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Mandatory disk brakes

Old 08-03-18, 02:27 AM
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sjanzeir
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Mandatory disk brakes

So, my understanding is that as of 2016-17, you no longer can buy a premium/top of the line fitness, road- or speed-oriented hybrid without disk brakes. To get rim brakes in any form, your only options are to either buy a decent mid-ranger with rim brakes (most likely V-brakes) and start upgrading stuff, or convert a high-end road bike to a flat-bar. Does this sum up the situation?

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Old 08-03-18, 07:30 AM
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
So, my understanding is that as of 2016-17, you no longer can buy a premium/top of the line fitness, road- or speed-oriented hybrid without disk brakes. To get rim brakes in any form, your only options are to either buy a decent mid-ranger with rim brakes (most likely V-brakes) and start upgrading stuff, or convert a high-end road bike to a flat-bar. Does this sum up the situation?
If I'm not mistaken, Performance Bikes still sell the Kestrel flat bar road bike with rim brakes.
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Old 08-03-18, 10:44 AM
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Unless I am just searching wrongfully, it appears that carbon framed road bikes are harder to find with disc.
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Old 08-03-18, 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
So, my understanding is that as of 2016-17, you no longer can buy a premium/top of the line fitness, road- or speed-oriented hybrid without disk brakes. To get rim brakes in any form, your only options are to either buy a decent mid-ranger with rim brakes (most likely V-brakes) and start upgrading stuff, or convert a high-end road bike to a flat-bar. Does this sum up the situation?
Premium bike without disc brakes = Oxymoron. Even some Walmart bikes already have (cable) disc brakes.
Not sure what your criterium is for other premium components. the subset of people wanting rim brakes and modern (i.e. 1x) drivetrains or CF frames is very small. Retro-grouches typically want all components to be old-school.

You post in hybrid subforum... in the road section you may still find some "premium" or at least mid-range bikes with rim brakes.

I'm not dissing people who still want old-school, to each their own. But manufacturers produce what the market wants and most people who want modern drivetrain also want modern brakes etc.
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Old 08-05-18, 06:17 AM
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Originally Posted by HerrKaLeun
Premium bike without disc brakes = Oxymoron. Even some Walmart bikes already have (cable) disc brakes.
Not sure what your criterium is for other premium components. the subset of people wanting rim brakes and modern (i.e. 1x) drivetrains or CF frames is very small. Retro-grouches typically want all components to be old-school.

You post in hybrid subforum... in the road section you may still find some "premium" or at least mid-range bikes with rim brakes.

I'm not dissing people who still want old-school, to each their own. But manufacturers produce what the market wants and most people who want modern drivetrain also want modern brakes etc.

You can also say a premium hydrid is an oxymoron; no DuraAce/XTR equipped hybrids that I know of.

I think using disk brakes is more about trend than being modern. It's about checking off a bullet list item. Walmart had sold aluminum frames that are heavier than steel frames, suspension forks that are labeled not for off road and mechanical disk brakes that are worse than rim brakes. Apparently they now sell cheap carbon frames. All manufactures put a better rear derailleur with cheaper components elsewhere so a buyer sees Acera and thinks it's better than Tourney when in fact the rest of the components are Tourney.

They are good reasons for preferring rim brakes that isn't just being retro. Rim brakes are simpler to maintain, lighter, allow a more compliant fork. A good rim brake with machined rims and good pads will function as well as or better than a sketchy mechanical disk brake that was added just to help market a bike.
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Old 08-05-18, 07:46 AM
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It does seem that the manufacturers are focusing more and more on adding the disk brakes ! Maybe it’s just easier / cost efficient for them to go all in on the disks as opposed to producing both disk and rim brakes ?

Im not pro or against, to each his / her own. My thought is that the disks are not needed in my area ( Flat Florida) so I chose a bike without, but it does appear the disks are the wave of the future !
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Old 08-05-18, 07:46 AM
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I think "Mandatory" would be a little harsh to put it as there is nothing that is truly mandatory.

However, Cycling could likely be divided into different subfields.
  • Track (real on track)... are brakes even required?
  • Fixies... Usually get one front brake. Rim.
  • TT & Triathlon... I think these are still mostly staying with rim brakes for now, but who knows, it could change, especially if carbon rims start coming with discs.
  • Road. Currently I think it is fairly mixed. Some of the new groupsets are pushing disc, such as the new Campy 12.
    Give people something "new" to buy, otherwise they'll continue riding their old bikes, and not purchase new stuff.
  • Cyclocross. Bikes as little as 10 years old were getting mostly Cantis, but now they are heavily influenced by discs. Still, may choose Cantis over V-Brakes.
  • Hybrids. Big mix here. I think there is a growing emphasis on high-end hybrids that never existed before, and most of the high-end hybrids will come with Discs. Nonetheless, there are quite a few mid-range hybrids with V-Brakes.
  • MTBs. Almost exclusively disc brakes except in the very low end bikes.
  • Touring. A mix. Many tourists like the simply of rim brakes, although I could see additional emphasis on hard braking discs.
  • Tandems. A mix. Drum brakes? Discs? Dual Brakes?

Anyway, no single statement will capture all cyclists riding all different types of bikes.
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Old 08-05-18, 08:24 AM
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I see plenty of new bikes of all types that don't feature disc brakes. Especially among better lines. (I really don't know what Wal Mart is selling these days).
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Old 08-05-18, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by jon c.
(I really don't know what Wal Mart is selling these days).
https://www.bikeforums.net/mountain-...arbon-mtb.html
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Old 08-05-18, 07:32 PM
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I have rim brakes on my road bike, they're fine, don't really care either way on a road bike.

I have rim brakes on my hybrid, and they are Tektro V-brakes, even on an $800 bike.

I've spent a lot of time dialing in both on both bikes, and just finished 4 hours of adjusting maddening squeal out of the V-brakes tonight. I nearly threw the bike across the yard out of frustration.

I will certainlynever buy a V-brake bike again, and by the time I buy a road bike or a hybrid again it will probably be hydraulic discs and thru-axles across the board on both, which I'll be fine with, but I'm sure discs have all their own adjustment problems too.
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Old 08-06-18, 03:03 AM
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Unless I am just searching wrongfully, it appears that carbon framed road bikes are harder to find with disc.
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Old 08-06-18, 05:37 AM
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Originally Posted by puma1552
I'm sure discs have all their own adjustment problems too.
They do. In particular, and especially with quick release axles, it can be difficult to get the exact same caliper alignment after a wheel change. I commonly tweak the caliper adjustment a little after a wheel re-install to get rid of some light pad scraping. Thru-axles are supposed to mostly eliminate that. It's a trade-off I'm happy to make, though. The biggest issue I have with rim brakes is squealing with moisture. I keep my bikes in my conditioned basement, and I wheel them out the back door (a walk-out basement) when I go for a ride. With the humidity during the summer time, my bikes will immediately "sweat" a little bit (cold frame out in hot humid air), and this causes issues with rim brakes. They'll squeal pretty loud for a little while, as moisture tends to do with rim brakes. This is not easy to "dial out", and is not an issue if I store it in the garage and ride it the next day.

First world problems, right?
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Old 08-07-18, 12:43 AM
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Originally Posted by puma1552
I've spent a lot of time dialing in both on both bikes, and just finished 4 hours of adjusting maddening squeal out of the V-brakes tonight. I nearly threw the bike across the yard out of frustration.
Until you take the bike out on a ride and the brakes start squealing again after 5 minutes.
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Old 08-07-18, 08:50 AM
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Originally Posted by katsup
Until you take the bike out on a ride and the brakes start squealing again after 5 minutes.
Took it out to a parking lot and rode it for probably 30 minutes with no squeal, but yes...I am not sold that they won't squeal next time I take it out of the garage, at least initially. It hasn't earned my confidence yet.
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Old 08-07-18, 06:09 PM
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For me, it's the humidity that frustrates me with rim brakes. I keep my bikes in a conditioned basement, and everything on the bike "sweats" when I bring them out into the sticky summer air. My rim brakes will tend to squeal pretty loudly for the first 5-10 minutes until they acclimate to the outside air. My disc brakes don't do that. The disc brakes just seem more consistent overall, which is why I've come to prefer them.
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Old 08-08-18, 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
So, my understanding is that as of 2016-17, you no longer can buy a premium/top of the line fitness, road- or speed-oriented hybrid without disk brakes. To get rim brakes in any form, your only options are to either buy a decent mid-ranger with rim brakes (most likely V-brakes) and start upgrading stuff, or convert a high-end road bike to a flat-bar. Does this sum up the situation?
The question is...why would you want a bike with rim brakes? Disc brakes are far superior.
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Old 08-08-18, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by prj71
The question is...why would you want a bike with rim brakes? Disc brakes are far superior.
Not all disk brakes are equal, some mechanical brakes are not superior. It depends on your application. If you commute in the rain or do a lot of downhill then disks might be the right choice. But disks add complexity. Disks add weight. Disks add costs. Front forks need to be stiffer, less compliant, to deal with the stress of braking. Disks also increase stresses on hubs and spokes. Disk change the dishing of wheels.
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Old 08-08-18, 09:41 AM
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Originally Posted by hokiefyd
They do. In particular, and especially with quick release axles, it can be difficult to get the exact same caliper alignment after a wheel change. I commonly tweak the caliper adjustment a little after a wheel re-install to get rid of some light pad scraping. Thru-axles are supposed to mostly eliminate that. It's a trade-off I'm happy to make, though.
I have hydraulics on a QR and a TA bike. Both are tubeless, so the need to do any wheel removal is pretty much gone besides normal wear tire replacement or seasonal (studded tires) change. The QR bike originally had tubes and had flats, but I never really had a problem with rotor alignment. The trick with QR is to put the bike on the ground (like normal) before tightening. When i have the bike in the stand (wheels off the ground) and tighten the QR, the axle isn't really correct and the rotor scratches. Once bike on ground (out of the repair stand) i loosen the QR again and the axle falls into the right place and the problem is gone.

As for other maintenance, once the air is out, there really is none for years to come. The factory or shop who installed them should provide the brake with no air. When brake pads are worn you replace them and push the pistons back and it will automatically fit. The brake also automatically adjusts for pad wear. I assume after some years I may want to replace the mineral oil. (DOT fluid has to be replaced every year or 2). Also reach adjustment does not require any other brake adjustment. The only "tool" you need is a $25 bleedkit.
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Old 08-08-18, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by pjthomas
Not all disk brakes are equal, some mechanical brakes are not superior. It depends on your application. If you commute in the rain or do a lot of downhill then disks might be the right choice. But disks add complexity. Disks add weight. Disks add costs. Front forks need to be stiffer, less compliant, to deal with the stress of braking. Disks also increase stresses on hubs and spokes. Disk change the dishing of wheels.
Rim brakes will be a thing of the past. The major players have already begun changing their road bike offerings to disk brakes.

There is nothing complex about them and the weight is negligible.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by HerrKaLeun
As for other maintenance, once the air is out, there really is none for years to come. The factory or shop who installed them should provide the brake with no air. When brake pads are worn you replace them and push the pistons back and it will automatically fit. The brake also automatically adjusts for pad wear. I assume after some years I may want to replace the mineral oil. (DOT fluid has to be replaced every year or 2). Also reach adjustment does not require any other brake adjustment. The only "tool" you need is a $25 bleedkit.
I'm with you. I resisted disc brakes for many years. After trying some of my dad's bikes with hydraulic discs, I was immediately sold. Immediately. I still have rim brake bikes, but I don't really ride them much. It's really been my Giant Roam exclusively.

I just bought a bike with cable discs. I haven't broken them in yet, but the braking power is good. Lever pull is much firmer (not in a good way), with more effort required than with hydraulic brakes (both to overcome the return springs and to provide enough force on the pads). I plan to upgrade this bike to hydraulic eventually, but will play with the cable discs for a while first. Tuning them is pretty dadgum easy. Just turn the large dial on the inside pad's "piston" to set that one as close to the rotor as possible, and then use the barrel adjusters to set the outside pad. That's too easy.
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Old 08-08-18, 08:39 PM
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Originally Posted by prj71
The question is...why would you want a bike with rim brakes? Disc brakes are far superior.
Until the pads wear out and you need to hunt down/order exact matches. My main concern, especially given where I live, is one of convenience and practicality. Take a look at any online shop and you'll immediately see the lack of standardization as to the designs of brake pads for disk brakes, and not many of them are interchangeable. In a place like Jeddah, where there's only one "real" dealer (with just two outlets) and a couple of other "pseudo-dealers" who hardly know what it is they're doing (along with a bevy of shops downtown that sell crappy BSOs,) whether or not they can just hand you a set of replacement brake pads for your particular setup right off the shelf is a crap shoot. "Sorry, we don't have that" is something I hear a lot, and I hear "sorry, we can't order that" just as often. It's usually easier to just order online than to throw yourself at the mercy of a very foot-dragging dealer, but that's still a few days in which the bike is off the ground.

With rim brakes, on the other hand, there thousands upon thousands of different brake blocks that will fit most rim brake arms/calipers. You can drop into any shop (even the small, non-brand ones run by total hacks) and get a replacement for worn or damaged brake blocks - even low-quality ones that will at least get you home. I, for one, have zero interest in making things harder for myself just for the sake of having the latest and greatest. I've gotten by just fine with rim brakes for 30+ years and I have little reason to shift paradigms just to conform.

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Old 08-08-18, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by pjthomas
You can also say a premium hydrid is an oxymoron; no DuraAce/XTR equipped hybrids that I know of.
Slightly off-topic, a buddy of mine has a few-years-old KHS Ultrasport 3.0, which is about as hybrid as a hybrid can get. It of course came with a hodge-podge of Altus and Acera, as one would expect. My buddy worked at a sporting goods distributor at the time, and picked up basically an entire group on clearance from Shimano-- all 10 speed SAINT. Converted it to 1x10, swapped out the boat-anchor Suntour fork for a mid-level RockShox, stem/bar/seatpost are all Shimano PRO Tharsis carbon. Bike gets a whole lot of double and triple takes. It's pretty absurd.
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Old 08-09-18, 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
Until the pads wear out and you need to hunt down/order exact matches.
Not difficult at all. I order my replacement pads from Amazon for $10-$15.


My main concern, especially given where I live, is one of convenience and practicality. Take a look at any online shop and you'll immediately see the lack of standardization as to the designs of brake pads for disk brakes, and not many of them are interchangeable. In a place like Jeddah, where there's only one "real" dealer (with just two outlets) and a couple of other "pseudo-dealers" who hardly know what it is they're doing (along with a bevy of shops downtown that sell crappy BSOs,) whether or not they can just hand you a set of replacement brake pads for your particular setup right off the shelf is a crap shoot. "Sorry, we don't have that" is something I hear a lot, and I hear "sorry, we can't order that" just as often. It's usually easier to just order online than to throw yourself at the mercy of a very foot-dragging dealer, but that's still a few days in which the bike is off the ground.
So order pads ahead of time before they wear out so you have replacements on hand. It's not that difficult. I have 2 sets of back up pads at all times.

With rim brakes, on the other hand, there thousands upon thousands of different brake blocks that will fit most rim brake arms/calipers. You can drop into any shop (even the small, non-brand ones run by total hacks) and get a replacement for worn or damaged brake blocks - even low-quality ones that will at least get you home. I, for one, have zero interest in making things harder for myself just for the sake of having the latest and greatest. I've gotten by just fine with rim brakes for 30+ years and I have little reason to shift paradigms just to conform.
I don't disagree with you, but rim brakes will soon be a thing of the past except for low end bikes from the big box stores. You either lead, follow or fall behind.
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Old 08-09-18, 08:27 AM
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I'm about to get a Trek 920 with all modern everything really. So of course it has hydraulic disk brakes. I am entering the brave new world of disk brakes....

I am an engineer, a technology junkie, a dork, so I am happy to have disk brakes on the new bike. At the same time I cannot fault the V brakes on my Fuji. They are powerful, they modulate well, they work fine in wet weather, and if I am careful to adjust the toe in on the pads they are squeal free. The claim is that disks are better, safer because they work great in wet and muddy conditions and they modulate so very well. In a few months time I should have enough experience with that to form a personal opinion on the matter. I think the brakes on the 920 are easily good enough to show me the benefits of disks if there are any. Now I did just replace a wheel on my folding bike because the rim brakes had worn the rims to the point where the tire bead had started to separate from the rest of the rim. Disk brakes won't do that to you!

I'm not expecting a huge difference because V brakes have worked so very well for me. But perhaps I will be surprised and my inner technology geek will be simply delighted either way. The new adventure begins Saturday....

And yes, I know that the 920 is not considered a hybrid in the traditional sense but it is something of a hybrid between a MTB and a traditional tourer so perhaps I will still be welcome here after it becomes my main ride??
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Old 08-09-18, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by sjanzeir
Until the pads wear out and you need to hunt down/order exact matches. My main concern, especially given where I live, is one of convenience and practicality.
The demand is changing the inventory for most lbs, the only catch is if your bicycle is not of the higher food chain, then you will be left trying other stores. Although, most bicycles can be 'upgraded' to accept the more readily available configuration. Doing the upgrade* would then make local parts easier to source... as well as give more support from those that will know how to service a frequently used configuration...
Originally Posted by sjanzeir
Take a look at any online shop and you'll immediately see the lack of standardization as to the designs of brake pads for disk brakes, and not many of them are interchangeable.
From the above being applied; There are other ways to use pads that don't directly swap in, but you'd have to have resources or just creativity & basic bench tooling to resolve the compatibility issue.
Originally Posted by sjanzeir
"Sorry, we don't have that" is something I hear a lot, and I hear "sorry, we can't order that" just as often. It's usually easier to just order online than to throw yourself at the mercy of a very foot-dragging dealer, but that's still a few days in which the bike is off the ground.
This is common with most parts, & not just limited to bicycle parts. Too many times I'd go to a hardware store, home improvement store, automotive store, even a grocery store & experience the "Sorry we don't have that" lol.
Originally Posted by sjanzeir
I, for one, have zero interest in making things harder for myself just for the sake of having the latest and greatest. I've gotten by just fine with rim brakes for 30+ years and I have little reason to shift paradigms just to conform.
Having a brake block crumble in a time of need was not a fun experience. Reason it crumbled is because of it dry rotting. There's a shelf life for most things, & for rubber it is not going to out due the resin. Only battle will be remembering where you last put the pads, but that is not a fault of the brake part, just the person.
Relying on other's to do a basic service is ok to a point, but if given the choice to do it myself or have it possibly done wrong by someone else, no hesitation would exist to just do it myself.
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