Please explain why road bikes don't have disc brakes
06-06-17, 06:03 PM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 151
Bikes: Nothing a Bike Weenie would ride.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 76 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Please explain why road bikes don't have disc brakes
Why is it that road bikes have V brakes, and mtn have disc? Why not put disc on road bikes? I thought disc were better. I know the set of BB5 calipers on my bike weigh more than a set of V brake levers, but does squeezing the rim make up for the few grams saved over a disc? Someone must make a light weight magnesium alloy or carbon caliper that would negate that weight advantage. Or maybe I'm totally missing the relationship of brakes to bikes.
The reason I ask is because after looking at lots of alloy and carbon road frames on alibaba/aliexpress, noticed that no road bikes had IS or PM caliper mounts on the chain/seat stay. All were setup for V brake.
The reason I ask is because after looking at lots of alloy and carbon road frames on alibaba/aliexpress, noticed that no road bikes had IS or PM caliper mounts on the chain/seat stay. All were setup for V brake.
Last edited by Mark42; 06-06-17 at 06:11 PM. Reason: Add afterthought.
06-06-17, 06:09 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Toronto, CANADA
Posts: 6,201
Bikes: ...a few.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2010 Post(s)
Liked 408 Times
in
234 Posts
V-brakes on lower end MTB's and hybrids.
Caliper/rim brakes on road bikes, mostly
Disc brakes on most gravel/cross/adventure, hybrids, and some road bikes
Sorry, what exactly are you asking?
Caliper/rim brakes on road bikes, mostly
Disc brakes on most gravel/cross/adventure, hybrids, and some road bikes
Sorry, what exactly are you asking?
06-06-17, 06:09 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,663
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5766 Post(s)
Liked 2,538 Times
in
1,404 Posts
The reality is that caliper and/or cantilever brakes have worked well for a century or more, and while they're npt perfect, neither are disc brakes.
Each has advantages and drawbacks, and the balance is different for road and off road applications.
So, given the proven history and discounting your erroneous assumption that disc brakes are somehow "better", a more interesting question might be, why rework road bikes to make disc brakes work on them?
Each has advantages and drawbacks, and the balance is different for road and off road applications.
So, given the proven history and discounting your erroneous assumption that disc brakes are somehow "better", a more interesting question might be, why rework road bikes to make disc brakes work on them?
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-06-17, 06:11 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: D'uh... I am a Cutter
Posts: 6,139
Bikes: '17 Access Old Turnpike Gravel bike, '14 Trek 1.1, '13 Cannondale CAAD 10, '98 CAD 2, R300
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1571 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
9 Posts
Although.... disc brakes on road bikes are everywhere. I am not convinced they are superior to the old rim brakes. I think (My Humble Opinion).... stopping power on my bikes are more dependent the tires than the brakes.
06-06-17, 06:14 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
Because disc brakes are heavier, uglier, less aero, more expensive, more mechanically complicated, and don't stop your bike any faster than calipers in most conditions.
06-06-17, 06:15 PM
#8
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,784
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12736 Post(s)
Liked 7,647 Times
in
4,055 Posts
Short-pull V-brakes also on some CX bikes for a while before they mostly went disc.
06-06-17, 06:19 PM
#9
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,784
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12736 Post(s)
Liked 7,647 Times
in
4,055 Posts
Why is it that road bikes have V brakes, and mtn have disc? Why not put disc on road bikes? I thought disc were better. I know the set of BB5 calipers on my bike weigh more than a set of V brake levers, but does squeezing the rim make up for the few grams saved over a disc? Someone must make a light weight magnesium alloy or carbon caliper that would negate that weight advantage. Or maybe I'm totally missing the relationship of brakes to bikes.
The reason I ask is because after looking at lots of alloy and carbon road frames on alibaba/aliexpress, noticed that no road bikes had IS or PM caliper mounts on the chain/seat stay. All were setup for V brake.
The reason I ask is because after looking at lots of alloy and carbon road frames on alibaba/aliexpress, noticed that no road bikes had IS or PM caliper mounts on the chain/seat stay. All were setup for V brake.
Here are 22 road disc options:
https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/...-vanguard-disc
06-06-17, 06:35 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,481
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7649 Post(s)
Liked 3,465 Times
in
1,831 Posts
"Plese explain why road bikes don't have disc brakes"
They do.
Next thread.
They do.
Next thread.
06-06-17, 06:41 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Toronto, CANADA
Posts: 6,201
Bikes: ...a few.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2010 Post(s)
Liked 408 Times
in
234 Posts
I actually don't mind the look of disc brakes. I'll take my cx bike with road brakes when it's wet. They do stop better in the wet.
06-06-17, 06:46 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Great White North
Posts: 926
Bikes: I have a few
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 209 Times
in
104 Posts
v brakes on my cx - WHIR WHIR WHIR
calipers on my road - whoosh whoosh whoosh
discs on my MTN - squeek, squeek, squeek
calipers on my road - whoosh whoosh whoosh
discs on my MTN - squeek, squeek, squeek
06-06-17, 06:59 PM
#14
WALSTIB
check back in a few years after The Tour allows disc brakes and then somebody wins with them. Then you will be an idiot not to have disc brakes on a road bike.
06-06-17, 07:07 PM
#15
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
06-06-17, 07:38 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Denver area (Ken Caryl Valley)
Posts: 1,802
Bikes: 2022 Moots RCS, 2014 BMC SLR01 DA Mech, 2020 Santa Cruz Stigmata, Ibis Ripmo, Trek Top Fuel, Specialized Levo SL, Norco Bigfoot VLT
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 464 Post(s)
Liked 182 Times
in
118 Posts
They do. Two of mine have discs and both are hydro. One is Dura Ace while the other is SRAM Rival. The DA is smoother and quieter and both stop and modulate better than my rim brake bikes (also two).
06-06-17, 07:54 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,214
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18397 Post(s)
Liked 15,493 Times
in
7,316 Posts
06-06-17, 08:35 PM
#18
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 151
Bikes: Nothing a Bike Weenie would ride.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 76 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks to all for the short course on brakes/bikes. And a few laughs to boot. I learn something new every day.
06-06-17, 08:51 PM
#19
Banned.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 1,155
Bikes: 2017 Fuji Jari
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 227 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
06-06-17, 08:54 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,977
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1638 Post(s)
Liked 741 Times
in
495 Posts
I had to do a double take on the date of the first post in this thread.
Searching Alibaba/Aliexpress for bikes, Really?
Searching Alibaba/Aliexpress for bikes, Really?
__________________
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
06-06-17, 09:24 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,783
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
9 Posts
Road bikes generally don't have v brakes. Most have caliper brakes. To be more specific, most modern road bikes use dual-pivot sidepull calipers.
As for why... For one thing, caliper brakes are simple, easy to install/adjust/maintain, effective, lightweight, and cheap. Secondly, UCI, the governing body that oversees road racing, has only recently started allowing disc brakes in limited trial applications. (And there's been some pushback from CPA, the pro cyclists' union, regarding safety concerns of discs in the event of a crash.) Since consumer road bikes often parrot race bikes, adoption of discs has been slow.
There are pros and cons. Sheldon Brown's site does a pretty decent job of discussing them:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/disc-brakes.html
As for why... For one thing, caliper brakes are simple, easy to install/adjust/maintain, effective, lightweight, and cheap. Secondly, UCI, the governing body that oversees road racing, has only recently started allowing disc brakes in limited trial applications. (And there's been some pushback from CPA, the pro cyclists' union, regarding safety concerns of discs in the event of a crash.) Since consumer road bikes often parrot race bikes, adoption of discs has been slow.
There are pros and cons. Sheldon Brown's site does a pretty decent job of discussing them:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/disc-brakes.html
06-06-17, 09:30 PM
#22
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,784
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12736 Post(s)
Liked 7,647 Times
in
4,055 Posts
06-06-17, 09:34 PM
#23
Banned.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 1,155
Bikes: 2017 Fuji Jari
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 227 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yar like in "yard" and "e" as in eat
haha I'm ashamed because I graduated with a masters in communication and took an IPA class (International Phonetic Alphabet) to get my journalism/broadcasting certificates but I don't remember any of the IPA guidelines.
06-06-17, 09:37 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,249
Bikes: 1964 Legnano Roma Olympiade, 1973 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Peugeot PR10, 2002 Specialized Allez, 2007 Specialized Roubaix, 2013 Culprit Croz Blade
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 741 Post(s)
Liked 818 Times
in
421 Posts
Mine does. Culprit Croz Blade.
Last edited by Slightspeed; 06-06-17 at 09:43 PM.
06-06-17, 09:41 PM
#25
Farmer tan
