Digital Gee

A few years back, when I was an active member of the 50+ forum, I remember innumerable posts about whether to go clips, how to go clips, proper technique when falling while clipless, etc. I learned a lot and loved the discussions.

Now, as I reenter the of cycling, I see a lot of posts about disc brakes. Sure, they were around back then, but I don't remember them being a "hot topic" as they appear to be now.

My understanding is that disc brakes are terrific if one is riding in inclement weather, such as rain, snow, or when out on mountain trails crossing streams, etc. If one is riding almost exclusively in dry weather, it would seem to me that disc brakes are simply added weight and probably not worth it.

Am I missing something? And have disc brakes become a lot better than five, six years ago? Does it make sense to get the disc brake model of a given bike like the Sirrus or the Trek 7.x series or the Giant Eclipse for normal riding conditions?