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Disc Brakes; Yay or Nay?

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Disc Brakes; Yay or Nay?

Old 08-21-18, 11:12 PM
  #151  
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Hydraulic disk brakes on bikes do have a fluid reservoir in the brake lever and do self adjust. If yours aren't self adjusting then something is wrong with them. It is one of the advantages over mechanicals.

Through axles exist because people wouldn't tighten their regular quick release correctly and with the way front disc brakes are made that can equal your front wheel flying off when you hit the brakes. If the brake caliper was installed on the front of the fork that wouldn't happen, braking would push the wheel up instead of down, but nobody thought of that or didn't like the look and now it is just the standard. Stiffness is an added bonus.
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Old 08-22-18, 07:08 AM
  #152  
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Originally Posted by MikeyMK
my 2kw e-bike weighs 90lbs, sprints to 45mph in just a few seconds, and despite using it on heavy stop-start routes i don't get fade.

Again, pads. And discs. Its not fair to compare the best rim brakes to small/budget/resin disc set-ups.

Also, the wet... enough said.

My bike would be hopeless on rims.
I don't think anyone is arguing about what a moped needs for brakes...
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Old 08-22-18, 07:13 AM
  #153  
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Originally Posted by 79pmooney
I just went to see what tires I could fit on my road bike. I'm comfortable riding 28c road tires on fine gravel but Cycle Oregon is offering one of its gravel options this year where the stones are 1 to 2". It looked like I could get a 38c Pasela on the front. Fully expecting to have to deflate the tire, I went for it. Throwing the caliper release off was not quite enough. But popping the Tektro (Cane Creek? - I forget which this bike has) lever release and I had clearances to spare. Lots. And this on on pretty skinny rims, ~20 mm outside width. I suspect a 45c would go in inflated. The calipers are simply Shimano Ultergra? 105?. I picked them up used and never learned the model.

Now I do have a feature that helps clearance although that was never considered when I did it. My levers are road V-brake. Less leverage, more cable travel so they sit further off the rim. (V-brake levers to get the bigger, more comfortable hoods and drop the power for more predictable braking on mountain descents. I love e'm.)

Ben
v brakes are definitely underrated. They stop big time.
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Old 08-22-18, 07:16 AM
  #154  
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Originally Posted by MikeyMK
my 2kw e-bike weighs 90lbs, sprints to 45mph in just a few seconds, and despite using it on heavy stop-start routes i don't get fade.

Again, pads. And discs. Its not fair to compare the best rim brakes to small/budget/resin disc set-ups.

Also, the wet... enough said.

My bike would be hopeless on rims.
you have a motorcycle, not a bike.
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Old 08-22-18, 07:21 AM
  #155  
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Originally Posted by MikeyMK
my 2kw e-bike weighs 90lbs, sprints to 45mph in just a few seconds, and despite using it on heavy stop-start routes i don't get fade.

Again, pads. And discs. Its not fair to compare the best rim brakes to small/budget/resin disc set-ups.

Also, the wet... enough said.

My bike would be hopeless on rims.
i don t really have a dog in this fight but you have a motor bike. I would assume it would require different brakes than a bicycle. It's really a completely different application. Cheers and ride on man!
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Old 08-22-18, 07:37 AM
  #156  
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So what y'all are saying now is that rim brakes are fine because you're slow? Why would I not want brakes to quickly bring me down from 45mph? I can hit 45mph on a descent quite easily.

I didn't realize I was supposed to operate only within a range of lower, rim-brake friendly speeds.

Either the argument is that rim brakes are every bit as good as disc brakes, without any applied conditionals, or you're conceding.

And (hopefully) for the last time (in this thread)

THE RIM BRAKES ARE A BETTER OPTION IN THE OP's CASE BECAUSE THEY ARE LIGHTER, CHEAPER, AND THE LOW-END DISC BRAKES AREN'T WORTH IT
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Old 08-22-18, 07:40 AM
  #157  
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My motorbike can do a quarter mile in 13 seconds and has a drum brake in the back. Maybe bicycles should use drum brakes
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Old 08-22-18, 09:14 AM
  #158  
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
So what y'all are saying now is that rim brakes are fine because you're slow? Why would I not want brakes to quickly bring me down from 45mph? I can hit 45mph on a descent quite easily.

I didn't realize I was supposed to operate only within a range of lower, rim-brake friendly speeds.

Either the argument is that rim brakes are every bit as good as disc brakes, without any applied conditionals, or you're conceding.

And (hopefully) for the last time (in this thread)

THE RIM BRAKES ARE A BETTER OPTION IN THE OP's CASE BECAUSE THEY ARE LIGHTER, CHEAPER, AND THE LOW-END DISC BRAKES AREN'T WORTH IT
So are you saying disc brakes are better or rim brakes are better? Cause it sounds like you just said rim brakes are better.
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Old 08-22-18, 09:52 AM
  #159  
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Originally Posted by Cl904
My motorbike can do a quarter mile in 13 seconds and has a drum brake in the back. Maybe bicycles should use drum brakes
My Honda can crush your motorcycle and has drum brakes in the back. Maybe we should all have Honda Civics.
Originally Posted by DrIsotope
THE RIM BRAKES ARE A BETTER OPTION IN THE OP's CASE BECAUSE THEY ARE LIGHTER, CHEAPER, AND THE LOW-END DISC BRAKES AREN'T WORTH IT
Yeah, so ... what's your point?
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Old 08-22-18, 09:55 AM
  #160  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
My Honda can crush your motorcycle and has drum brakes in the back. Maybe we should all have Honda Civics.
My motorcycle is a Honda too... maybe if Honda made bicycles we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.

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Old 08-22-18, 10:03 AM
  #161  
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Originally Posted by Cl904
My motorcycle is a Honda too... maybe if Honda made bicycles we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.
You win.
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Old 08-22-18, 02:45 PM
  #162  
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Originally Posted by zze86
So are you saying disc brakes are better or rim brakes are better? Cause it sounds like you just said rim brakes are better.

I'm saying it's not a black or white issue. In the OP's case, there is nothing to be gained in choosing the disc model, because the equipment is... meh. Rim brakes will do the same job for less money, with less weight.

Now if the extra $150 was magically getting him 4-piston hydraulic discs, then there would be no comparison. But it's not. It's getting mechanical Shimano BR-RS305s. They are in the best case unremarkable, and certainly not worth putting 1.75lbs on the bike.

The Hope RX4 brakes on my CX bike weighs about 200g more than a comparable rim brake setup-- with IceTech rotors, no less-- and I would put it up head-to-head performance-wise against any rim brake setup available.

But the calipers, rotors, levers, and hoses cost nearly as much as the Speedster 20 the OP is looking at, so it's not really relevant.
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Old 08-22-18, 02:54 PM
  #163  
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
I'm saying it's not a black or white issue.
No! No! Screwdrivers are Always better than Allen wrenches!

Not a perfect analogy ... but there are different applications where different systems are superior and otehrs where they are not.

I rode a bike with Ultegra rim brakes in the rain last night. I guess I must have died.

This argument over which brake system is "better" is no more reasonable than debating index versus friction, bar-end versus brifter, or Al versus Ti, versus steel versus CF ... or road bikes versus CX versus MTBs, or hard-tails versus full squish.

Apples are just better than oranges. Always ... said the guy who didn't make orange juice.
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Old 08-22-18, 02:58 PM
  #164  
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Yeah, I've got Ultegra rim brakes on my other bike. They work fine-- great, even. I had the option of getting my Cervelo with discs, opted not to. Good disc brakes are great. Good disc brakes are also (usually) pretty expensive.

Newer dual-pivot Shimano rim brakes are inexpensive and they work great. It's nice to live in a world where I can not only have both kinds of brakes, but recognize the advantages and disadvantages of both kinds of brakes.
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Old 08-22-18, 03:03 PM
  #165  
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
I'm saying it's not a black or white issue. In the OP's case, there is nothing to be gained in choosing the disc model, because the equipment is... meh. Rim brakes will do the same job for less money, with less weight.

Now if the extra $150 was magically getting him 4-piston hydraulic discs, then there would be no comparison. But it's not. It's getting mechanical Shimano BR-RS305s. They are in the best case unremarkable, and certainly not worth putting 1.75lbs on the bike.

The Hope RX4 brakes on my CX bike weighs about 200g more than a comparable rim brake setup-- with IceTech rotors, no less-- and I would put it up head-to-head performance-wise against any rim brake setup available.

But the calipers, rotors, levers, and hoses cost nearly as much as the Speedster 20 the OP is looking at, so it's not really relevant.
I see carbon rotors ARE available for bikes now. You could probably get some carbon rotors and cut that weight differential even lower. That would probably get rid of any brake fade except for the craziest, extremest situations.
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Old 08-22-18, 03:46 PM
  #166  
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On cars, getting carbon rotors up to operating temps is a real challenge.
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Old 08-22-18, 08:03 PM
  #167  
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I want to see Buell type rotors enter the bicycle arena. Or how about the Magura hydro rim brakes? Those things were powerful. As for low end mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes, get V brakes. They simply are a better option at the low end price point.
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Old 08-23-18, 09:21 AM
  #168  
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Originally Posted by TiHabanero
I want to see Buell type rotors enter the bicycle arena. Or how about the Magura hydro rim brakes? Those things were powerful. As for low end mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes, get V brakes. They simply are a better option at the low end price point.
Why would anyone want a 25" diameter disc brake on a bicycle? It sucked on Buells, but at least it was balanced since everything else about a Buell sucked.
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Old 08-23-18, 10:44 AM
  #169  
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Remember also, when the braking surface wears out on rim brakes you have to buy a new rim and probably pay to have the new wheel built. But on a disc brake bike, anyone can remove the 5 screws, lay on a new disc, and you are on your way.
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Old 08-23-18, 11:35 AM
  #170  
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No matter the bike (unless it's a fixie) or where I ride it: it's disc breaks or nothing!
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Old 08-23-18, 11:41 AM
  #171  
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Does it violate any rules of cycling to have and enjoy the unique attributes of both rim and disc bikes in ones fleet? Perhaps carbon rim brakes on a lightweight climber, disc on a comfy endurance bike used for bad weather?
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Old 08-23-18, 12:28 PM
  #172  
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Originally Posted by Ghazmh
Does it violate any rules of cycling to have and enjoy the unique attributes of both rim and disc bikes in ones fleet? Perhaps carbon rim brakes on a lightweight climber, disc on a comfy endurance bike used for bad weather?
It is simply unnatural. It violates every law of the universe. You must choose one to love and defend, and you must hate and revile the other.
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Old 08-23-18, 12:32 PM
  #173  
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I'm putting rim brakes on my motorcycle. Think of the weight savings.
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Old 08-23-18, 12:36 PM
  #174  
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Originally Posted by Canker
I'm putting rim brakes on my motorcycle. Think of the weight savings.
Seriously? Nice knowing you!
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Old 08-23-18, 01:54 PM
  #175  
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Originally Posted by Canker
I'm putting rim brakes on my motorcycle. Think of the weight savings.


Honda rc113 rim brakes
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