jackb

Disc brakes allow greater clearance for fatter tires. I bought a new bike recently and went for the disc brakes because I wanted 32 mm tires. They work well, though I never had any problems with rim brakes. Rim brakes are easy to work on. I'm not so sure about disc brakes, especially those that are hydraulic.

52telecaster

easy for you maybe. I assembled about 200 bikes with disc brakes a couple of years ago. It was almost never as simple as that to get them not rubbing. They can work great but as a year round commuter i will stick with what works well for me. Dual pivots and cantis have stopped me for years in all kinds of weather and all kinds of terrain.

winston63 

I really like disc brakes, but given the bikes the OP is considering and the riding conditions he's outlined I'd definitely go for rim brakes and save some money (and weight). It's a no-brainer to me.

winston63 

Yeah, I personally find discs are more finicky than some are letting on. That said, I really do want them on any bike that I'm riding in wet conditions and I like their stopping power on my touring bike.

prj71

Well...I have 4 bikes all with disc brakes. Any rubbing issues I have had have been remedied by the methond mentioned above. Easy Peasy.

If it's a cable actuated disc brake there is even more adjustment since those have a pad adjustment screw.

indyfabz

+1. The way some people talk you'd expect to have heard about countless dead and crippled touring cyclists who were, over decades, unable to stop over because they were using rim brakes. Or did I miss the news stories about all that?

mstateglfr 

not much of an addict anymore, eh?

jefnvk

IME, the finnicky vary wildly based on quality. Never had a dragging or setup issue on my TRP Spyre or Shimano hydros, when the wife bought her bike with cheap Tektro cables, I suddenly understood the complaints.

manapua_man

If you're constantly having to adjust hydraulic brakes, you've probably done something wrong on the setup or something is wrong with the brakes themselves. All my MTBs have hydros and they take way more of a beating than my more road/utility oriented bikes ever will, and I've yet to have any problems despite running the brakes a whole hell of a lot harder on em.

KraneXL

"Better" is a matter of perspective. I'd prefer to think in a way of advantages vs disadvantages.

winston63 

You are probably right. Most of my experience is with BB7s and while I find them relatively easy to work on, I do have to fight to get them to not rub after putting new brake pads in.

But I think part of the problem is that the bike in question doesn’t have thru-axles so it can be a bear to get everything lined up just so.

I’m now in the possession of a bike with thru axles and TRP Spyres and my early impressions are much more favourable.

cthenn

Disc brakes are spinning saw blades, and have killed people. Then again, with rim brakes if you get one drop of water on the rims, you will be unable to stop and will careen into oncoming traffic. Disc brakes have way better modulation, whereas with rim brakes once you press the lever, your wheels will lock up and you will endo. Disc brakes take a degree in astrophysics in order to adjust or change the pads, whereas rim brakes can be adjusted by a trained monkey. Wheels with rim brakes are easier to swap, for the next time you race in the Tour de France, whereas if you have a disc wheel, there is exactly one wheel the pads will work with, and anything else will not fit.

I think that about cover the pros and cons. The choice is yours.

manapua_man

Sounds pretty awesome to me.

TiHabanero

The shop I work in handles both Scott and Cannondale. Both are very good frames, however I prefer the Synapse as I like the fit. As for disc brakes, if you can't go for the much more expensive models, I don't recommend them as they are almost always a disappointment in performance and rarely out-perform a standard rim brake. My daughter has the Synapse Tiagra and sticks with me just fine and easily modulates speed on descents and can panic stop without trouble. In wet weather just give a few rotations to wipe off the rim with the pads and you will stop, not as quickly as a disc brake, but you will stop. Been riding them all my life and never had trouble stopping in time in wet weather, even when loaded with touring equipment.

One thing to add, how often does one ;purposely go out in the rain or get caught unwittingly in the rain? Get real, it is not very often, if ever.

BirdsBikeBinocs

Geeezum .... OP here. My first thread and 68 replies. Wow.

Just want to say thanks for all the excellent replies. I really thought 85% of the replies would be in favor of disc brakes. Not sure now. I might have to do a count. lol.

Like I previously said, I'm heading towards Rim Brakes. But if the bike I love has Disc's, I'm gonna go for it for sure.

BirdsBikeBinocs

Thanks for your post buddy. I should add I'm leaning towards the Cannondale Synapse Tiagra. Would it be fair to ask what this bike would sell for in your shop, or in a local shop most anywhere.?? If this isn't proper could you email me with that tidbit of information.?? I ask because when I search online at the local shops website's they all list the bike at retail or, suggested retail price. I would assume I could get the bike for less, 20 to 30 percent less. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm seeing $1249 with disc brakes.

manapua_man

Pretty often, especially when I was still living in Japan and my bike was my primary transport.

Troul 

Any winter riding involving snow? Disc is going to be what I'd take.

rydabent

Since you are getting a new bike, go for modern, and get the one with disc brakes. As stated they do not damage rims, and if the mfg selected the right rims that work great with discs, they may be lighter, stronger, and more aero.

Gresp15C

I'm a year-round all-weather commuter. If it's raining in the morning when I leave for work, I go out in the rain. That's pretty rare because it just isn't raining most of the time.

If it might rain during my ride, I take that chance.

If there's snow, slush, or ice on the ground, I ride anyway.

If it's a trip to the store, or a recreational ride, I might work around the weather, or I might not. I've taken long recreational rides in light rain, and have gotten caught in heavy rain during rides. There's a point where things like hail and heavy wind become hazards in their own right.

With that said, my "rain" bike has dual pivot calipers and my "winter" bike has discs, but in both cases it's just coincidental because both bikes were re-purposed after I got them.

MikeyMK

You custom the gap with fluid quantity piston-to-piston, using the bleed nipple.

My front brake has little gap and clamps very early, and yes, this means it's tricky to keep it from touching, but thats how i like it (and the floating 203 disc stays very straight).

The rear, however, is another story. The pads have huge gap. They never bind. The lever is halfway before the pads even touch the disc. I did this because i have electric regeneration at the first few degrees of lever travel, and i don't wanna bind the brake whilst charging the battery...

Setting pad clearance up is simple. You start with the levers adjusted fully in, close to the handlegrips. This brings the lever pistons right back.
Then fill by syringe from the caliper, until it bleeds out at the lever.
Now you can adjust your levers out.
Here your brakes are done but you have no travel. New pads will be binding the discs. So now you want to custom your travel.

Release the nipple, wrapped in tissue or with a pipe attached, and very slowly squeeze the lever until its where you want your biting point to be. Then nip up the nipple whilst at that point.

There is no reason to have binding hydraulic discs unless you have a very bent disc.

MikeyMK

And squeaking means you had the wrong pads for your riding style.

asmac

It depends on the disc brakes. I had BB5s and they were a pain to adjust and a constant source of annoyance. I've hat Shimano XTs for about seven years and they are wonderful. Trouble-free except for an annual bleed.

prj71

Maybe some of you would like to go backwards on the cars you are driving and have them equipped with a cable lever you pull that actuates blocks of leather that pressed against a wheel, or maybe hand operated drum brakes, or hydraulic drum brakes? There is a reason all new cars these day are equipped with disc brakes.

Just sayin'

indyfabz

I am happy staying right where I am. My DA 9000 brakes on my super fly custom ti road machine are more than sufficient. And I have never come close to flying off a cliff when touring fully loaded with my canti-equipped touring bike.

Not going for the latest is not synonymous with going backwards.