noodle soup

the difference is about $12 a pair for pads(disc vs rim), but the braking performance difference is huge(wet or dry).

Do you really worry about about spending an extra $75 per year on stuff like this?

colnago62

In the very early days of disc brakes, I remember, tandem riders mainly, complaints of issue with the fluid boiling from the heat on long descents. I believe that the industry got that issue figured out.

WhyFi

He said "disc brake pads" failing. That's a far cry from fluid boiling.

Seattle Forrest

Pads fail all the time, but only ever with disc. That's why they're so popular, everybody who rode disc brakes is dead and can't tell us the truth. That's why Big Bike is forcing them on us.

Duragrouch

Well, retired on social security, no pension, living in an SRO, actually yes.

To be truthful, when I was first looking into a folding bike (because it fits in my tiny SRO), I wanted the cool one with discs but wasn't willing to spend twice the price. We have some long hills here and I was worried about the 20" rims heating up. But I've checked them after descents and they are fine. Later, I learned of the higher cost. But upon test riding a newer folder with mechanical discs, the wheels locked up incredibly easy, as the discs were designed for 26"+ wheels, not 20". Smaller road discs and hydraulics I think would be a necessity, but that ads complexity and field serviceability issues.

On the other hand, after about 5 years on the bike, the rim sidewalls are noticeably concave from brake wear. These are cheap rims, single wall, no hard anodizing, and several times a year I need to clean embedded aluminum bits from the brake pads, it think due to galling.

Discs would be nice. But if I ever get them, I'm going to use ones that have the most common, low cost pads, with good material selection.

colnago62

When flying down a mountain pass, that is a distinction with the same consequence.
I thought maybe he was mixed up as I don’t remember pads being an issue ever. My point really was that was a very long time ago and those types of issues don’t exist today.

Racing Dan

The pads are insignificant compared to the delta between rim and disc bikes:

https://www.wiggle.com/fuji-sl-23-disc-road-bike-2019/

https://www.wiggle.com/fuji-sl-23-road-bike-2019/

Its several hundred if comparing apples to apples.

WhyFi

... which was the point of my comment, which I thought was pretty clear.

colnago62

You really weren’t that clear, but it doesn’t really matter as my response was aimed at the person who was recounting something he possibly read.

WhyFi

Looking back at my comment, and the quote provided for context, I think it's pretty clear and that the failing is not mine. Cheers.

marcoguzm

It is not only more expensive to use a bicycle with disk brakes, it's also heavier.

Dave Mayer

Disc-equipped bikes are also theft magnets in my 'hood. Leave a carbon Colnago next to a disc Huffy, and the Hufster will get pinched every time.

Mind you, for their personal rides, the addict thieves tend to favour 50-pound full-suspension rigs (8" of travel front and rear with 3" knobbies) for riding around a paved urban environment with excellent roads. Big discs and largest rotors. Go figure.

MyTi

I sold my Ti bike to get disc brakes and regret it. Will be ordering a lynskey soon with disc brakes. Disc brakes are in fact better.

Seattle Forrest

That's why smart people like us ride fixies with coaster brakes.

MoAlpha

Crap! Another troll with a fictive bike.

big john

Disc pads for my mtb are about $10 at REI and I've seen them online for $7.
I think Shimano Dura Ace rim pads are at least that much.

Kimmo 

Go figure...

Doge

Scott Mathauser on Super Champion smooth rims. I trimmed, reglued with Epoxylite 6203. Same pads, now 30 years old, 100K miles on tandem my friend bought. I'll see if I can take a pick Wed.
Brakes Campy SR, Campy Delta easy when you had the pull right (parallelogram). Most smooth carbon tubulars I would expect now. My current ENVE serrated surface rims - no way.

Doge

This similar setup, still Scotts with thicker pads and the brakes didn't have the leverage and these were the MAVIC ceramic rims that had less catch. Riding the replacement fork bent in the Cannondale Duet SR in 1993 from standing on the front wheel to avoid a crash. My bride (doing the SR for our honeymoon), was semi gently touched down on the side. No injury, messed up fork.
Point was the brakes alone did bend a steel Co-Motion tandem for in a panic stop.

A smooth clean rim with the right rubber sticks like crazy.

Seattle Forrest

I broke a rib this weekend, so my poor bike has no rider for a while.

MoAlpha

Ooh, jeez! I bet riding isn’t the only thing you’re not doing. I hope it mends quickly.

Duragrouch

That's great, I'd pay that for disc pads. Glad to see the price has come down.

It would be prohibitively expensive or impossible to retrofit discs to my current bike, but if I ever buy new, I'll be looking for discs. Mind you, on a 20" wheel folder, in addition to needing a smaller disc or pad to prevent hair-trigger-lockup, disc rotors may be more susceptible to damage when transporting the bike folded.

McNamara

This thread has been an interesting read. I agreed with many of the viewpoints expressed in the video, though I found its style annoying.


With the exception of motorcycles I've never ridden disc brakes. I'm convinced of their utility, but I don't see myself getting a disc brake equipped bike any time soon. I live in a flat area, stay on paved roads, and only ride in the rain occasionally. For the time being, it makes a lot more sense for me to spend money improving my current bike with things like a power meter and better wheels than it does to run out and buy a brand new disc brake bike. If I build up my next bike from a frameset, it will have rim brakes too since that's what I know how to install and maintain. But if I buy an 'off-the-rack' bike, there's a good chance it will only come in disc brake format a few years from now. I'm fine with that.

Princess_Allez

Dave Mayer

Well, you shouldn't be fine with the bike industry limiting your choices and forcing you to be locked to your shop for expensive yearly maintenance (hydraulic discs).

For riding in relatively flat and dry conditions, discs add a bunch of unnecessary weight, complexity and incompatibilities.

I was riding with a fast crowd yesterday on a ride that alternated between soul-crushing climbs and warp-speed twisty descents. With rim brakes and Scott brake pads, I was likely braking at the limits of wheel adhesion to the pavement. And this was on good dry asphalt. Good thing I was on rim brakes.