had to go through when replacing a wheel during the recent GT's and classics races. Its great when a spare bike is ready for you when racing but not for us normal riders who have to struggle next to the side of the road. Quick releases rule here.
• This includes the risks of bending the rotor disc when struggling to get the wheel out and the closing of the calipers when a wheel is removed for travelling. 
• The incessantly annoying squeal of the brakes when being applied. 
• Lastly, the need to change ones existing wheels when changing to discs. I was not prepared to sell five sets to now buy new ones.

The main 'for' reason for discs is stated to be the improved braking performance. Various comparison tests by a number of publications and bicycle sites have been performed and most agree that there is a slight improvement for carbon wheels in the rain, not so much in the dry. But dare I say that for 99% of us this increased performance is not required, unless you go 2-3 times a year to Europe and race down the various mountain passes in the rain. Even so, the four major WT teams Ineos, Jumbo Visma, UAE and Sunweb are all still choosing to ride with rim brakes. The performance of the newer direct mounts is not that far of that of discs.

Currently the score for the last six Grand Tours is : Rims Brakes 6 - Disc Brakes 0 !

 

Yes, there is a certain visual  'cool' factor with disc brakes but is that enough to fall into the bike/ group set manufacturers marketing trap that something that has worked for decades is suddenly not good enough anymore?

Walked in your shoes

 

Resistance is futile

 

Welcome to the dark side

[Emazing]

I have Sram brakes and they great they stop hard and fast - just see your weight is far behind the seat - but on a gentle pull squeak with intermittent deep tone. I know it’s not the topic but if any one can suggest a Fix let me know ?

Edited November 12, 2020 by Emazing

[DieselnDust]

Huh?

[Mongoose!]

 

I value the opinion of Durianrider more on this topic than GCN....  

[Christie]

☝ notable how small the difference is, down a massive mountain pass in both wet and dry conditions.

It looks like the conclusion is that braking is the same when dry, a tiny bit better on disks in the wet, and rim brakes are a bit faster in both conditions due to less drag.

[TNT1]

I have Sram brakes and they great they stop hard and fast - just see your weight is far babies the seat - but on a gentle pull squeak with intermittent deep tone. I know it’s not the topic but if any can suggest a Fix let me know ?

What the hell have you been typing that your phone chose to autocorrect to babies?

[TNT1]

I value the opinion of Durianrider more on this topic than GCN....  

Thanks for the laugh.

 

I value pics of Durianrider's ex more.

[dave303e]

whats wrong with the front brake on the Left? I'm a Lefty....what you saying about lefty's huh...? <snif>

 

Left handed people, fair enough I will concede for you guys to have front brake on left is understandable, that is where your fine motor coordination is.

 

Had my right hand in a cast for a very long time(multiple fractures in thumb incl spiral fracture) and it was actually ridiculously tough, scissors, smudging  writing(learning to write left handed and writing trials left handed) Lefty's put up with a lot.

[Spinnekop]

Ask him to try MTB rotors, there is a lot less rub or fade.

Good tip, thank you. 

[Grass Muncher]

Disc brakes causes covid. I woudnt go near them if I were you.

[MudLark]

Why wouldn't you?

Because even on tar roads sometimes there are loose surfaces. And one's middle name can quickly become "gatsien".

[MudLark]

Think disc brakes have maybe one other unmentioned (?) advantage: when you're on top of your brake/shift hoods you still have pretty good braking because you need less force/hand strength. That can be an advantage for some people.

[EddieV]

... from another thread, and media article, but maybe appropriate here too ... looks like the writing is on the wall:

(ito future-proofing I think disc might be the appropriate choice?)

 

 

"

In 2019, disc brake bikes won just 19 out of 62 Grand Tour stages raced, 32% of the overall total. This year, 34 of the 60 Grand Tour stages raced were won by teams on disc brakes, accounting for 57% of wins. That’s almost double year on year.

And to amplify the disc takeover even further, we can safely predict the disc brake win share to only increase for 2021 as Jumbo-Visma swap from exclusively using rim brakes with Bianchi to riding predominantly discs brake-equipped Cervelos. Bianchi will now provide its bikes to Mitchelton, beginning to supply its new disc-only Speciallissima in the WorldTour.

Yes, it is true that increasingly fewer riders and teams are being given the option of rim brakes – hence the big shift in wins – but it certainly is telling that like for us consumers, the humble rim brake is being squeezed from existence.

Wins with disc brakes: 34 – UAE-Team Emirates, Deceuninck-QuickStep, Bora-Hansgrohe, Lotto Soudal, Astana, Team Sunweb, Education First, Groupama-FDJ, Israel Start-Up Nation. Bahrain-McLaren, NTT Pro Cycling, CCC Team, Movistar.

Wins without disc brakes: 26 – UAE-Team Emirates, Jumbo-Visma, Ineos Grenadiers, Team Sunweb, AG2R La Mondiale, Groupama-FDJ.

"

 

ref: https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/7080/which-bikes-groupsets-and-brakes-did-best-at-grand-tours-in-2020#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20disc%20brake%20bikes,almost%20double%20year%20on%20year.

[TNT1]

Because even on tar roads sometimes there are loose surfaces. And one's middle name can quickly become "gatsien".

You need a skills course.

[PlemPlem]

... from another thread, and media article, but maybe appropriate here too ... looks like the writing is on the wall:

(ito future-proofing I think disc might be the appropriate choice?)

 

 

"

In 2019, disc brake bikes won just 19 out of 62 Grand Tour stages raced, 32% of the overall total. This year, 34 of the 60 Grand Tour stages raced were won by teams on disc brakes, accounting for 57% of wins. That’s almost double year on year.

And to amplify the disc takeover even further, we can safely predict the disc brake win share to only increase for 2021 as Jumbo-Visma swap from exclusively using rim brakes with Bianchi to riding predominantly discs brake-equipped Cervelos. Bianchi will now provide its bikes to Mitchelton, beginning to supply its new disc-only Speciallissima in the WorldTour.

Yes, it is true that increasingly fewer riders and teams are being given the option of rim brakes – hence the big shift in wins – but it certainly is telling that like for us consumers, the humble rim brake is being squeezed from existence.

Wins with disc brakes: 34 – UAE-Team Emirates, Deceuninck-QuickStep, Bora-Hansgrohe, Lotto Soudal, Astana, Team Sunweb, Education First, Groupama-FDJ, Israel Start-Up Nation. Bahrain-McLaren, NTT Pro Cycling, CCC Team, Movistar.

Wins without disc brakes: 26 – UAE-Team Emirates, Jumbo-Visma, Ineos Grenadiers, Team Sunweb, AG2R La Mondiale, Groupama-FDJ.

"

 

ref: https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/7080/which-bikes-groupsets-and-brakes-did-best-at-grand-tours-in-2020#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20disc%20brake%20bikes,almost%20double%20year%20on%20year.

I also read this general sentiment being discussed in a few other articles across a variety of platforms and I do not doubt that the bike/ group set manufacturers kind of want to push their wares into the market and further on to the consumers (us) in order to increase sales!

However, my point was though that certain teams, who do have a choice whether to race with rim brake or disc brakes (Ineos for example), actually still demand rim brakes instead of discs!

If discs are so much better/ faster descending down mountains in the rain etc., something that occurs regularly during GT's, why do they not want to use them unless rim brakes still offer major advantages over discs?

I hope Gary Blem is reading this; maybe he can comment!

[Chris_]

I also read this general sentiment being discussed in a few other articles across a variety of platforms and I do not doubt that the bike/ group set manufacturers kind of want to push their wares into the market and further on to the consumers (us) in order to increase sales!

However, my point was though that certain teams, who do have a choice whether to race with rim brake or disc brakes (Ineos for example), actually still demand rim brakes instead of discs!

If discs are so much better/ faster descending down mountains in the rain etc., something that occurs regularly during GT's, why do they not want to use them unless rim brakes still offer major advantages over discs?

I hope Gary Blem is reading this; maybe he can comment!

 

I may have missed it, but have you chosen/bought a new frame yet?