STW Roadies, would consider a new road bike with rim brakes?

I can’t see me dropping the whole winter/summer bike thing any time soon, it’s strangely satisfying to wander into the garage and just grab the tool for the ride you’re about to do, not have to piss about fitting/removing guards or faffing with lights and knowing that you’ll have a few months of ‘off season’ to fix and fettle the posh one between October and ~May.

Amen to that, life is too short for fixing and removing mudguards to the same bike (also while in a rush it is easy to strip those little threads in the frame without thinking). It also means I have a bike ready for those less than clement days in summer that we used to get before climate change. Now if it rains during summer it’s a monsoon-esque deluge

I built up a Rock Lobster steel road bike about eight years ago. Calipers and cable shifting. My reasoning was that it was going to only ever see dry, sunny Yorkshire roads, or dry, sunny Spanish roads. This has mostly held up. Still on the same brake pads I think, though I replaced the wheels once due to a ding. It’s still an awesome machine.

I too am looking at a carbon and disc road bike now, but purely to be able to run 30mm tyres, and for big days in the mountains. I still aim to keep (and regularly ride) my rim brake bike. There’s something nice about not needing to not have to charge anything up to ride it, and the brake pad wear check is easy to do.

In summer I don’t go out if it’s raining hard. If it has recently rained then the roads dry out fairly quickly. In winter they stay wet for months.

So I remove mudguards in spring and refit in autumn. The mudguards don’t really detract from anything so I can just leave them on for ages. That way, I have a nice bike all the time instead of just during the summer months 🙂

Actually I think disc brakes facilitate this greatly because you’re not worried about wearing.out your fancy carbon wheels. I have fancy carbon wheels (fancy for me, anyway) and I get to enjoy them all year round.

I think the advent of gravel/all-road bikes has probably killed off this whole “winter bike” thing cos you can have something that’s actually designed for mud, gravel, crap roads etc and with acres of clearance to deal with all of that.

Yeah, I’ve got one of those too 😁
It goes off-road in all seasons, but certainly isn’t as nice for a proper chop along on the road on sunny days…

Are we back to the Schrödingers disc brake discussion again? Simultaneously dangerous in a mixed (disc/rim) group because they are too powerful but yet also no better at stopping than rim brakes.

Nope, I don’t think we are, everyone seems to accept discs are generally all-around better performing brakes in all conditions, that’s not really the discussion anymore. More the opposite infact, how close to the grave are rim brake bikes (if they only get ridden when it’s nice out)…

I was out on the previously discussed road bike yesterday, mulling the points raised here; lovely weather, lovely, minimal traffic, countryside roads, it was great the ride didn’t suffer for a lack of braking performance or any mechanical issues (only rider fitness). Really that’s all you need isn’t it, a bike that works for the whole duration of your ride.

One thing I did think as I clattered over a few less than pristine roads was that a wee bit more give from the tyres might be nice, perhaps coupled with some spongier tape. So I spunked a spare voucher I had to try a tubeless tyre on the front and I’m going to go shopping for cushier tape…

The gears work nicely enough for now, and while I like the idea of fitting shiny new Di2/Etap this coming winter (or the next) I might just have to see how the pricing goes Vs nice mechanical shifting, wireless is very tempting.

To answer the original question – no.

This is because my current rim braked summer road bike is perfect…..apart from having rim brakes. So replacing it would only happen if I really wanted to sort that ‘flaw’.

I’d rather go for a run than ever stick mudguards on a nice road bike… have never done it, and wont ever do it – there are strict aesthetic protocols that should be adhered to. That being said, if I need to ride in the rain I’d rather be on the mtb or gravel bike (equally sans mudguards). This can leave the rim braked roady to its minimalist purist essentials, and mercifully free of the telltale ping and squeal of the nervous descender – with its useful attendant kilo plus weight saving.

I’m very much pro disc brakes, however a summer road bike with rim brakes is absolutely fine, in fact I’d say anytime from May to October tends to be fine for them – after that I’d put it away for the disc braked Gravel/All Road bike. I’ve recently had rim braked TCR & Domane SL, and both managed to fit 30mm tyres without issue – which helps on the rotten road surfaces where I ride.

I’m on discs on my new bike, not because the braking is better (it isn’t) but because i *want* bigger tyres and i need slightly different geometry, the roads (And weather) round here are variable to say the least, and 30+mm tyres and slightly different front end geo opens up a lot of gravel roads that are rideable but unpleasant on my 25mm tyred rim brake bike (limited by fork crown and brake bridge).

But, anyway, bigger clearance, different geo came with discs (And Di2). So i’ve got discs.

The rim braked bike is still my go to, it stops brilliantly, whether i have carbon or aluminium rims on it. Climbs and descends fantastically and was made to measure, and despite being 25 year old steel, is around a kilo lighter than my new disc braked carbon bike.

I also have a winter bike, because the new bike has no mounting hardware for guards, and i’m not strapping those bloody useless raceblades to any bike i own. Ever. Same with p-clips and brake bridge adaptors and so on.

Winter bike has 28s, mudguards and long drop calipers, and also stops excellently (Mavic alloy rims and Salmon Eagle claw pads IIRC). The gravel roads aren’t an issue once the weather changes, as they are pretty much impassable on anything other than a CX or mountain bike. It’s also set up slightly differently (shorter and higher) with a different gear set (34/48 and a larger cassette) because, funnily enough, i do different riding in the winter. And wear a lot more clothing.

So, errrr, yes. I’d buy a new bike with rim brakes, i’d also stockpile rim brake parts, i already have a set of BNIB 11 speed Ultegra mech shifters, calipers and a rear mech, and a complete set of part used 105 11s stuff.

Biggest ride of the year for me yesterday (in fact for the last few years) from Gleneagles to the top of the Cairngorm Ski road and back down to Aviemore.

Lots of steep, twisting descents, some gravel sections on the A9 cycle path, multiple big climbs, etc. etc.

Once again was left wondering what possible improvement discs could have offered over the general hassle free, rub free simplicity (and power) of my old Ultegra callipers on Fulcrum alloy rims. In fact I’m not even sure why I would need 28mm tyres considering how well my old 25mm GP4000s performed. I guess I’m still unconsciously adjusting lines and speed for the 25mm tyres so maybe with 28mm I’ll get more confident and be able to corner a bit faster.

Not saying we shouldn’t look for improvement where it exists, I’ll gladly try the 28mm tyres on my new (rim brake) bike because I would have bought new tyres anyway so no nett additional cost, but the extra ridiculous amount of money a wholesale change to discs would have cost me for a marginal improvement over something which is already genuinely good just seems like madness.

I can’t resist these threads though because they should what a breadth of different experience people seem to have with braking, especially the comments about riding in the wet. Even on my winter bike discs seem like more hassle than they’re worth (have never solved the squealing issue in cold + wet conditions) because braking with OEM Tektro callipers and Swissstop blue pads is quiet, predictable and perfectly adequate for the sort of descending and riding I’m likely to do on wet winter rides (i.e. NOT 76km/h descents of ski roads 😎). I don’t even find them all that maintenance intensive, a very occasional tightening of the cable is all both bikes ask for. My disc brake setups have both been far more demanding to maintain quiet rub free braking. Granted in years to come replacing an alloy rim brake wheelset every ~ 3 years might become difficult, if and when I wear out the current Ultegra wheels I’ll go handbuilt so I might have more luck finding rims on some niche website.

I could see molgrip’s argument for all singing, all dancing winter bikes that alloy you to ride as hard and fast as you might on a summer ride, but frankly on winter rides I just like to hunker down and plod away without heading for big hills etc. so outright speed or braking power isn’t really relevant. I prefer something cheap that I can neglect but still depend upon!

I could see molgrip’s argument for all singing, all dancing winter bikes that alloy you to ride as hard and fast as you might on a summer ride, but frankly on winter rides I just like to hunker down and plod away without heading for big hills etc. so outright speed or braking power isn’t really relevant. I prefer something cheap that I can neglect but still depend upon!

That my ‘problem’ 😂

My road bikes upgraded to a level that would have been top drawer a decade ago.

I don’t really want to be in a position where I’m choosing between the carbon, disk, 12speed, 30mm tyres, aero rims and frame of a ‘winter’ bike, and the summer bike I still own and feel compelled to use out of shear inertia.

Argh.

For the stock-pilers out there, Merlin currently doing rim brake/mechanical Ultegra groupsets for £700.

I already have a chainset and brakes so could sell those immediately, probably recoup £150 or so, and use the threaded BB on my gravel bike.

I’d be a fool not to buy one! 😎

Thought I’d unearth this thread having just spotted on CRC that there is actually available to buy, today in real life, an Ultegra 8150 Di2 – Rim brake groupset for the princely sum of £1349.99 (£150 less than they’re asking for the 8170 disc group)…

So Shimano are still selling a high end Rim brake groupset (OK not Dura Ace but still shiny new 12 speed Di2) suggests they think there’s still a market for such apparent nonsense which everyone thought they were now done with.

I’d been mulling the idea of springing for an R7000 group before it’s completely gone, but now I’m thinking R8150 might be worth a look, admittedly I could buy ~3x R7000 groups for the price of 1x R8150, but a shiny Di2 groupset for the rim brake nag for it’s last few years of glory before it’s finally retired from use forever, it’s tempting, not sure I can sneak a 1300 quid splurge past the boss…

Thought I’d unearth this thread having just spotted on CRC that there is actually available to buy, today in real life, an Ultegra 8150 Di2 – Rim brake groupset for the princely sum of £1349.99 (£150 less than they’re asking for the 8170 disc group)…

Oh there’s loads of new-old-stock rim brake groupsets, mechanical and Di2 knocking around for silly cheap money. As 12sp becomes the default, all those 11sp Ultegra and DA cassettes will come down in price too, especially the higher geared variants that top out at 28 or 30T.

Yeah but I like the fact that the levers are wireless though, I’d only need one cable betwixt the front and rear mechs, no need for junction boxes and other junk dangling under the stem.

Mostly I think I’m just surprised there’s a brand new Ultegra rim-braked group full stop, everyone has been saying such things would never exist again.

I think £420 (+£10 for disk if you must) for manual 105 11-speed is a veritable bargain however you look at it. The Di2 is nice, but for my road bikes, I’m definitely a Bowden cable rider. A whole groupset for almost the price of an electronic RD! Campag look firmly wedded to rim braking still.

My sticker shock moment was seeing a Scott Foil with 105 Di2 for £5k. I mean, 5k for a 105 bike!

I did PBP on 11 speed 105 and TRP deep drop calipers. The bike was absolutely flawless throughout, the rider less so. That said, I had to have the wheels rebuilt this year as the brake tracks were completely worn out at three years old, whereas my 8 year old disc brake Mason has required one new rim in its lifetime.

I think £420 (+£10 for disk if you must) for manual 105 11-speed is a veritable bargain however you look at it. The Di2 is nice, but for my road bikes, I’m definitely a Bowden cable rider. A whole groupset for almost the price of an electronic RD! Campag look firmly wedded to rim braking still.

I agree – and £420 is actually about 50 quid more than they have sold for previously. I bought one off Melin for around 370 last winter.

I have a 105 7000 rim brake groupset on one bike, and I also have an ultegra 8170 disc groupset on another bike. The shifting on the 105 is fantastic, with ultegra di2 you’re basically paying a grand more not to have to trim the front derailleur. Just not worth it. If you’re gonna buy the ultegra then I would buy the disc groupset. Road disc braking is night and day better than rim brakes now. I only keep the rim brake bike on as a cheap race bike, otherwise it would be long gone.

Also, IIRC from the di2 manual, you can’t run the rim brake groupset with wireless shifters, so you will need to buy a couple more cables I reckon. That could be 75+ quid.

Road disc braking is night and day better than rim brakes now.

In the wet, sure, but I don’t see much difference in the dry.

(whispers) there’s also a rim brake Dura Ace 12 speed Di2 set.

DURA-ACE Di2 Rim Brake DUAL CONTROL LEVER 2×12-speed | SHIMANO BIKE-US

Just not worth it. If you’re gonna buy the ultegra then I would buy the disc groupset. Road disc braking is night and day better than rim brakes now. I only keep the rim brake bike on as a cheap race bike, otherwise it would be long gone.

I think you missed the rest of the thread. Your point is correct, but not really what we were discussing, opting for the disc group really means a new bike.
Realistically I’m probably not going to buy the 8150 group, it was more my surprise that it’s even available, we’ve been told for months that rim brakes are dead, never mind rim brakes and Di2.

Also, IIRC from the di2 manual, you can’t run the rim brake groupset with wireless shifters, so you will need to buy a couple more cables I reckon. That could be 75+ quid.

The blurb says it’s wireless, plus why would they make the rim brakes counterpart to a wireless disc group without wireless shifting?

(whispers) there’s also a rim brake Dura Ace 12 speed Di2 set.

Oh come on now!

Oh I’m terribly sorry! Just thought I would share my opinion on the two groupsets being discussed, seeing as I ride them both on a weekly basis. Also, with the thread title being ‘would you buy a new road bike with rim brakes?’ I answered that question at the same time (did you manage to infer that it was a ‘no’…?)

RE the wireless shifting – how should I know? Probably because Shimano CBA to design a whole other wireless rim brake shifter for the dozen people who still think rim brakes on road bike are a good idea? If you can be bothered to read the manual (like I mentioned) you will see that on page 13 it makes no mention of ST-R8150 being wireless. It also shows a diagram of fully wired bike with rim brakes.

https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/RAGN010/DM-RAGN010-02-ENG.pdf

The blurb says it’s wireless, plus why would they make the rim brakes counterpart to a wireless disc group without wireless shifting?

Aren’t the latest 12s rim brake shifters actually reskinned and reflashed 11 speed shifters, without the wireless capability?
There was talk about that when they announced it.

In the wet, sure, but I don’t see much difference in the dry.

There’s not even that much difference in the wet, unless it’s absolutely torrential and/or filthy. For 95% of my wet riding (which is less than 10% of my actual riding) there’s no discernable difference. (Aluminum rims, decent pads, decent calipers set up properly of course)

Well my alloy-rimmed Dura Ace and Record calliper-ed road bikes have stopped just fine in recent wet weather. The carbon rims have not been out in such nasty stuff! Be honest, the reason we REALLY like disk brakes is that the cables can be hidden further along their frame/fork path for a cleaner look (and it is a nice look, I will give you).

BTW, from basic aerodynamics, the drag loss from exposed cables is approximately 2 Watts per full metre in the wind. Don’t get too excited by that stem-channeled front hose.

Be honest, the reason we REALLY like disk brakes is that the cables can be hidden further along their frame/fork path for a cleaner look.

I really like them for the aforementioned elimination of rim wear, especially on carbon rims.

It’s amazing how many folk seem to prefer rim-braked bikes AND not ride when it might rain – same as a chap at work; 3 Ti rim braked bikes and will only ride if the forecast is rain-free.

We both live in Scotland…

Late to the party and haven’t read the full thread, but my wet weather bike is rim brake (I live in Sydney, so I can’t really call it a ‘winter bike’ – besides which it rains more here in spring & summer). It fits 28-30c tyres with mudguards, and 36c without.

I’ve just sold my last 3 sets of tubular wheels, but I won’t be buying a disc brake bike anytime soon. I’ve had 2 or 3 in the past and every time I rode them I questioned the need for discs, then got rid. Even in the wet on carbon rim brake tubulars, I don’t see the need – and it’s hilly here.

To each his own, but when I replace a road bike (unlikely any time soon, but still) I’ll be trawling the classifieds for the best rim brake deal I can find…

There’s not even that much difference in the wet, unless it’s absolutely torrential and/or filthy. For 95% of my wet riding (which is less than 10% of my actual riding) there’s no discernable difference

I don’t find that to be the case. A lot of winter riding involves wet, dirty roads even if it isn’t raining, and my discs do provide more consistent and powerful braking in those conditions.

It’s amazing how many folk seem to prefer rim-braked bikes AND not ride when it might rain – same as a chap at work; 3 Ti rim braked bikes and will only ride if the forecast is rain-free.

We both live in Scotland…

I see the opposite around here, the people with fancy new disc braked and e-geared road bikes are the ones who disappear into the garage in the winter to play on Zwift, and frankly I can’t blame them, I hated riding discs in winter conditions as that was when they were at their noisiest, and if I’d shelled out £thousands for electric gears I wouldn’t be dragging them through the salty wet all winter either!

>It’s amazing how many folk seem to prefer rim-braked bikes AND not ride when it might rain – same as a chap at work; 3 Ti rim braked bikes and will only ride if the forecast is rain-free.<

I took my rim-braked 2014 Giant defy to Lake Garda last summer, i got caught in the mother of all storms and pretty much lost all braking coming down a big hill due to water on the road (Before anyone asks – i’ve got Pacenti Alloy Rims and 105 brakes with OEM Shimano blocks) I think this day was what made my mind up that Discs were the way forward, even on a ‘summer best’ bike.

I’ve had a gravel bike with Discs for a number of years so knew the difference discs make when riding in the rain.

The Defy has now been retired to ‘very’ fair weather use and i’ll be choosing between a Gravel bike with full length guards (wet rides) or my new Basso disc road bike (slightly damp rides)

To answer the OPs original question – no i wouldn’t buy a new Road bike with rim brakes simply because there is so much more choice regarding groupsets, wheels, etc for disc braked bikes, and also a £30 Stainless steel disc is a lot easier/cheaper to replace than a whole rim when either component is worn out.

It’s amazing how many folk seem to prefer rim-braked bikes AND not ride when it might rain – same as a chap at work; 3 Ti rim braked bikes and will only ride if the forecast is rain-free.

Nah we’ve just got different bikes for when it rains.
Only one bike? Are you a peasant or something.