Intro to Road Cycling - Am I fast?
#126
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I suppose that if we consider "average" also includes the coach potato that occasionally rides around their neighborhood, these numbers might be valid(ish). For experienced cyclists that have put some effort into training, these numbers are comically low.
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#127
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Adjusting disc brake pads to make it drag or remain in tight contact with the rotor doesn't make the brakes any more dangerous. For the most part, you're simply turning the barrel adjuster to force the brake pads into contact with the rotor all the time. The only cost is more frequent replacement of disc rotors and brake pads but these items are very cheap.
I've gone down >20% gradients on this and never had any issues. I do tell NOT to do this on rim brakes due to dangerous overheating issues and it's cheaper to replace brake rotors and brake pads on disc brake than to replace rim if you have rim brakes.
Many riders unintentionally have dragging brakes from wrong adjustment and did not affect the reliability of braking except for accelerated wear on the brakes.
I've gone down >20% gradients on this and never had any issues. I do tell NOT to do this on rim brakes due to dangerous overheating issues and it's cheaper to replace brake rotors and brake pads on disc brake than to replace rim if you have rim brakes.
Many riders unintentionally have dragging brakes from wrong adjustment and did not affect the reliability of braking except for accelerated wear on the brakes.
This is REALLY bad advice, especially for a young person just getting involved with the sport. Please stop advocating this nonsense.
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#128
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#129
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I really think it may be ban-worthy. Discs aren't designed for constant friction, there's no reason to assume that premature wear is going to be the only consequence.
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I'd flagged the post as such, shortly after processing the monumental stupidity contained therein.
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Oh, I agree that it has to be called out, but there's no way that I'm getting in to a back-and-forth with someone that's dangerously obtuse and/or a forum performance artist.
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#134
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It astounds me to see someone thinking that constantly dragging brakes isn't detrimental to the life, quality, and/or reliability. A true understanding of brakes is absent.
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I really have no idea how much heat that friction would generate and how the various materials will react to that heat especially if it's happening repeatedly. It's a preposterous experiment.
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#136
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Yup. At 67 my FTP measured last month was 226 and it was my first measure so I wasn’t quite sure how far to push myself so I kept some in reserve.
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#137
Legend In My Own Mind
I have first-hand experience and has it applied to my bike. Disc brakes can take it well. I use sintered metal pads.
I overhaul the calipers whenever I replace the pads and no issues so far. Even the grease on the caliper bearings is still fine. I even use dirt cheap parts like $3 all steel rotor and $1 pads. If it's going to break, it would have already.
I overhaul the calipers whenever I replace the pads and no issues so far. Even the grease on the caliper bearings is still fine. I even use dirt cheap parts like $3 all steel rotor and $1 pads. If it's going to break, it would have already.
I'm sure that long after the practice of drilling holes in skulls to relieve headaches stopped being common, some doctors still continued to do so because they had been doing it all along and failed to see the problem. Didn't make it right, safe or effective.
#138
Legend In My Own Mind
It's called glazing the rotors. And yes, it can happen on bicycles. Not just motor vehicles.
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Moderation note:
cubewheels Please leave the thread. OP is 15, has a new bike on order and is currently riding a hybrid with success on bike paths. He is wondering if he is fast based upon a short ride on a bike path. All the ancillary discussion you have initiated about hacking the bike (misadjusting brakes) to make it harder to ride is interesting but does not seem applicable to the topic or to junior cyclists or of much benefit to OP and in fact may be dangerous. What you do in Manila may not be applicable to the Bay Area. And it is bordering on disruption and trolling if not already crossing the line.
To others: Please get back on topic.
cubewheels Please leave the thread. OP is 15, has a new bike on order and is currently riding a hybrid with success on bike paths. He is wondering if he is fast based upon a short ride on a bike path. All the ancillary discussion you have initiated about hacking the bike (misadjusting brakes) to make it harder to ride is interesting but does not seem applicable to the topic or to junior cyclists or of much benefit to OP and in fact may be dangerous. What you do in Manila may not be applicable to the Bay Area. And it is bordering on disruption and trolling if not already crossing the line.
To others: Please get back on topic.
Last edited by Hermes; 01-11-22 at 03:11 PM.
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Moderation note:
cubewheels Please leave the thread. OP is 15, has a new bike on order and is currently riding a hybrid with success on bike paths. He is wondering if he is fast based upon a short ride on a bike path. All the ancillary discussion you have initiated about hacking the bike (misadjusting brakes) to make it harder to ride is interesting but does not seem applicable to the topic or to junior cyclists or of much benefit to OP and in fact may be dangerous. What you do in Manila may not be applicable to the Bay Area. And it is bordering on disruption and trolling if not already crossing the line.
To others: Please get back on topic.
cubewheels Please leave the thread. OP is 15, has a new bike on order and is currently riding a hybrid with success on bike paths. He is wondering if he is fast based upon a short ride on a bike path. All the ancillary discussion you have initiated about hacking the bike (misadjusting brakes) to make it harder to ride is interesting but does not seem applicable to the topic or to junior cyclists or of much benefit to OP and in fact may be dangerous. What you do in Manila may not be applicable to the Bay Area. And it is bordering on disruption and trolling if not already crossing the line.
To others: Please get back on topic.