how many cx riders/racers are going to get a bike with discs when its time to get a new frame?

already done 🙂

don’t race and it saves on rims and actually stops me too
so I can ride faster, and steeper trails.

27

No

Been there, done that.

Canti’s on the next one, racing only.

No plans to do anything for a while but if the choice is good I would think about it. Better for muddy races, rim wear and general use (as i ride my bike more than just in races).

Yeah, would be an automatic choice for me (don’t race though). Had a front disk for a good while on the DC-19 fork which works well, but if upgrading the frame would probably go for rear disk mounts as well.

Me

Already on discs. First cross bike, and discs seemed liked a no brainer. Consisent power and good lever feel, they work on wet roads, save rim wear and most of all, they stopped my wheels jamming up in muddy cross races!

I did with my X

We did for our race bikes this year using the v-twin adapters, can’t say I’d ever be in a rush to change back. Cantilevers look so retro now!

As much as I’d dispute the idea that discs are the best thing since sliced bread on drop barred bikes, if I got a new crosser it would have discs.

Definitely a no-brainer. I’m riding a Spesh Tricross disc at the mo but it’s a wee bit heavy for my liking so I’m waiting for Shimano to bring out a hydraulic road brake then I’m going to sell it and build my perfect crosser with a carbon frame, lightweight brakes and capable of cutting it as a tourer, winter trainer and maybe even occasional cross racer. There’s loads of good frames out there now.

At the moment I plan to race one more season with canti’s then when the big boys bring out proper integrated hydraulic brakes/shifters, (2013), I’ll change. At that point it will most likely be electronic shifting as well.

My Tricross is canti-only so, as with globalti, I’ll wait until there is a consistent approach and then change the bike. It’s all 9-speed kit as well so it’d be best to change everything together rather than upgrade to 10-sp now.

I think things are going to get expensive!

if buying a frame with disc mounts now do you lot reckon it will be easy enough to throw some proper disc brakes on once they are available?

I race (well, haven’t this year but do normally) and use my cross bike for commuting. I would have disks as my next purchase. I’m not in any rush to go out an get them though as cantis work ok.

I’ve no doubt that I’ll change eventually but I’m in no rush, particularly as I bought a load of non-disc wheels before this season.

Already done!

I am in the final assembly process of my CX bike, which is fitted out with Shimano XT deore DCLs on 160 rotors.
Mavic Open Pro disc only wheels.
I have riser bars too.

I will not be participating in any UCI controlled / ranked races, etc.

However, my next bike will be a road bike, and I am going to have hydraulic brakes, even if I have to design and commission the lever assemblies.

No
Mainly race and would cost a fortune in new wheels
I’m hoping that I can get a couple of extra sets of tub wheels cheap as more people switch over though
I really haven’t found braking to be a big issue on any of the cross courses

Quite a few then.
I can see their value though for road/touring and trail use, but for racing I like as minimal as possible in both weight and effectiveness.

Still I wouldn’t turn down a bike with them, and my only dislikes are the way you suffer friction when grime gets in them and the aesthetics…the look dreadful.

Edit; and of course wheels, it’s handy to have a spare set, perhaps a cheap training set and the ability to scrounge a wheel race day.

After riding a Dirty Disco and the ‘other bike’ about TodCross at the weekend I have to say I am sold on the idea.

Have already build tubs on disc hubs as it was the next inevitable step, once it gets lighter I will be all over it.

whats the “other bike”

Of course if we ride faster the mud doesn’t stick….have you noticed that.

not a hope, i’ve never had an issue with good ol’ froggslegs. just take the time to set them up well. however, i would try a set of tektro cr720.

and the aesthetics…the look dreadful.

Most things take a bit of getting used to, i’m sure the same was said of mountain bikes.

Word on the street is…road bikes will have them in the pro teams very shortly:

http://road.cc/content/news/49670-2012-cycling-trends-predictions

Road discs

This little lot is getting hidden away in 2012

4. Next up a technical prediction. Almost feel bad about calling this one a prediction, but I’m sticking it in to keep the average up… all that talk about disc brakes on road bikes? It ain’t talk.

The UCI technical bods may not have had any enquiries on the matter but they’d better start sharpening their pencils and designing the relevant sticker cos they are definitely coming. After all, they opened the door for all of this when they approved disc brakes for cross something everybody else and especially the bike industry spotted from the get-go.

Our industry spies tell us new road disc set ups have already been tested by some bike manufacturers, oh and get this while we’ve all been banging on about low weight and 140 or even 120 rotors… they’re actually going to be more like 180, with maybe 160 on the back. On a road bike it isn’t just about outright stopping power: it’s modulation, reliability and dependability in all weathers that counts. As the man we spoke to told us, the heat from an alpine descent just won’t dissipate through a small rotor. Of course you can make big discs light and there’s no reason disc brakes on a road bike should be at the cost of any real weight penalty at all particularly when most top end bikes are already easily lighter than the UCI’s 6.8Kg limit.

Some people aren’t going to like all this but basically disc brakes are simply another braking system and one that works better than the ones we’ve currently got. At the end of the day good brakes help you go faster, and while they might look odd at first, like other stuff that really works they won’t look odd for long.

Bonus prediction: Looking slightly further ahead, we wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of integrated set up of a Di2/hydraulic brake kind at Eurobike this year, technically it surely isn’t a biggie. Indeed sticking the master cylinder in to the hoods and then hooking the brakes up to the ‘brain’ opens up the possibility of ABS braking for bikes… which would be nice.

The only thing we don’t know is which of the big three component manufacturers is going to be first to market. We can probably discount Campagnolo because they don’t really have the background in this technology for bikes. That leaves SRAM and Shimano both of whom definitely do – SRAM own Avid. SRAM definitely have the incentive to pull something out of the bag because they have been totally left behind on electronic shifting, and word is that they have a big surprise in store when new Red launches in February, maybe this is it. Problem is if they are launching an integrated hydraulic road set up where will they put the master cylinder cos the lever hoods are full of mechanical bits – something that isn’t a problem for Shimano – unless SRAM shock us all by going electric too.

As we reported last month there are persistent rumours that the new Dura Ace Di2 will go 11 speed this year and disc brake compatible. Knowing Shimano if it’s them we’ll all be sworn to silence. So look out for a lot of nodding and winking come their 2012 press briefing in a few weeks time.

Hard graft this divination lark but pausing only for a revivifying slurp of flat prosecco I’ll press on. Next it’s events.

whats the “other bike”

Something that won’t happen, don’t worry about it 🙂

I can see their value though for road/touring and trail use, but for racing I like as minimal as possible in both weight and effectiveness.

After my first and only cross race my bog standard shimano cantis were more than enough however knocking about on mtb trails a set of discs would be nice

Mine’s been all-disc for years.

when you’ve used them, especially when you still ride your first set of still-true rims, it’s hard to imagine any other way.

I shall not be requesting drums on my next Golf, that’s for sure!

Will spare disk wheels work? Presumably they’re gonna have to be identical hubs to get spacing perfectly between the pads. At least with cantis I know swapping wheels with similar rims is no hassle.

Will spare disk wheels work? Presumably they’re gonna have to be identical hubs to get spacing perfectly between the pads. At least with cantis I know swapping wheels with similar rims is no hassle.

use disc spacers. thats what i do for my mtb.

yes definitely.. peak district road descents behind cars are terrifying on cantis when you’re 95kg!

Not CX racing but the commuter is now disc’d up (it’s a CX bike if that counts). The pure joy of decent brakes….

I agree with flip, discs on road bikes are coming and thanks heavens for that.

Flip.

Good post. Glad I won’t have to sort my own bespoke hydraulic brake solution for my next road bike.
😉

I also agree that now I ride only with hydraulic disc brakes, I do not wish to go back to cable stuff.
Sorry, but it just aint funny in the wet, down hill, and you grab all the brake you can, yet you are still convinced its the end.

Flip
Can’t help think that disc are being driven by the general market. The manufacturers see a profit opportunity, but need the pros to be using them before they arrive at their ‘Ta Daaaa’ moment.

use disc spacers. thats what i do for my mtb.

I think, I know I am talking about pit wheel changes. Just means more new wheels.

Edit. It’ll be interesting to see how the likes of Cervelo deal with the weight/strength and aero issues that discs will bring.
You can probably tell I don’t want this to happen. I really really think that this is driven by want not need by completely useless folk who can’t ride and are mechanically inept.
This forum is full of threads like my road brakes are crap, my discs don’t work and so on. It’s not the gear it’s the riders.
Technology used to come from inside the sport, now it seems the bike industry has to follow the demands of happy shoppers.
Hmmmph

Can’t help think that disc are being driven by the general market. The manufacturers see a profit opportunity, but need the pros to be using them before they arrive at their ‘Ta Daaaa’ moment.

I totally agree, i like caliper brakes on road bikes and won’t swap to discs i see little need for them. But i think they are coming anyway.

is there a clear “best” cx cani brake then?

top 3?

I really really think that this is driven by want not need by completely useless folk who can’t ride and are mechanically inept.

Can’t say I agree. Sure decent road brakes setup properly are all you need in the dry and are usually good enough in the wet but it still doesn’t mean there’s not a better solution out there. Discs don’t just allow for more consistent braking and better modulation but also get rid of the issue of wearing through rim braking surfaces (one of the reasons I’m reluctant to spend a lot of money on road wheels) and also move the mass towards the hub so even if they’re weight-neutral they could provide a performance benefit.

I’m not convinced hydraulic disc brakes are required though, I’d prefer a lot of R&D went into cable discs – I’m sure they could make something better than the BB7’s (and even they are pretty good).