[Closed] Getting a Cross Bike - Do I need disc brakes?

I'd say yes, for the same reasons they are now universal on mtbs.

Many will say "cantis are good enough", "you don't need decent brakes to race cross" or, my favourite: "you go faster without brakes."

All guff of course.

yes purely for future proofness

Thanks Al, i was thinking the same but i notice some 2013 models (like the new Trek cross bikes) don't have discs. Wasn't sure if that's because they missed the production deadline or dont think discs are worth it for cross.

Cantis are adequate; discs definately not needed. But that doesn't mean I don't wish I had discs! Given the choice it would be no choice at all.

If you want to go faster then disc brakes are great as they allow you to brake later, harder and with more confidence. They also work better when it's wet & muddy, something you'll generally find a lot of on a cross course in the UK!

Most cross bikes get ridden a fair bit on the road, and most cantis are crap compared to decent road brakes. Discs are in another league again. I'm feeling a lot of BB7 Road love at the moment.

Oh, and this is my current cross bike (although it has different wheels for racing now... A2Z hubs, BOR rims, CX-ray spokes, Spesh Terra tubs)

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7837156116_05e15f6583.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7837156116_05e15f6583.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/7837156116/ ]Felt F65x[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/simondbarnes/ ]simondbarnes[/url], on Flickr

Another cross brakes question: Do i need the extra brake levers on the tops of the bars?

Another cross brakes question: Do i need the extra brake levers on the tops of the bars?

I've never seen the point of them. Riding on the tops is just for pootling a long IME so you have plenty of time to get to the proper brakes if needed. They're also ugly.

You don't need them, but they do work much betterer. I use my crosser for racing and a midweek training session and really don't feel the need for them...yet.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tech-cyclo-cross-disc-bike-round-up
Depends on where you ride/race. Not seen the (real) pro's on them yet.

Thanks Simon

I'm liking this one!
http://www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/hakkalugi_disc/#imageGallery
Reckon it might get raced in the US this season

[img] [/img]

discs are great, only got a front one ATM. i wouldn't go back to cantis, power is ok when they work, but they seem to take a lot of adjusting to keep on top of them. (weekly when its wet!)

chicken levers; don't get em, bars are too narrow on the tops for braking, fine for cruising along on the tops, much better off in the drops and braking/ descending 'properly'.

Discs are not absolutely necessary but I find I go faster in the knowledge that I can stop. Would have been brilliant for the Three Peaks (had an exciting 'can't stop, can't stop, oops, over the bars' moment) so if you're contemplating anything like that, go for them. Not quite so obviously necessary on weekend CX races.

Er, chicken levers. Not just for the fainthearted. Nick Craig has them for the Three Peaks. He doesn't do discs. Just so as you know.

Clover - Member
Er, chicken levers. Not just for the fainthearted. Nick Craig has them for the Three Peaks. He doesn't do discs. Just so as you know.

On his CX bike quite possibly, but on his MTB?

TBH he's paid by Scott & AFAIK they don't have a disk equipped CX bike yet do they?

Er, chicken levers. Not just for the fainthearted. Nick Craig has them for the Three Peaks. He doesn't do discs. Just so as you know.

Scott don't have a disc cross bike otherwise knowing Nick I can assure you he would! Re chicken levers, not for normal cross but for the 3 peaks I always use them, the 3 peaks however is a one off consideration.

The Ridley I recently bought had disk or canti brake options for not much difference.
I chose canti option.

Mainly because the disk brakes are mechanical not hydraulic ... and mechanical are terrible.
And also if you decide to get new wheels the disk hub wheels will no doubt cost more.

How much stopping do you really need on 35mm of rubber when its a greasy wet course?

The Ridley I recently bought had disk or canti brake options for not much difference.
I chose canti option.

Mainly because the disk brakes are mechanical not hydraulic ... and mechanical are terrible.
And also if you decide to get new wheels the disk hub wheels will no doubt cost more.

How much stopping do you really need on 35mm of rubber when its a greasy wet course?

mechanical are terrible.

Sorry but this is just nonsense.

I bought a new bike and went for discs but my previous one had cantis.

Canti's were fine for racing but not really that good for the more general riding I did which was more like easy mountain biking.

Mechanicals were fine, not as good as hydraulics but at least with a disc ready frame the upgrade option is available if they appear in the near future.

It isn't just about the grip of the tyres. When I rode the three peaks with discs my hands an arms didn't get as tired as they had on my training rides with canti's. Disc require a lighter touch where as to get the bike to stop with cantis I had to squeeze pretty damn hard. Again less of an issue racing as you won't be doing long steep downhills.

Wheels are probably more expensive for two reasons. Discs hubs cost more and the options of disc ready wheels is limited so you may end up going for custom handbuilts to find something you want. They are comparable with mountain bike prices though (my custom wheels with A23 rims and hope hubs was just over £300 from JRA). The advantages of disc is that the rims won't wear. On my old bikes I'd get about 2 years use out of the rims riding year round, racing and using it as a winter bike.

Discs are still heavier.

Personally I'd recommend discs - more power so easier braking, no rim wear, better mud performance, future proof, better for non racing riding. You will spend a bit more and carry a bit more weight nd limit your choices on frames and wheels.

I just brought one with discs, they're the future 🙂

Hydraulic road discs are on their way, there has already been leaked pictures of the SRAM red ones so you can bet Shimano are working on them too. I think once they're out they'll be a much bigger shift to discs and next year new CX bikes will mostly be discs.

I could do with discs later today. Hemel is the most mountain bikey course of the lot in our league. Others wise it's all flat out and wide arcs.
On a serious note you users mention later braking. Is it that noticeable? in that it you need less momentum, obviously corners can only be taken at a speed that the tyres and bike can handle? Talking racing here.

I suppose there are a lot of guys with perfectly good race crossers using cantis. It's a big ask for that market to sack off what they have to buy completely new set ups extra wheels etc.

I wouldn't say you "need" them, but if you've got the money then definitely get a bike with them. When my cross bike needs replaced that's what I'll be going for.

Oh, and discs or not, cross bikes are just brilliant!

Late braking may be meaningful in F1, but not bike racing.

Mooman clearly doesnt know how to set up mech disks if he thinks cantis are better !

Very much depends what you want it for. I bought a non-disc carbon Dolan last summer as I wanted to use it for CX racing and summer riding including TT's and sportives etc. For cx racing I'd say they're not essential as races are only about an hour and of course and there's a weight penalty (mine comes in at <18 lbs). When hydrolic discs are available then I'll have a rethink. For the time being cantis are adequate for the job intended.

and mechanical are terrible.

rubbish. BB5 on the front of my bike is a brilliant brake. as good as the shimano hydraulics on my MTB

I have the older model vapour and it's ace, definately wish I had discs though for my muddier rides especially.

Heres question I was going to out on a new thread but this is the perfect place.

Avid BB5 / BB5 road. Are there any alternatives yet? Gap in the market surely for a quality cable caliper with the right cable pull as Avid have got it sewn up.

BB7 is the one to go for but Shimano have a new CX brake too (as seen on the Ibis above)

Re: chicken levers

If you're really posh and have a set of Hope V-Twins on your CX bike, you can hook up a pair of Hope Race levers on the tops...

Personally wouldn't have anything other than hydro discs... from my Cotic Road Rat to Canfield Yelli Screamy.

Discs for me too,I've got a Cotic X with Tektra Lyras fitted...I chose discs because of rim wear,not out and out perormance.
As mentioned above, which ever route you decide on,Cross bikes are brilliant....just wish that I'd tried one earlier..

[b]mooman - Member[/b]
The Ridley I recently bought had disk or canti brake options for not much difference.
I chose canti option.

Was that the X-Ride? How do you find it? As light as they boast? Is the aluminium frame uber-stiff to eke out every last watt of efficiency whilst CX racing, or it there a bit of give in there for the recreationsl/adventure crowd?

Some more on the Ibis

http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/10/14/ibis-releases-carbon-hakkalugi-disc-cyclocross-frame/#more-50629

stevede - Member
I have the older model vapour and it's ace, definately wish I had discs though for my muddier rides especially.

Me too and I agree. I was thinking of putting a different fork on and trying a front disc. Any fork recommendations? And which hubs? I've an old front wheel with an Open Sport rim and a broken deore disc hub and could just replace the disc hub to get started.

I only ride my cross bike for racing and training so I don't want discs.
Main reasons are harder to swap wheels in the pits, I like to use my road wheels once they've got a few years old, and I've never had a lack of braking power, in fact more often a lack of backing grip!!
If using like a mtb then I can why discs would be a good idea, but then I'd ride my mtb!

crimsondynamo - Member

mooman - Member
The Ridley I recently bought had disk or canti brake options for not much difference.
I chose canti option.

Was that the X-Ride? How do you find it? As light as they boast? Is the aluminium frame uber-stiff to eke out every last watt of efficiency whilst CX racing, or it there a bit of give in there for the recreationsl/adventure crowd?

Yes - the x-ride.
It is very nimble for sure. I am not riding it recreational to be honest. I prefer the mtb for off road and road bike for on road.
The X-Ride is only for cx racing.

The canti brakes are perfect for what I want.
Disks prob look better and this is no doubt why most STW-ers will choose that option .. but unless you just want to lean it up against a beer garden wall and look pretty ... canti brakes are more than adequate.

If you want hydraulics on your crosser then I have to say that the Hope V-Twin is a brilliant system. I have one on my Pro 6 and its very powerful but has great modulation so the braking is very controlable.

Its not light and does look a bit ungainly but i can put up with that.

I have Avid mechanical discs on my X (which is my first cross bike - I do have a number of hydraulic disc equipped mts bikes) and I find they function very well BUT the do not self adjust for wear like hydraulic discs do. On the 3 Peaks this was a right pain - I had to adjust them twice during the ride. No doubt I was dragging the brakes more than some, more cyclocross-adept descenders but I also wore through a fairly new set of pads and ended up with very little braking power by the end. These were the pads that came with the bike - not sure if they were organic/sintered etc and so maybe the new sintered pads I have fitted will last better. Right at the moment though I am wishing I'd gone for cantis or mini-v's.

"I was thinking of putting a different fork on and trying a front disc."

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

Could be some bargain canti cross bikes available soon, as people upgrade?

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

I guess nonsense. I'm going to switch the fork on my PX Uncle John to a carbon disc job (prob that nice Spot Brand effort Sideways sell) and put a disc on the back and give it a try. Cheaper than buying a new bike and I can always go back to cantis if I fear for the front of my bike separating from me as I challenge for 4th from last place in the north west cross league.

I've one of these - great fun

[img] [/img]

Is that a Fixie inc? Looks nice!

Can I ask the cross racers (as I haven'traced cross for abouyt 10 years) - do most people still take 2 bikes? With all this carbon, discs etc it must be getting a horrendously expensive form of punishment!

/ old codger mode

do most people still take 2 bikes?

Only the quick lads. And not even all of them.

I take 3 bikes and 6 sets of wheels to big races. Yes it is expensive, but not as expensive as cocaine or owning children of which I don't partake in either of....

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

Been trying to break my bike for ages 😉

You're right though. The Vapour disc has a tapered head tube to 1.5" whereas mine (and the current canti one) has 1.125" all the way. Richpips seemed to get away with a disc fork on his Day One last year.