I know it’s been discussed before, but given the pace that the technology moves on I wondered if the discussion might have too…

I’m very probably going to buy myself a new road bike. I’ve been saying I might for a while, but I’ve got a place in the London Ride 100 so I might now actually have the reason/excuse to finally do it.

My current mildly bastardised road/cx bike has a retrofitted Avid BB7 on the front. I like it; I don’t think I get any more braking than I got from the previous canti’s, but what I get is more consistent (esp in the rain or long descents). However, I’ve never used decent/modern rim brakes, so I can’t really compare.

I’m quite happy with the ‘look’ of discs on road bikes too, although I admit that non-disc ones do look nicer.

I’m torn; I know discs are good, but I’ve seen lots of bikes I’m interested in and none of them have discs. The ones that I’ve seen that do have discs are either cx (which I don’t really want), or look like they’ve been designed with the “mtb’r who fancies a road bike” in mind, i.e they don’t have that sense of grace/purpose/whatever that a ‘proper’ road bike has.

Anyway, that was basically some stream of consciousness nonsense…

In short; discs, road, yes or no?

I wouldn’t worry too much. Discs are in their infancy on road bikes, it’s more about modulation than power on road bikes.

Not at all, rim brakes have been refined to a very high level of performance and are very low maintenance.

Discs make more sense on a winter bike or commuter than on a “best” bike IMO.

And I put my money where my mouth is and bought a new road bike with rim brakes last year.

Test ride some with new bikes with and without discs. See what you think.

Personally, I’m not fussed as most of my riding on the road bike is training in a not very hilly part of the country. If I commuted in all conditions in traffic, or if I lived somewhere with lots of long steep downs, then I’d probably be more likely to fancy discs.

if i liked 2 bikes equally and one had disks then id go for that one. But it would be fairly far down the list of things i’d want on a road bike.

I’m on the brink of a similar decision, but I do think we’re a way off them becoming ubiquitous. Even if they decide the entire peloton en masse has to go to discs it’s not going to be until the 2016 season at least, and even then they’ll probably only be widely available from MY2017 bikes. There’s always something on the horizon, life’s too short!

I’ll be going rim brake.

Edit:
tpbiker said it eloquently 17 seconds quicker than me:

if i liked 2 bikes equally and one had disks then id go for that one. But it would be fairly far down the list of things i’d want on a road bike.

ive just bought a rim brake despite the better braking of my disc cx its not as important to me on the road tbh unless its heavily laden touring or the depths of winter. id rather wait to see what they come up with a few years down the line before i go for road discs as im sure they will be much better then

Have a think when and where most your riding will be. If you will be frequently riding steep downhills with tight turns (in wet and grime) then I think the discs have an advantage (my pair of ‘quickly’ worn mavic open pro rims support this theory). I bought a cheep disc braked winter bike and don’t have to grimace at the sound of the rims being worn away.

My cross/winter/tourer bike has had discs for a few years after years of cantis and whilst it is heavier for it (hyrds) it was a choice I’m glad I made. Definitely a better bike for it, for what I use it for. That said my summer road bike is still rim brake and I have no huge urge to change that.

njee20 and tpbiker sum it up for me as I too have had a similar debate. I suspect if I was buying in 2 years time the answer would be “yes, get disks” but today, I’m not so sure.

If I was buying a new road bike I’d definitely want disks. However, the one I have will likely do me just fine for years and that’s maybe the difference. I’d be intending to keep any new bike for just as long. If you reckon you’ll be buying another in 2/3 years (by which time discs may have become ubiquitous) then you’ve only the resale value to consider.

So another perspective to consider. If you’re buying a whole new bike now then why not all other things being squall. But at the same time given that everything is very much in its adolescent stage of development it probably only makes a compelling case to go disc if a) you are buying the very best examples that we have right now (so dura ace level) because at least that way the very top end of kit now will still be relatively competitive and functional three to five years down the line and b) if you really want to run carbon wheels now or in the near future then definitely discs make a lot of sense.

I bought a new bike last year but it was only a frame so didn’t make sense to chop a whole lot of good kit in just to go discs.

When does this countdown to ubiquity begin?
I personally can’t wait for the S/H roadbike market to be flooded with incredibly cheap barely used top end rim brakes, frames and wheels.

I wouldn’t and am not sure if discs will ever be lighter than caliper brakes – though they may phase those out of course.

Rim brakes for me…

cynic-al – Member
I wouldn’t and am not sure if discs will ever be lighter than caliper brakes – though they may phase those out of course.

This being one if the problems. If the big guys decide that discs are a must-buy for road bikes then the technical pros and cons become irrelevant.

Rim brakes are fine and will still be fine in years to come.

You’ll be an eejit whatever you buy

I’ve recently purchased a cervelo s3. I think it’s pretty much the last chance Ill have to get myself a new roadbike without getting dragged into having discs.

I have ultegra rims on summer good bike and shimano hydro’s on the winter/tourer/cross. The performance in the dry is similar but the discs come in to their own when its wet. As the good bike rarely goes out in the wet I don’t really notice it, however if I was replacing the Defy I’d be getting one with hydro discs..

What bikes have you been looking at IHN?

If it helps, we’re still selling LOADS of rim braked road bikes right now, it seems the majority of disc brake bikes are still more your “winter trainer” type of bike for now.

Doesn’t the UCI still specify a minimum weight? If so, then there is plenty of manufacturers who can build their bikes below that weight already, so weight of the brakes will be irrelevant. I’d imagine that being able to get an aero position for the calliper, and how easy it will be to take a wheel from a neutral service car will have a bigger impact on the pro tour teams using the kit.

paulo. don’t forget rims can be designed to be both lighter and more aero without the need for a braking surface.

Living in Sheffield and living to ride in the Peak I’m thinking of going for discs on my next road bike which I buy new.

(Discounting any vintage style project I decide will be nice to build, that is.)

Colnago do an alloy disc bike I think.

Here you go.

Eurobike 2013: Colnago introduce CX Zero sportive bike, plus details of the ‘affordable’ AC-R and lightweight alloy Strada SL

Given that one of the designers who regularly posts on here reckons that the standards for disc equipped roadies are likely to change, I’m hanging on for as bit.

I like the idea of discs on road bikes, but I’m not prepared to risk it at the mo.

I was reading something from one of the pros the other day where he was more worried about the risk of injury in a mass pile up than any improvement in wet weather braking. As he said amateur riders dont generally get involved in mass crashes so he can see why they are gaining popularity but didnt think they were safe enough to be afopted by the pro peleton

I ride with a South London club which isn’t short of people who like chi-chi kit or short of a few bob and no-one has a disc-braked road bike yet. I suspect the demand really isn’t there yet, so mass takeup will be a while off.

Also – my summer road bike has c12k+ miles on it over 5 years and I’m still on the original brake blocks – I basically don’t brake that much – most of the riding is riding along for miles and miles.

My commuter is a totally different kettle of fish – blocks need replacing every 3 months in winter – it’s wet and there’s loads of stopping at lights and junctions etc.

I don’t think discs are necessary on most road bikes – CX and commuters maybe…

Just been through the whole process. Looked at loads, tested a few, bought one with rim brakes.

Edit: It is entirely possible that I am an eejit though.

the change in standards is what put me off. I think they may be switch towards bolt thru. I noticed a few bikes coming with them. Im keeping my old cross bike until it settles down.

If I wanted the absolutely lightest carbon clincher rims, I’d go cable disk. Otherwise, I’m very happy with Shimano’s dual pivot finest. After a small off at the weekend, I’d think twice about the crashworthyness of hydraulic levers.

If you ever thought you might try a race, forget disk for now. I never thought I’d race, but now do so two or three times a month.

My next road bike will definitely have disk brakes, my current road bike has them and I wouldn’t want to be without them now!

I have never found the rim brakes (Mavic SSC)on my summer bike lacking,but with discs the real advantage would be in heavy rain,or on a loaded up tourer.TBH on the summer bike if it’s silly wet I just dial the speed down anyway.My next tourer/commuter will have discs.

Looking ahead if I change my good road bike disc brakes are the last thing I’ll be looking at. Like brooess my current summer bike is on its original pads. Winter trainer……. thats a different matter.

I was reading something from one of the pros the other day where he was more worried about the risk of injury in a mass pile up than any improvement in wet weather braking.

Pros talk even more shit then bike journos.

Do we see them braking fingers or otherwise injuring themselves die to contact with spokes?

No…so unlikely they’d do similar with discs.

As above. In summary, it depends on your riding, and where you ride.

Living in Hong Kong where roads are steep, the surface is poor and it rains a lot, discs were great along with compact gearing. I have since moved to Singapore where roads are flat, well surfaced and you can ride all year round in the warm sunshine and discs are a bit irrelevant to be honest. We are however about to move back home to the UK where I think on balance I will be happier with disc brakes.

For the Alps or Peaks, discs have a definite advantage. For a winter bike (and by inference any bike that you want to ride all year round), discs have a definite advantage. If you just want a road bike for sunny days to enjoy and plan to ride the mountain bike in foul weather, go with rim brakes. They are plenty powerful enough and have evolved probably as far as they can.

The one debate to ignore is that of the pro peleton. Professional riders brake less than us mortals, they have superior handling skills than us mortals, and worry more about aerodynamics (because they actually go fast enough for it to make a difference!) and of course the UCI and their sponsors. Too many amateurs model their purchase on what the pros ride when in reality their needs would be better served by something with a different position, different gear ratios and different braking. Buy what suits the kind of riding you do and choose your brakes based on an honest assessment of how much steep descending and wet weather riding you will be doing. That is in reality the main benefit of discs.

Don’t be a herd animal. Choose what is right for you. Rim brakes will be around for at least the life of whatever bike you choose, so don’t worry about obsolescence. Just worry about whether the weight and appearance of discs is worth it for the riding that you do.

All of my bikes (road, CX and mountain) are disc braked, but that’s just me. I ride the road with plenty of guys still on rim brakes (in fact the majority) and whilst I can out brake them, the difference is minimal, and I do sometimes lust after the lighter weight of their bikes going uphill.

Possibly al but he seemed somewhat concerned at the thought of a spinning circular saw attached to the hub 😉

I just ordered a new road bike (high end),with rim brakes.

For the kind of riding I do, in the conditions I generally ride in, rim brakes are plenty good enough. There isn’t masses of barking involved in most road rides. I don’t really see much need or desire for disc brakes for most road applications. If I lived in a mountainous area, road cx or was commuting then maybe.

Having said that, if the industry decides they want to move everything that way (and if the UCI buy into it), to drive sales then rim brakes could go the way of 26″ wheels on MTBs. Hopefully that won’t happen but you never know.

The bike I just bought is likely to last me for the next 10 years assuming no crashes or structural issues so I’m not really worried about what might happen next year or the year after. When it’s time for a new bike I’ll go with whatever is around at that point.

Discs win for me because they stay cleaner and require less maintenance. Basically don’t need any adjusting, ever. One concern I have though is the possibility of grabbing some brake and locking up on wet roads accidentally.

next road bike I buy will have discs. Forgot how shit even high end caliper brakes are in the wet.