Point

ksryder

Just because something is obsolete doesn't mean it doesn't work.

KraneXL

You are correct, the abacus can work just as well today as it did 5000 years ago.

prj71

Nobody is implying that. But to say rim brakes are better is completely false.

Maelochs

Define "better."

On second thought ... don't bother.

indyfabz

This thread has gone exactly the way I thought it would.

indyfabz

Maybe better "technically" but not necessarily better to have. The canti brakes on my LHT are more than adequate to stop my 210 lb. body, heavy bike and touring load, even in wet conditions. When I am out on the road for two weeks with not one bike shop even close to my route why would I want a braking system that I could more easily damage than my current system? If the bike happens to, say, fall over I am far more likely to bend a rotor than knock my cantis out of whack. For my application, I don't consider having disk brakes to be better since what I have is more than adequate and presents fewer potential issues.

winston63 

Are you kidding? I deliberately ride in the rain just about any time it's raining out! I ride almost every day year round and see plenty of rain, some of it anticipated and some not.

winston63 

I've got DA 9000 on my Scott, and those are incredible brakes imo. At least in dry conditions they easily have the stopping power of the BB7 disks on my AWOL and the TRP Spyres on my Diverge. Frankly I'm always blown away by how effective they are.

Now I don't ride that particular bike in the rain (if I can help it) and I expect the brakes wouldn't fare as well in wet conditions, but my goodness they really are great.

Razorrock

When I was looking for a new ride last year I wanted to try a disc brake bike. The first one was a mechanical disc set up. I was disappointed. All this talk about how great disc was and I honestly couldn't feel any difference from my 20 yr old bike. Next up was a Hydraulic disc. I was blown away and wont go back to mechanical or rim again.

Hydraulic Disc are the way to go. They are silky smooth and I have had to bleed them as much as I do on my car. I'm a large rider and their is definitely a difference in stopping power and ease.
I understand most of the skinny road guys don't need them, but i'm not one of them. Come around a blind corner on a MUP to see a kid ridding head on and you will be glad you have them.

Razorrock

Who said anything about flying around a corner? This is the difference between emergency braking and planned braking. When it counts I want the best available.

Maelochs

A lot less acrimonious than I would have expected. Considering how many times the material has been rehashed, I expected the ugliness to come out quickly. So far, everyone has been keeping things pretty decent, and not dissing everyone who disagrees.

Refreshing.

TiHabanero

I have no problem with you asking. Cdale has a high MSRP of 1300 and a low MSRP of 1250 (numbers rounded up). We sell at the low MSRP. Finding a used one may be your best bet unless a dealer has an older model available. Generally speaking, selling a bike at 20-30% off leaves only enough profit to cover the mechanic's cost and service warranty. Can't stay in business at that rate of discount.

KraneXL

Stop quicker, 2) better modulation, 3) unaffected by moisture. I'm pretty sure at this point for all the reasons that we rely on brakes for they are better.

Maelochs

heavier, more complicated to install and maintain, provide no real improvement in stopping ability in most situations. Not better.

Different.

I have hydro discs, mech discs, and goo and less good rim brakes (though the less good are on a bike I just resurrected and are getting replaced) on bikes I currently ride. I have no problem stopping ion Any of them except the bike with old Mavic sidepulls ... and that stops quite well, just not as good as the 4600, 4500, 4700, 105, and Ultegra brakes I use on others. The Mech discs have huge stopping power .... but it is all wasted because the tires are the limiting factor.

You Like discs better, so you focus ont he aspects of disc brakes you find appealing. others focus on the drawbacks. I like having reliable brakes on my bikes, so i don't have to pick favorites among systems which all work about equally well.

But ... since you have made up your mid about Your preference, you feel a need to demand that everyone prefer what you prefer. And everyone who disagrees with Your preference is wrong.

Which is why this conversation usually dead-0ends here---someone want =s oto discuyss how he is right and everyone is wrong, instead of actually talking about brake systems.

Up until this point, I was quite pleased to see people actually discussing the Options ... not trying to establish heirarchies of personal preference and mandate them for everyone.

That's all.

Trevtassie

When disc brakes fail through heat build up from heavy braking, they fail to a mode of not working. With the exception of carbon rims, rim brakes don't fail from heavy braking. When heavily loaded, going down big hills you do have to think about what is happening with discs and heat. You don't with rim brakes. I still like my discs and I'm not taking them off my bike, but they are only on there because I scored them cheap as part of a package deal.

rydabent

Give proof a disc has killed anyone. I suggest this is here say fake news.

rydabent

On steep long down grades discs wont over heat the rims and cause a tire to blow out.

KraneXL

Solutions: feather the brakes on decents, don't ride them. What's true for disc brakes is true for rim brakes as well.


One more thing,

... Regarding safety and braking performance, there is no doubt to me that disc brakes are superior to rim brakes in any situation. ...

Michael Adomeit, Head engineer, Canyon Bikes

Point

Maelochs

Dude .... if you couldn't see the sarcasm dripping off this post, you are too old for a bike and belong on a recumbent.

Maelochs

I have actually seen this happen on TV in races ..... but only I think twice in a few decades. On the other hand, I can't open my newspaper each morning with seeing two or three stories about disc brakes running amok and killing their spouses and families.


(The news paper bit was especially for you, Mr. Rydabent---i figure you and I are the only ones old enough to remember what a "newspaper" is.)

Leebo

Unless you you live in New England, or the PNW or anywhere else with regular rain. AZ and CA may need not apply. I commute year round and don't postpone my schedules bike packing trips because of weather.

Leebo

Never had discs fail, mech or hydro. Big man here with loaded bikepacking rigs too.

wolfchild

I can only think of 2 advantages of disc brakes:

- much better stopping in winter where ice/snow build up on rims can make rim brakes almost useless and road salt/grit on the roads wear out your rims in one season and...

- if you do a lot of downhill mountain biking

If you don't do the type of riding described above, then rim brakes is all you will ever need. A properly adjusted rim brakes with good quality pads will stop just as good as disc brakes.