BC have decided to allow discs in races from next year. Inevitable I suppose and I think it’s a good progression with most of the worries about the dangers of discs being debunked (IMO).

Will make neutral service more challenging, but in my experience if you have to change a wheel mid-race you are more than likely not able to get back and be competitive anyway (unless you’re in a break).

BC statement

*shrugs*

About time too .

*shrugs* and puts fingers in ears and shouts “Llallalaaalalalalalalalalllalaaaalllalalallalallalllallaa”

Then farts on BC.

is the combined disc/wheel set up now lighter than a rim brake setup then?

Nah but Aero is the new Lightweight anyway 😉

I preferred the other thread. Because safety, or something.

Nah but Aero is the new Lightweight anyway

Oh please don’t say that I’ve just wasted some cash buying light weight non aero wheels, which I assume are now rubbish….and they are not disc too!

How long before Zipp start selling £500 carbon disk rotors with humpback whale tech?

wow

I predict lots of strong opinions, but very few actual problems…

Anyone any ideas if TLi will follow suit ?

Anyone any ideas if TLi will follow suit ?

This is something I saw on Facebook earlier:

Hi Folks – in my “Official Position” as LVRC General Secy (Ahem…), let me forestall a question that will, I’m sure, will be asked in the coming months. Under LVRC Rules, disk Brakes will NOT be permitted in Road or Circuit Events. CX is OK. We follow the UCI lead on this, as do the TLi.

Oh please don’t say that I’ve just wasted some cash buying light weight non aero wheels, which I assume are now rubbish….and they are not disc too!

Indeed, it gets worse because slow is the new fast, now the brakes are better…
So you’ll be needing Moar Aeroz and fasterer stoppers…

Oh please don’t say that I’ve just wasted some cash buying light weight non aero wheels

Nope, your bike will feel light and responsive and be a joy to ride. I’d choose that over a couple of seconds a mile anyday.

I contacted TLI earlier and received a response stating that disc brakes are on the agenda for discussion at TLI Cycling’s National Management Committee this Sunday (19th Nov).

Slew of bling frames/wheels(non disc)on the way to the classifieds 😀

plus one – Member
Slew of bling frames/wheels(non disc)on the way to the classifieds

Only from people who aren’t actually going racing anyway

Whatever. I can safely say that in not a single race I have ridden this season#, have I wanted for better brakes – and that includes carbon rims in rainy Hillingdon and Cyclopark (180 degree hairpins plus 90 degree downhills). Of course we aren’t racing over the Alps, but Milland Hill is a fun circuit.

Opens up racing for anyone excluded by previous bike choice (although a cheap used bike is a better option), so that’s a good move.

I wonder about the liability of swapping the wrong wheels; if you put a non-disc wheel into a disc frame then the bike is technically illegal. In the heat of a race it is possible – indeed failing to connect the straddle wire on a Propel BEFORE the race is possible too – allegedly 😳 .

Funny fact – I used my hand-built Dura Ace/Sapim/CXP33’s as spare wheels in Neutral Service. The rider who destroyed a deep section carbon rim on a pothole used the front one, and said it was a fantastic improvement on the Surrey Lanes. Aero-smaero. Get a proper set of wheels with decent rubber 😉

#40 excluding time trials, so a decent sample size. The points do not bear this out, Maybe I’d be faster in discs?

I wonder about the liability of swapping the wrong wheels; if you put a non-disc wheel into a disc frame then the bike is technically illegal.

Then there’s the issue of caliper mount to rotor mount spacing – never consistent in mtb, not sure why road is going to be any better?

Then there’s the issue of caliper mount to rotor mount spacing – never consistent in mtb, not sure why road is going to be any better?

I don’t see the point in discs on a road racing bike but I don’t see how this is any different from different rim widths or caliper to rim positions on a rim brake setup?

I also think this is a good move to allow people to race whatever bike they have now that discs are out there in the market.

I don’t think anyone could reasonably argue they need better brakes in competition yet everywhere else, discs have the upper hand.

So ironically, people probably need less bikes now 😮 Perhaps ‘the industry’ didn’t think this through 😀

It certainly didn’t strike me as being a ‘barrier to entry’ most races are rammed as it is??

Then there’s the issue of caliper mount to rotor mount spacing – never consistent in mtb, not sure why road is going to be any better?

It should be possible though, Hope are doing it on their new bike.

And all the wheels are the same, it’s frames that are generally on the piss so swapping wheels isn’t usually an issue.

I’d think those that had racing on their mind when buying a bike would have bought a bike that would be legal for racing. Or already have a rim brake bike for racing if they were buying a disc bike.

Given the amount of money on show at even a 3/4 road race I’d suggest allowing or not allowing discs won’t make any difference to how inclusive or not the sport is.

And what defines what you’re allowed to race on in a road race then? Can I ride an MTB? Or do the rules stipulate drop bars? I assume this opens up the use of disc cross bikes for road racing?

I don’t see the point in discs on a road racing bike but I don’t see how this is any different from different rim widths or caliper to rim positions on a rim brake setup?

Trivial to adjust on Shimano brakes with the little lever to open the calliper on the brake. And can be done on the move. Not so easy on my Propel, but it will accommodate two widths. Neutral service wheels are normally narrow rims. so just pull the lever a bit further.

I assume this opens up the use of disc cross bikes for road racing?

It does. I raced a (non-disc) cross bike in the last Imperial Winter Series race. But you have to have drop bars. Demz de roolz.

Good. About time.

It has definitely stopped my son doing any youth road races (usually closed circuit) for the last two seasons.

We don’t care about aero or needing better brakes on road.

We are predominantly an MTB and CX racing family. There is a limit to how many bikes we are willing to buy or store. Son needed a bigger CX bike and there was no way we were buying one without discs, but his CX bike has to double as a road bike for training and local NWCC road coaching sessions (no restriction on discs for those). So there were a few local road races he’d have liked to enter but we couldn’t due to discs.

I’m sure there are plenty of others in this position.

includes carbon rims in rainy Hillingdon and Cyclopark (180 degree hairpins plus 90 degree downhills). Of course we aren’t racing over the Alps, but Milland Hill is a fun circuit.

Isn’t a 90 degree downhill the same as a sheer drop ? 🙂

We are predominantly an MTB and CX racing family. There is a limit to how many bikes we are willing to buy or store. Son needed a bigger CX bike and there was no way we were buying one without discs, but his CX bike has to double as a road bike for training and local NWCC road coaching sessions (no restriction on discs for those). So there were a few local road races he’d have liked to enter but we couldn’t due to discs.

I’ve seen several kids turned away at local circuits for that reason. They’ve got one bike for CX & road, it’s got discs and suddenly they realise they can’t use it in road races. That’s a pretty real barrier to participation and also a really awkward moment at sign on when there’s a kid crying their eyes out and an irate parent!

The response on social media & comments sections seems to have been mostly fairly positive.

Having been a 2nd cat the past few years and therefore competed in my fair share of road/circuit/crit races I’m saying no need whatsoever for discs on a road bike. Ever. Better braking performance equals increased danger in racing. Solo/training rides fine. Don’t believe me?.. Go to Hillingdon/palace and race.. You’ll soon work it out

Gt56- I don’t think I’ve read or heard anyone arguing there’s a need TO use them. Just that there’s also no logical reason not to use them??

Crosshair exactly, no valid reason to use them in racing situations (which is what this thread is about), but lots of reasons not to (albeit anecdotal). Don’t get me wrong I ride slx discs on my trail bike and think they’re amazing, just no need on a race bike.

Whether the dangers are proven or not, I think I’d probably rather have two less sharp rotating things on the bikes around me in a race. Its not like they’re needed either but I can’t get that excited either way.

I wonder about the liability of swapping the wrong wheels; if you put a non-disc wheel into a disc frame then the bike is technically illegal. In the heat of a race it is possible

Would it be possible? Disk braked bikes use through axels, rim braked bikes don’t. I don’t think there is a risk of this in reality.

don’t see the point in discs on a road racing bike

Have you ridden a hydraulic disc braked bike? I have recently ridden one and before only thought there would be a benefit in the wet, but oh boy was I wrong. The hydraulic disc braked bike was so much better than rim brakes even in the dry. Really, night and day. in every way – power, feel, modulation, lightness of touch, consistency. I’m no racer so can’t comment on any competitive edge, but can’t see any downside from a competitive point of view – surely even with road racing better braking can only be a benefit even if a marginal one?

I assume the new rules don’t outlaw rim braked bikes so what’s the whinging all about?….just crack on with your rim braked bikes and let all the other suckers get on with their disc braked bikes. The truth about any benefit will soon become apparent after a few seasons.

But if somebody grabs a handful of brake at an inappropriate time, does it matter what sort it is? At Hillingdon, it’s a duff lap if you’ve had to touch the brake at all (and I say that having come from a level where I frequently had to brake going UP the hill 😆 ) so I really don’t see why it matters?

And disc bikes look way better than rim brakes 8) 😆

no valid reason to use them in racing situations

So inclusion and allowing more people to enter races without incurring significant extra costs (i.e. having to buy a whole new / additional bike) isn’t a valid reason? BC seem to think it is.

Crashes are caused by bad riders. The limit of braking on a road bike under most situations is tyre adhesion. Neither of these things have anything to do with discs.

Crashes are indeed caused by bad riders, and there are lots of them. So I’d rather those bad riders were predominantly blunt objects as opposed to more sharp edges….

Sorry mickr but I’m not sure I get your drift. Just because some people have bought disc brake equipped road bikes doesn’t mean they should be allowed by BC.

The ‘spinning discs cut people’ is played out wankery.

It’s about comparative braking times and paces in a peloton that’s inches from eachother. You either have to all be ok discs or nobody.

Those guys screaming inclusivity – I’m sure you’re really struggling financially to support your kids if you can afford several hydraulic disc road bikes (but oh god never forbid buying some calipers) for a growing child.

Continuity.. Well said.

Allowing kids to be race their cross bikes in kids races is the single best reason for allowing discs. A bit like allowing mtbs in cross races. My kids had road bikes and mtbs. And I got to pass them down. But a cross bike can definitely serve for circuit races with just a change of wheels. Thats a good thing.

You can all race those disc Boardman CX Pros too 😉

Race will be over before you accelerate the stock wheels on a CX Pro up to speed 😆