FlashBazbo

Of course, there have been disc brake equipped road bikes for some time. Generally, they were touring rigs, cyclocross or gravel bikes. They were heavy. They generally used MTB brake calipers. And they weren't closely related to the same manufacturers' racing bikes.

But now that's changing. The 2018 BMC SLR01 Disc is an example. And I'm in the market for a bike with "racing" bike lightness and handling but equipped with disc brakes.

Has anyone experienced the new crop of light, disc brake equipped road bikes? What have you ridden? What did you think?

hockey

Unless you are continually riding steep mountain descents......why bother. I still have the original pads on my 2004 Trek 5200. I have discs on my mountain bikes and had them on our tandem. All required continued maintenance and adjustment. Even wheel removal and replacement took time. Anyway, looks like the trend but I don't see it happening on the major tours anytime soon.

Seattle Forrest

^ Unless you're riding in the pro tour, why would you want ancient brakes?

Seattle Forrest

Cervelo C3 with Di2. Was initially disappointed I couldn't use rotors larger than 140 mm but so far it's not been an issue. The brakes add about 340 g over pinchers. They let me use my Enve hoops, the ones I'd never have bought if they were a wear item (brake track).

Maelochs

Because they weigh less and work as well?

FlashBazbo

Well . . . I'm continually riding steep mountain descents (except, of course, when I'm climbing steep mountain climbs). Hence, the question. We don't all live in the flat lands.

For the record, I've had hydraulic Shimano discs on my gravel bike for two years -- about 6,000 severe duty miles -- zero maintenance, zero adjustment, zero problems. Superb power and (more importantly) modulation. Complete confidence in any weather on any surface. I want those same characteristics for my road bike.

EDIT: I guess I should also clarify that I don't ride on any major tour. Since I don't, why do I care what they ride? I want the best equipment for where and how I ride. I'm not into the poseur thing.

Campag4life

Because of maintenance. I have owned disk brake bikes. They are more fiddly plain and simple and the new crop of dual pivot caliper brakes are fantastic.


That said, I admit disks are superior in the wet, better in dirty and off road conditions and more easily support wider tires and if living in the mountains or mountainous areas...disks all day long. For the average road biker who lives in flatish country in my opinion....caliper is the smarter choice because they stop just fine. I live in flat country and don't want disk brakes. If I rode in poor conditions or wet condtions with fast descending....disks would be my choice.


I think what I was perhaps most surprised about this year watching the TdF is that all riders weren't on disk brakes with the amount of climbing...because they were allowed this year in the great race. No doubt there are reasons others than just old conventions dying hard that the best riders in the world chose caliper brakes. Reliable pad spacing on each side of the rotor...opportunity for pad misalignment due to wheel changes etc...rotors out of true...why the best riders including Froome choose caliper brakes...and they rode in the wet and were descending at speeds mortals wouldn't consider because most of us don't ride on closed roads.
Surprising because of course all these riders have the opportunity to ride disks as a team decision and yet they chose not to....excepting Kittel of course on this VIAS Venge which doesn't stop well with integrated caliper brakes.

Seattle Forrest

Tongue in cheek was not obvious enough. Keep the context in mind, I was replying to a post that started with "unless you're descending mountain roads" and finished with "people in the pro tour do it." You can take a realistic stance, or you can pretend you're a pro, but you can't do them both. None of us in here ride in le tour. A lot of us do ride in the mountains, though. But, putting facts aside, you can't start off realistic and then end in a fantasy world.

(Also, it's not true that they work as well. Less modulation, less consistency of stopping power across different conditions. Rim brakes work well, but not as well as hydraulic discs.)

Maelochs

Okay ... another "My way is the Right way" thread. Laters.

FlashBazbo

How do you feel about the C3? Does it have a longer wheelbase than before? How's the handling? Do you know what it weighs? It's more of an endurance bike, right?

FlashBazbo

Actually, as indicated in the title, it's an "experiences with the new crop of disc brake equipped road bikes" thread. Do you have any to relate? If you do, please chime in.

Maelochs

yeah, I have a new bike with Spyre-C mech discs ... but I am not interested in this thread. I am sure you will buy a bike you like and will enjoy riding it.

Silvercivic27

Maybe that's the problem...hydro is where it's at.

bonz50

I could see using discs on a road bike if you were frequently on unpaved MUP's or a dirty/dusty environment. rim brakes are horrible with dirt and crap. if your preferred riding environment riding environment is typically clean/debris free, rim brakes are more than adequate.

Abe_Froman

I've been asking myself similar questions. I'm in dead flat Chicago...and wondering if I actually care about discs. Newer rim calipers really are very good...I'm not actually convinced, even ignoring cost, if discs offer any overall tangible benefit here. I think it's basically a wash...marginally better braking in the wet is counteracted by more fiddly adjustment and wheel removal. Include cost in the equation...and the only possible reason I could see spending more for discs is that they look cooler, or could potentially allow better tire clearance.

Campag4life

No...no...you have to be sucked in. I mean, all the big brands are pushing disks for their greater personal profit. You must get them...even if living in Chicago....and then when you pull up to the stop sign with your slightly dam rotors squealing like crazy causing onlookers to cover their ears...or you hear the dreaded tick, tick, tick...from a slightly warped rotor...or you fiddle forever setting just the perfect pad gap on each side of the rotor which affects lever displacement and solid engagement...then the profound love of disk brakes will be understood. I mean...owning disks...not even addressing the fun of hydraulics if they need bleeding....its almost as much fun as cleaning the gutters on the house in the spring.

Seattle Forrest

I'm sorry I intimidated you with facts.

Seattle Forrest

And your rims are no longer wear items. I enjoy much better wheels now than I could justify in the dark ages. Of course, I ride a lot, rain or shine (lot of rain here), and Seattle is very hilly, so I've gone through several wheels. Now I have excellent rims that will last forever.

bonz50

living in the far north burbs of chicago discs really aren't a requirement. however, it seems most endurance bikes are coming with disc whether you want it or not, so it may not really be much of an option pretty soon

Seattle Forrest

It’s more of a fondo bike than a gravel bike. Officially it has clearance for 32s. So it’s “limited” off the road, but that constraint let them build it more like a racing road bike.

The wheelbase is slightly longer than an R3, but not much. It handles beautifully. Really tight cornering, fast response, basically the way I feel like a bike should handle. Climbs and descends well. I don’t think it sprints quite as well as an R3, but the difference isn’t huge. It feels fast overall, but also competent on good dirt roads.

Cervelo make disc brake versions of their R3, R5, and S3 racing bikes, these are just stiffer versions of the same bikes. I went with the C3 because being able to take dirt roads means doing loops instead of coming back the way I went out.

FlashBazbo

18 replies. 1 reply on topic.

I really didn't intend to bring out all the anti-disc brake zealots. Why should it matter to you what brakes a person wants on his/her bike? Perhaps you should start a separate thread bashing disc brakes -- maybe call it the "He-man Disc Brake Haters Club."

Would you respond so irrationally against cantilever brakes? (I suspect not. But who knows!)

Abe_Froman

I've got over 10,000 miles on my current bike...and I havent even swapped the pads out yet..I can't see ever having to replace a rim due to a worn brake track here. Maybe rim wear might be an issue on my winter bike that gets wet and salt covered nearly every time I ride, but that BIKE is a wear item....I replace it with a used mountain bike every year or two.

Campag4life

Disks aren't a requirement anywhere. If they were a requirement, then the top riders in the world would have been racing them in the Alps where they are theoretically needed the most. There is no reason to buy a new bike...with tons of virtually unused endurance bikes available without disk. Further, companies like Specialized are revising the Allez to have geometry the same as the Roubaix without disk brakes. Trek's H2 geometry is within 5 mm's of an endurance geometry and they make bikes without disks. Lots of options if you don't want disks.
What I tell people that haven't own them and think they are the next coming...be carefully what you wish for. They clearly have advantages in some riding situations...but not without a cost and maintenance penalty. I have been building bikes for 4 decades.

joejack951

Does a pieced-together Chinabomb with hybrid mech/hydro disc calipers qualify for this thread?

Campag4life

As to your last question...yes. When the new Venge VIAS was released with integrated aero caliper brakes and the bike wouldn't stop there was a major outcry on the web. The topic has been discussed to death including how Specialized redesigned the brakes and the bike still won't stop.


To answer your specific question. You will only get qualitative responses anyway. What's better, a Trek or a Cannondale?


I suggest you go on the web and do a search for the particular disk brakeset you are considering. Any so called benefit of a given brakeset...hydro versus mechanical.....will be more about weight and aerodynamics than stopping power. Yes lever feel will come into play. Most can lock up the wheels of any caliper or disk brake bike.
So it comes down to weight...aerodynamics and lever feel aka modulation, latter being highly subjective.