New Road Bike: Disc or no Disc

[John H.]

The reality is that a fast wheel change in an amateur road race is a fantasy. I raced category 1-2 races for many years- I can count on one hand the times that a wheel change got a rider back in the race.

Weight- maybe, but not likely. If your standard is 13 lb.- disc will not meet your standards. If your standard is 15 lb.- disc can make that.

Originally Posted by Mark McM

That's not the only disadvantage. The OP stated that this bike will be specifically for road racing. Therefore, another issue will be quick availability of spare wheels in case of a flat tire in the middle of a race. Do the races have mechanical support (wheel van)? Will there be a wheel available of the right type to fit your frame and brakes? A quick wheel change can save a race. A slow wheel change (or having to fix a flat tire due to a lack of wheel availability) can ruin a race. To ensure wheel availability, there's a good chance the OP will have to buy not just one new set of wheels, but two sets.

[chiasticon]

as others have said, buy based on what terrain and conditions you normally ride in.

don't worry about obsolescence for rim brakes. they aren't going anywhere. disc standards are sorta settling down; I'd actually be more worried about that obsoleting your disc bike, than with rim brakes disappearing any time soon. that said, most wheels are pretty adaptable these days, should whatever axle standard your disc frame is built with start to go away.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by John H.

The reality is that a fast wheel change in an amateur road race is a fantasy. I raced category 1-2 races for many years- I can count on one hand the times that a wheel change got a rider back in the race.

It is true that in road races it can be difficult to chase back to the pack after a wheel change - but it does happen. But even if a rider can't chase back into contention, at least they can finish the race. This becomes even more important in the case of stage races, where a rider must finish every stage (within a time limit) to continue.

Criteriums are different matter. If a wheel is available, it is very easy to get a wheel change within the time of a free lap, and be right back into contention. I've had the misfortune of have flat tires in several criteriums, and with a spare wheel available, I've easily gotten a spare installed with time to spare within the free lap period, and gotten right back into the race.

[Wayne77]

Originally Posted by John H.

The reality is that a fast wheel change in an amateur road race is a fantasy. I raced category 1-2 races for many years- I can count on one hand the times that a wheel change got a rider back in the race.

Weight- maybe, but not likely. If your standard is 13 lb.- disc will not meet your standards. If your standard is 15 lb.- disc can make that.

I've seen it 4x in 3 years. Maybe the wheel cars happened to be more adept in these cases.. in any case it's not just a matter of "getting back into the race". If you need a wheel and no one else checked a disc wheel in the wheel car that is closest (a lot of races I've done there are more than one) you're not even going to finish... I absolutely agree if you're going to race, go rim brake. Regardless, if you're someone who is always looking for incremental weight savings for your events with lots of climbing, then the weight penalty will matter.

This is just me, but discs offend my aesthetic sensibilities on race bikes...they just don't look right (my opinion)

But on any other bike, where you're looking for something that is your classic fast all arounder, gravel capable, city, cross, etc, I love the idea of discs, and think they look fine. Cyclists are a fickle lot...

[John H.]

Right- But with a truck bed full of various wheels it becomes a crap shoot anyhow- 10 speed, 11 speed, Campy, Shimano.
Is it wheels in, wheels out- Neutral, etc..

I still say that making new bike considerations based on ease of wheel changes in an amateur bike races is silly.

Originally Posted by Mark McM

It is true that in road races it can be difficult to chase back to the pack after a wheel change - but it does happen. But even if a rider can't chase back into contention, at least they can finish the race. This becomes even more important in the case of stage races, where a rider must finish every stage (within a time limit) to continue.

Criteriums are different matter. If a wheel is available, it is very easy to get a wheel change within the time of a free lap, and be right back into contention. I've had the misfortune of have flat tires in several criteriums, and with a spare wheel available, I've easily gotten a spare installed with time to spare within the free lap period, and gotten right back into the race.

[ltwtsculler91]

As others have said, it depends on wheels and conditions you'll be riding. If its your nice weather go fast bike, I'd be inclined to go rim breaks. They're lighter and you have a much bigger range of wheels and tires to choose from for racing

I was in the same situation last year with my No22. I had the option of doing a Reactor or getting one of the first of the new disc Aurora (this was before that bike was announced), and chose the rim brakes. I don't regret it on my nice day, go fast bike which is what it sounds like you're looking for. Carbon braking on new rims is really good in the dry, and not absolutely deadly if you get a quick bit of rain while you're out. If you have other and disc bikes in your stable, I'd go rim.

Granted for me, my next "all day/all weather" bike will definitely be disc, but it sounds like you're looking for a go fast.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Thrillho

Good points. I should add that I have another bike for the wet and I have a bike with 28s and another with 32s. So we're talking strictly road racing and training--although sometimes the racing may be in the wet.

Non...nothing is going to be obsolete anytime soon. Look at the peloton this year and next in Europe. Even tho discs were ‘legal’, few had them and not every team will in 2018. NON->Cheaper, lighter, easier setup and maintenance...in spite of those who say ‘discs do everything better’, that implies calipers are lacking somehow, soft, flexy, unreliable...and that’s not true. Plus the non levers look better.....

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by John H.

I still say that making new bike considerations based on ease of wheel changes in an amateur bike races is silly.

It's more a question of availability than ease. And for availability, all you really have to do is possess (and bring) your own spare set of wheels. Regardless of wheel type, a racer should always have a spare set of wheels (for a variety of reasons*), but as the OP was commenting about using his current set of (rim brake) wheels, I was just reminding him that if he went with disc brakes, he needs to invest in 2 new sets of wheels.



*Reasons why a racer should have a spare set of wheels:

Ability to preserve a set of good tires by training on the spare wheels.

Have a set of spare tires for the wheel van or pit.

Have wheels with different size cassettes ready for different course profiles.

(It would really suck to have a flat tire on the first stage of a 5 day stage race, and discover the wheel van had no wheels that fit your bike, and then not making the time cut that day so you couldn't race the next 4 days. While I don't know anyone who missed the time cut on the first day of a stage due to a flat tire, I do know people who missed the time cut for other mechanical reasons)

[biker72]

I've gone from 3 bikes with all rim brakes to 3 bikes with all disc.
Do I really need them???? I think on my travel bike for sure. On the other 2 probably not but I do like them.
I like the thru axles for perfect alignment of the disc every time I reinstall a wheel.

I really don't think rim brakes will be obsolete any time soon.

[msriddle]

I'm pondering/struggling with this right now. The Campy stuff is what has made me consider a disk bike.

I really can't come to terms with the asthetics of them. Plus with multiple bikes I enjoy the flexibility of being able to swap a wheel.

I'm definetly undecided.

[Peter P.]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

... use carbon rims? If so get the disc.
dave

That was going to be my criteria. With all the drama about special brake pads and reduced braking in the wet with carbon rims, this would be a good reason to run discs.

If you stick to aluminum rims then I say go with the cleaner look and easier maintenance (re: hydraulic) of rim brakes.

[FlashUNC]

Disc is, for better or worse, inevitable. Giant and Spesh are making disc only race models now that the UCI has brought them back into the peloton.

Give it two years, the whole peloton will be on discs, if solely because there won't be any choice from the manufacturers.

[adub]

We don't need to deal with quick wheel changes like the pro peloton.

I say definitely go disc!

[fogrider]

Originally Posted by msriddle

I'm pondering/struggling with this right now. The Campy stuff is what has made me consider a disk bike.

I'm definetly undecided.

Why Campy disc? I some pretty nice bikes in SF/Marin regularly, but I have yet to see a Campy EPS bike on the road...I'm sure there are some sneaking by me...

[beeatnik]

Disc brakes and $4000 wheels are so weird.

New for the sake of new.