sam_cyclist

1. discs are usually twice as much within the same component group as v brakes: ie deore xt vs deore v brakes.

2. what's the point of the "comparison?" No one has any data to work with. It's all subjective stuff like: "discs work like buttah." No stopping distances, no way to quantify "modulation."

Every other post I "request" data and objective evidence, and it leads to tantrums, swear words, whining, etc. on the part of disc defenders. They have no other means of defending their claims.

Biker395 

Wife: So what's new?
Me: Interesting spirited debate on BikeForums.
Wife: What about?
Me: Disc versus rim brakes ... 72 posts and counting in the thread.
Wife: <rolls eyes>
Me: Sorry you asked?

cale

No data for you!

VNA

My mountain bike (BSA) has discs brakes but I am not crazy about them, first they rub, second they are noisy and third melted the rear one so bad that I had to buy a new set! Yes a lot of steep trails but still I would have expected some real benefits to switch over! They do brake better in the rain and not bothered by the mud but. . .

JimF22003

My road bike has carbon wheels. I have many, many times been caught out in the rain on this bike. Basically if it's wet out, I have no brakes for at least 4 or 5 seconds after I first apply pressure. It takes that long to even begin to slow the bike down. Not that big a deal on the flats except that I have to remember to plan ahead for stop signs etc. or else I'll roll right through them. I have no recourse basically if it's an emergency situation. On hills it's really bad. I can end up going 30 or 40 yards down the hill before I get any braking at all. Wet conditions are really the only case where I think I would prefer discs, but that's a pretty big "only" if you ride in the rain at all.

I have a new gravel bike that has disc brakes. I haven't yet had the pleasure of riding it in the rain. I'm not looking forward to it, but I sort of am.

OldsCOOL

big john

Yeah, I probably don't know how to set up canti brakes. Yes, I do like mountain biking but do most of my riding (over 180,000 miles) on the road.
Yes, I have toured for 3000 miles and 900 miles and many shorter trips. I don't think the brakes are as critical on a tour as they are on a performance type ride on a twisty descent.
Yes, I descend over 50 mph weekly on my road bike with Mavic caliper brakes, and they are pretty good.
Like I said, the last time I got caught in the mountains in a rainstorm my caliper brakes were ground down and that thick, black slurry got all over everything. Discs would have been better.

rydabent

Blue

Not enough information. What color is the bike?

rydabent

Another thing to consider with discs on extreme down hills discs wont heat up the rims so much that it may cause a tire failure.

big john

disc defenders? Why does every discussion of disc brakes devolve into this sort of thing? How about clipless? Do we have clipless defenders, too?
It's technology. Parts. It's not being forced on you. Keep an open mind.

fietsbob

Some Interesting things Seen In Europe , remained overseas ,
like a hydraulically operated Cantilever .. bolted to fork crown the slave cylinder functioned as center yoke & pushed cross over cable Up .

Sachs had a Hydraulic 'cable' in the Mfg catalog but I'd not seen any in the field ..

spdntrxi

disc brakes are not immune to heat related issues with extreme downhills... you do know that right.

NVanHiker

Mandatory for carbon rims, I should think. But for me, I'd be thinking, do they add another layer of complexity and extra maintenance? (Visions of having to bleed my hydraulics periodically like I did on my motorcycle).

trackhub

Ditto. Here in the northeast, I am just not seeing that many bikes with Disc brakes, if this means anything.
For me, it's steel frames, and ONLY steel frames, toe clips, no cycling computer, and no apologies.

cale

No luck huh? Well that's too bad. Of course if everyone had your experience, disc brakes would be showing up on CL and the bay regularly from the people that swapped them out for "non-melting" brakes. So your experience, notwithstanding, I think you missed most of the benefits of disc brakes because of .... I'm not sure why your bike was so badly in need of adjustment.

cale

Yeah, steel frame, toe clips, ... that's lifestyle biking. We're talking about performance, not attitude.

pursuance

Think the market.
Are a bunch of grumpy old farts looking to buy new road bikes? I think not.
The teenagers that grew up riding inexpensive MTBs with BB5 brakes are the main market, I would think.
They would see through axles and disc brakes and say, "come to papa."

cale

Agreed. Except that the GOF's that you reference are different this generation. We're bigger consumers of recreational products than those before us. Just saying, you might not be right about the GOF generalization.

Retro Grouch 

Hey Deege. It's your fault. You're the one who asked the original question.

DanWho

First off, I am a clyde, I have been since I was 13 and stood 6'2". When I got back into biking a couple years ago I went to the lbs and the salesman gave me a very convincing test to try. He had two of the same model bike one with V brakes and one with disk brakes. He put them on a trainer stand and had both bikes in its lowest gear. He had me stand on the peddle with brakes applied. The V braked wheel moved and the disk didn't. Granted back then I was 70# more than I am now, but that convinced me. I'm sure the stock pads probably weren't the best and with better pads I wouldn't have moved that wheel either.

This test was just a side note for the real test, he was showing me that bottom brackets had improved tremendously since the early 70's and my Ihot racer. I went threw bottom brackets left and right, I got good at changing them out in short order. I had a paper route and was a beast to that poor bike. I still don't know how the rims and spokes took all the abuse I gave it going over curbs and such.

Wanderer

Plus, the GOFs are of the few who can afford these higher end bikes................. so they better be marketing to me!

cale

They were built like tanks... and weighed as much as one too. Haha

DanWho

I know I still wish I had that bike back or at least the wheels. I never used a drive way to get to the sidewalk, just hop the curb, then back down again. OOOPS there went the bottom bracket again, oh well I needed to wash my hands before supper anyway, now they will get a good scrubbing.

Digital Gee

Yes, and I rue the day.

OldsCOOL

You rue, man.