I appreciate new tech if it is an improvement like clik shifting, clipless pedals and disc brakes are. In my judgement plastic bikes are NOT an improvement because of their price and how fragile they are. And like all plastics they get brittle in their old age.

If you can insert a credit card into your wallet, you can insert a wedge into a disc brake caliper. And it will take about the same amount of time.

You don't seem to have a clue about cf bike prices, nor about the durability and longevity of such frames.

Stop making stuff up. Really. Just stop.

I've got a few questions about these new rim brakes:

They're only going to be used on road bikes?
I'm going to have to change brake pads when I swap my carbon wheels and aluminum wheels?
Braking will be worse in wet conditions?
There's a chance my carbon wheels will overheat and delaminate on a long descent?
They're going to limit the size of my tires?

And this is all to save a couple hundred grams?

More importantly, it will preserve your status as a retro-grouch. (Don't forget to wear those gloves with leather palms and crochet-knit backs.)

This is 70sSanO's parallel universe where disc brakes precede rim brakes, and retro-grouches become future-grouches.

Does anyone have a link for the "honest" opinion piece that started this thread?

My mind is officially blown.

Your "judgement" is not based on facts or evidence specific to actual CF bicycle frames in the real world.

EDIT: Here's some input from a few people familiar with carbon fiber in bicycle applications...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Look

There is no limitation because carbon has a natural flexibility. It can be used a hundred years while maintaining the same stiffness.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Easton

The good news is the fatigue life of carbon fiber is immensely more than that of metals.

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Reminds me of 650B, except that there's actually a few reasons to like discs...

None.

Wedging them back open isn't difficult, but I still like to be proactive. Shimano has orange spacers that you can pop in between the pads and they also have yellow doohickies (technical term) that slide in under the brake/shift levers and prevent both inadvertent shifting and braking actuation.

Both of these items come with levers/calipers when purchased separately and, if I were buying a complete bike, I'd ask for the shop to provide them (if they don't immediately throw them away, they should have buckets full of 'em).

I only have two bikes. My recumbent I bought in 2011 and specifically upgraded to the disc brake version because the primary use for this bike was commuting when I lived in Seattle. I wanted good, reliable wet weather brake performance. I've found them easy to use, not too finicky (really needing about the same adjustment as my old rim brakes) and plenty reliable. I won't say I'd never go back to rim brakes, but I do remember having to be more particular about the pads I selected if I wanted good wet weather performance.

My velo has drum brakes (90mm). They seem to stop well in pretty much any condition and haven't done anything to them since I bought it (used, it was already all set up). I like them so far, but again, wouldn't be averse to switching to discs if there was a good reason. I don't think rim brakes are a thing with velos.

Spenco. Red, white and blue backs. My skin darkens easily. They caused the worst tan marks. Some people thought I had a skin condition.

I guess I’m just procrastinating and want to do some test rides. Last April COVID put a kink in my plans. That still and a new roof.

But based on my limited one on the rear experience disc on a bike is like when I went from a motorcycle with drum breaks all around to a single disc on the front.

This I think:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/p...he-year-490145

Otto

Thanks, but I don't think that's it.

The added stress to the frame from the single thru-bolt or side mounts at the top of the seat stays constantly being flexed. "OMGee! that'll cause metal fatigue at 45,000 miles & you will be dedz!"

Yeah I looked up The Russian Crank and found nothing related on his blog. Only a few articles are visible. Maybe it was in a newsletter that isn’t on his blog. I just remembered seeing that Cycling Weekly thing on the same topic.

Otto

About 10 years ago when Niner introduced their right CF bike there was a video of the founder beating on the CF fork with a hammer and there was no damage.

If CF bikes were fragile they wouldn't make most if not all of the high end MTB market, plastic bikes are ugly but they're not delicate and they age just fine.

Back on the topic of disc brakes. I’ve been rocking my cheap 80s builds in recent years. Really no benefit for me to switch my skinny tire (road frame) bike to disc brakes. I’m running the same Superbe calipers I’ve used for over 40 years and might just run them another 40.

OTOH, I ride my big tire (26er) bike on dusty/muddy trails and rim brakes can get messed up. The rear u-brake froze up on my last ride due to accumulated mud and water that froze on the frame, brake and cable during the ride. Quickly fixed with water from my water bottle to unfreeze and clear away the ice mud. Still, the rims and tires are always a complete mess this time of year, which doesn’t help with braking

So, I’m thinking at some point I’ll get a bike that runs disc brakes and can do 27.5 or 29er, since that’s what most of the groovy new tires are made for. I’m thinking perhaps a Surly Ogre or something like that, since it can run as a proper SS without needing a chain tensioner.

Otto

Sorry for the delay responding. I had to hurry and post replies and place orders in my parallel universe. In another week the internet will not have been invented over there.

At least my bikes are cutting edge.

John

Where will you use those items when the order arrives? The discovery of fire will become obscure while everything else is at the mercy of serendipity.

“Tullio, it is a brake and shifter combined together. It will make you a lot of money. Yes, I like the Gran Sport too, but this is the future, well technically the past, but it will change the bicycle industry. We could be partners. I’d like to call it CTI, Campagnolo Total Integration.”

John

& ...... now it's 100 B.C. Soon Trex will be looking at a meteorite blasting in from the sky.