Jackmen

I have been riding a CF Monocoque framed DI-2 bike for 2 years with deep carbon wheels and I love the set up except the braking. As you are aware carbon rims and braking are just not areal good combination. squeaks, modulation and pulsing, bad in wet conditions, etc.

I feel the solution long term is definitely hydraulic disc brakes. I have them on my 29er and they are awesome. In researching availability, there are not very many available with them in a road frame. With the new shimano R785 brakes with the shimano brifters set up for the hydraulics, they have got great reviews by everybody I have read.

I see them as the ultimate solution as you can run deep light carbon wheels and not worry about the rim brake interface. This will allow you to get very reasonable wheels and not have to worry about them. (welcome relief from over priced zipps at 2800 a set).

What I have found is because shimano really just started shipping them at the first of the year, very few bike manufacturers adopted them. Hopefully some secondary brands will adopt them to give us more selection. All the bikes appear to be very pricey. Here's what I found with both discs and the shimano DI-2, which I now regard as a necessity:

Orbea avant M10D $5699
Bianchi Infinito $8000
Specialized Roubiax SL-4 expert $6800

I don't find much else out there right now and as you can see they are all pricey. Shimano has done their brakes right, but it appears that they are pretty pricey right now. In looking at them for components the brakes and shifters together are selling for about $700, plus I've heard the discs are nearly 100 a peice, so looks like 900 for a fully equipped set up on a bike.

The weight penalty is about 320 grams over regular ultegra, not bad at .75 pounds, not a deal breaker.

I am hoping some second tier bike manufacturer will come out with a CF framed DI-2 bike in comfort geometry for less than $5700.

Discs are definitely the future for road bikes it just may take a while that there is more selection and the price gets more reasonable.

If anybody else has found any other models out there equiped with DI-2 & shimano Hydraulic discs , please give us a post.

gregf83 

I'm not sure you'll see widespread adoption unless the pros start using them. For road racing the benefits of disc brakes on a road bike are limited and you pay an aero and weight penalty.

If you want better braking you could always get a set of alum rims for training and save the carbon wheels for race days.

StanSeven

Maybe, maybe not. The basic question is if discs are so good, why haven't manufacturers produced and buyers demanded them in big numbers? The answer is there is a lot of negatives - price, weight, aero, maintenance and other problems, and a general opinion is they just aren't needed. While there are benefits with CX and mtn bikes, those don't automatically carry over to road bikes.

Typical high end road bike buyers are concerned with aero benefits (take a look at all the aero frames out there) and weight (several sub 700g frames are available). So the thought of taking a light and aero bike and hurting the aero benefits and adding 0.75 lb isn't appealing.

Plus outside of very steep races, many riders don't see the need to stop better than current caliper brakes. The latest CF wheels do much better with heat.

robbyville

Trek has the Boone 9 Disk with full Ultegra DI2 and the Hydraulic brakes (currently I believe the brake offering is only with electronic shifting as it pertains to Shimano's hydraulic offering but I may be wrong). Price is around $5000. Frame is carbon, has the isocoupler similar to the Domane. Geometry is definitely a little racier and to be fair this is a cross bike but could easily have tires swapped and chainrings if desired making it perfectly wonderful for the road.

No Domane disk yet though

Bacciagalupe

I think it's a bit early for hydraulic Di-2 disc brakes.

Hydraulic and disc are not new for bikes, but are new for road. Disc brakes are making inroads in cross and endurance bikes, but since they're not UCI approved, a big segment won't use them. I expect it's going to take a few years before these technologies are mature enough for manufacturers to offer a hydraulic, electronic, disc-equipped road groupset.

Also keep in mind that disc brakes have a slight weight penalty, and will almost certainly incur a small aero penalty. That is a bit counterproductive for a high-end aero wheel.

I concur with gregf83 that at this time, a carbon aero rim with an aluminum brake track may be your best option.

RoboCheme

There is also the BMC Granfondo GF01 Disc. $8000 for UDi2

merlinextraligh

I agree that pro use will be pivotal, and this rests in the hands of the UCI. They're currently not approved for use in road races. And despite the fact that 99.99% of people riding, and even most people racing, are not subject to UCI rules, what the pro's do will guide the market.

Ironically, if we get disc brakes on road bikes, it will in part be due to the UCI minimum weight limit in that you can build a disc brake bike below the weight limit, so there is effective no weight penalty for pro's.

Bah Humbug

I'd like Di2 hydro brifters that would let me run Magura RT6 TTs on my roadie.

merlinextraligh

As an anecdote, I'm not seeing a big advantage to disc brakes. We just put a rear disc on the tandem because it was required to descend Haleakala (for heat management issues).

I much prefer the Dura Ace caliper we were running for stopping power, modulation, ease of setup, and noise. Only advantage of the disc is heat management, which isn't an issue on a single racing bike.

merlinextraligh

What wheel/ brake combination are you using? I really haven't found any of those issues with Zipp 404 firecrest rims, sram red calipers, and swisstop yellow pads, including racing in the Rocky Mountains in the rain.

hueyhoolihan

i was on the willier website the other day and, IIRC, they had a "disc ready" bike, that came with caliper brakes. i'm guessing it was DI2 ready too. might want to take a look.

thermalattorney

I can't speak for completes, but Felt's carbon disc CX series (including their $2200 F1X frameset) are compatible with Di2 & hydraulic discs. Compared to a road frame the BB is 1cm higher and it has a longer wheelbase, but you can make that work.

Jackmen

I am running 2012 Ultega brakes with Black Prince pads. The wheels i am using are farsports 23 wide X 50 deep carbon clinchers with high temperature brake track. I assume the problems are in the wheels, but I just can't seem to come to the point of buying $2800 Zipps.

That was the cost of my entire Monocoque bike Full shimano ultegra groupos with DI-2.

rdtompki

Why not consider the TRP HY/RD calipers - better modulation than BB7s and cable actuated.

IthaDan 

The bike in the second 'road bike party' trials video was di2 with hydros.