So I’ve been looking at the photos from Eurobike – loads of new cross and road models with disc brakes, but not many with hydro road discs.

There is a Colnago with a bespoke hydro set up, but apart from that it seems to be all BB7s.

I reckon we’re in the second year of disc crossers but seems the brake manufacturers haven’t caught up, am I wrong?

Maybe it’s because BB7s are so good that it’s taking so long to “improve” on their performance/weight etc?

brake manufacturers have caught up – Hope and TRP both do systems.

problem is that Shimano and SRAM who make the gears don’t do hydraulic shifter/brake levers yet. SRAM have a red group coming out next year though.

Road bikes use of integrated shifter/brake units is going to limit choice on road disks to manufacturers or those makign calipers that work with integrated shifters.

I guess a combined stem/reservoir system to use with cable road units would be a cleaner solution and may well appear.

have you seen a hydro sti/ergo/doubletap lever yet? there is your problem. Until campag/shimano/sram make the move hydraulic will not really happen. The road market isn’t like the MTB market where aftermarket is an easy in. There is too much integration because the brake levers are also the gear levers

I think the trickle down of Di2 shifting will open things up. It’s a lot easier to make a brake lever with a couple of buttons rather than trying to squeeze in cable shifter and hydraulic brake.

I think the trickle down of Di2 shifting will open things up. It’s a lot easier to make a brake lever with a couple of buttons rather than trying to squeeze in cable shifter and hydraulic brake.

IMO, this is what ‘everyone’ is waiting for – and if a standard arrangement emerges from it aftermarket calipers will follow. Until then BB7/BB7 SL/BB7 Ultimate will eb the defacto cable caliper standard.

brake manufacturers have caught up – Hope and TRP both do systems.

I have had the Hope system on my CX bike since about January. I love it but obviously they aren’t as good as a 100% hydraulic system would be (and of course they are heavy). Much better stopping power than the BB7s they replaced though.

zilog
Care to say more. I do fancy converting my discs but am wary as there has been litle feedback.
I suspect any mainstream complte system is going to be expensive. Eg the set up on that Colnago means running an electric groupo.

I think the whole discs on road bikes thing needs a wee bit more testing and thought; caliper brakes work well at the mo, wear problems notwithstanding, but I think there are a few issues with discs in more extreme conditions; Alpine descents and so on, that have to be ironed out.

All the tech is readily available, but using small discs on carbon forks at high speeds for a long period…. At the moment, rather you than me.

Great for cross, great for commuting, but work needed.

I posted this on another road disc thread

Someone asked what the Hopes are like.
Typically Hope I would say – so you’ll love’em or hate’em. I’m running them with 105 STIs, same as the BB7s and the Tektro rim brakes that preceded them. They are on a Singular Gryphon.
More power than the BB7s I had, in fact more than the Juicy 3s on my 456, but less than a Tech X2 – unsurprising given they run the X2 caliper and the STI and joggle box was never likely to beat the dedicated Tech lever. That said enough power to lock the front wheel with a 2″ wide Big Apple slick on the bike.
However the most impressive thing is the feel and modulation. This is what I meant by typically Hope – enough power to lock the wheel, but only when you decide to. It’s equally easy to just feather off a little excess speed.
Haven’t found a downside yet, except that I’ve had to upgrade the 456’s brakes.

zilog
Care to say more. I do fancy converting my discs but am wary as there has been litle feedback.

I would agree with igm’s points above. They have a lot of modulation. I find I can only get max stopping power from the drops where I can use the whole length of the lever, but that is fine for me as when going full speed I am always in the drops anyway.