coupster

I guess I was out for a smoke when disc brakes won the nomination and election. I was bored this afternoon and wasted an hour or so wandering through the current offerings of the major bike companies. All I could find in the world of carbon frames are disc brakes (with the exception of the obligatory entry level model). I'm a firm believer that disc brakes are overkill for the road - but as usual I guess my Luddite tendencies along with my white hairs are starting to show. Yes I know there are other frame materials and have owned and ridden a version of most offerings but I have decided that I like the ride of a stiff plastic frame. So what do I do when my 6 year old Synapse assplodes and I survive?

noodle soup

I understand what you are saying, but I wonder if you've ever tried riding CF wheels in the rain.

I didn't really want discs, but I got an insane deal on a bike that had them. I can't say that they are necessary in my area, but they really work well, and the weight penalty is very small.

Dave Mayer

Look at the catalogues again. You'll notice that the very highest level bikes and frames are rim brake only. As in UCI-level team bikes.

This is because racers cannot afford the performance handicap of disc brake bikes, except maybe during the flat sprinter stages where sponsors pour money on riders to ride discs.

Then there are the upper mid-level bikes where discs are ubiquitous. These are called doctor/lawyer bikes, for riders who have more discretionary income than riding time. These folks grew up on mountain bikes, so (innapropriately) expect road bikes to have mtb-like features such as sloping top tubes, discs, and fat tires.

Then there are the entry-level bikes that feature rim brakes, solely for cost savings.

AlmostTrick

Are down tube shifters obsolete on new high end bikes? Technology moves on. People appreciate it or keep the old stuff.

Seattle Forrest

Yes.

eja_ bottecchia

noodle soup

Obviously you don't watch much racing. Team mechanics actually have to add weight to some bikes so that they aren't under 6.8kg .

mstateglfr 

trek Madone and Emonda both have multiple versions with rim brakes.

I agree- its overkill on a paved road bike. But it's apparently the way of the future even if its excessive.

just go steel and get a high end frame with carbon fork instead. Itll be beautiful, unique, and fit you great. All for the same or less than a lot of the high end carbon road disc bikes.

Bang0Bang00

Last I heard there was a stop in the trial of UCI legal discs because of an erroneous injury claim.

Is UCI allowing discs now? Cool!

There is some stupidity when it comes to what the UCI bans or doesn't, but it's interesting to see how the competitive bikes evolve, since they're chasing every (legal... mostly) advantage. If discs were a total waste, no one would be using them. In the same way if rim breaks had zero benefit they'd be gone too. But both exist? If that's true, I think that's kind of cool. Last I was paying attention, rim breaks were a staple in the UCI races and top level retail bike lines.

Ride like the pros!

mstateglfr 

Havent teams have ridden disc brakes for entire races? Also, some disc brake bikes are at the 14.96# limit in 54cm which is a common frame size(so not an extremely small size thats lighter).
wheel changes arent as fast, so thst is a handicap, but that isnt what you were referring to.

That's some hilariously revisionist history. Sloping top tubes weren't created to meet the expectations of high spending doctors and lawyers who grew up with mountain bikes.
Sloping top tube road bikes have been around on mass production frames for 25ish years now. Mountain bikes came to the mass market about a decade before sloping top tube road bikes.
so that part of your comment is just wrong.

as for disc brakes and larger tires-
larger tires can be as fast as narrower tires and run at lower pressure for more comfort(high quality tire needed). This trend didnt start because high spending lawyers and doctors wanted it. It's a trend that has moreso come from cx/rando/gravel/touring bikes and is now possible on road bikes due to not being restricted in width by the caliper.

Well sure, except for all the entry level bikes that come with disc brakes.





I dont have a disc brake bike and dont plan to have a disc brake bike. My gravel bike is canti. My touring bike is canti. My mtb is both 26" and vbrake.
Even I can recognize the design benefits of disc brakes. It isnt just to please the faceless wealthy professionals. There are actually design benefits to disc brakes AND sloping top tubes.
reject em, thats cool, I sure do. But dont pretend like the benefits dont exist.

colnago62

79pmooney

+1 I doubt disc brake wheel changes will ever be faster and probably at times slower for quite a while. So you will see the riders who specialize in competing for the GC (lowest overall time or in simple terms, the winner of the big stage races) staying away from brakes that could cost them valuable time for a routine wheel change for a flat tire.

tagaproject6

Uh-oh, another rim brake vs disc brake debate, titled to sound like it isn't a rim brake vs disc brake schtick!?!?!

Seattle Forrest

smarkinson

There was a flurry of new aero bikes announced last month and if I recall correctly most of them were disk brake only. Specialized Venge, Cannondale systemsix, BMC Timemachine.

colnago62

Bah Humbug

How'd that 3DTV thing turn out?

GrainBrain

Is it really that big of a deal? Yeah I guess if you're a GC candidate then a rim braked bike would have an advantage in compatibility. Braking type is far down on my list of concerns for a road bike. I will never do anything but disc on mtb, and thru axles make it stupidly easy to deal with tire removal/install. And it really stiffens things up.

If I were to buy new I'd focus on cockpit first, then frame, drivetrain, thru axles.

Last set of pads on the mtb took me 5 minutes to swap out. Pulled the wheel, took a screw driver and spread the calipers apart with the old pads in place, yanked the cotter pin, installed new, replaced pin, inserted wheel. A couple pumps on the lever, good to go. Hydro discs are insanely awesome. Mine are just some old deores. No leaks, no adjustments, consistent performance and lever feel regardless of weather and pad wear.

scott967

Dogma f10 not high end enough for you?

scott s.
.

indyfabz

No.

indyfabz

It was so dead when I bought my first HDTV several years ago that the Sony store gave me a pair of 3D glasses for free. They were trying to get rid of them. I ended up trashing them without ever taking them out of the boxes.

MyTi

Always use the current top TDF GC pro peleton rider's bike(Geraint Thomas) as a reference on what is the best technology to use on your bike! That's what I go by because every second counts when I'm riding to the grocery store. Looks like he's using rim brakes. So rim brakes > disc brakes

indyfabz

The fork looks backwards. Must have been assembled at Walmart.

MyTi

On a serious note if was getting a new bike now I would get disc brakes for sure. Makes more sense, better stopping power and don't have to worry about the braking surface wear on the wheels....especially if they are carbon wheels. Obviously neither disc brakes or rim brakes are going to be obsolete for road bikes any time soon. Maybe cantilever style rim brakes are pretty obsolete for cyclocross/hybrid use. Because mechanical disc brakes are just as cheap as cantilever brakes now. Is there a use for cantilever brakes any more?

AlmostTrick

Like I said, technology moves on and people either appreciate it or keep the old. In your example lots more people voted with their dollars to not go with something new. This didn't happen with disc brakes on road bikes though, did it?