Travel Bike(coupled) with discs

[foo_fighter]

Travel bike users:
How much harder would it be to pack a bike with disc brakes(56cm road bike,700c) into the s&s box?
Would it be possible with hydros(if the lines are left longish and unhooked from the guides). Is there enough wiggle room the place the handlebars with the the lines still attached?
I'm assuming center locks would help if the discs need to be removed.

[DRZRM]

I looked at Bruce K's CX bike (or I guess technically his son's bike, but I think he has the same one) with hydraulic disc brakes, and they had a splitter in the line that allowed for easier packing up (it was not a coupled bike). Not sure how it worked but seemed like it would be a no brainer for a S&S bike. Electronic shifting could just be unplugged someplace, right? I think you would have to remove rotors to get it in, but I'm not sure.

Seems like it is all very doable.

Link to Formula version here (http://www.bikerumor.com/2013/03/04/frostbike-2013-formula-rips-your-brake-line-in-two-with-quick-disconnect-speedlock/), but I think Bruce's were SRAM.

I think they are calling it a connectamajig (https://www.sram.com/sram/road/technologies/connectamajig-sram-road) (names like that are just part of why I hate SRAM).

[gone]

The other issue might be the rotors. It's possible they'd need to be removed from the wheels prior to packing. Doesn't make it a deal breaker, just one more thing to do in disassembly/assembly.

[foo_fighter]

Yeah, I've seen the connectamajig, but it's rated life is only 3 or 4 connections. It's not meant as a "quick" connect more of a quick setup. It might be okay for travelling once or twice a year.

The formula speed lock looks interesting...



I think they are calling it a connectamajig (https://www.sram.com/sram/road/technologies/connectamajig-sram-road) (names like that are just part of why I hate SRAM).

[sand fungus]

I have a coupled Curtlo in a 58cm size and it has a disk brakes. To pack I have to remove the rotors which is a bit problematic as there is a light layer of wear and groves on the rotor and the pads that you can not get exactly aligned again which can make the brakes squeal. So I started taking along a bit of emery paper and sand down the disk and the pad slightly to avoid this problem, It probably adds 10min to the process. I have 6 bolt rotors and BB7 mechanical brakes, you may not have that problem with a centerlock rotor but I don't know. I have been eyeing the hydraulic disks but I have not seen a line splittter that would allow you to disconnect without having to bleed the system (good for more than 3-4 uses). If anyone knows of one I would love to hear about it.

[dogdriver]

Yeah, I had BB7's on my S/S bike for a while-- had to remove the rotors to get everything in the case. I swapped to rim brakes. Its on my to-do list to figure out a way to have discs on the travel bike (maybe a bigger case), be able to get everything in one bag, and keep the rotors on. Haven't gotten around to it...

[mhespenheide]

No personal experience, but redkiteprayer has a good article on a coupled travel bike with discs up right now.

http://redkiteprayer.com/2014/11/the-seven-cycles-airheart/

(That said, they went with cable-actuated discs rather than hydraulics.)

[etu]

i had to remove the rotors and detach the brake calipers from the frame. the brakes were bb-7 last time i did this. i would imagine you would have to do the same for hydraulic brakes. my last couple of times, i've just put the handlebars in the second checked bag which makes the whole s&s experience so much easier, but yes, it is sort of cheating.

[Ti_on_Steel]

You could always just do mechanical disks instead of hydro!

[etu]

You could always just do mechanical disks instead of hydro!

Not to start a thread drift here, but in my experience, the compromise from hydro to mechanical is pretty significant. After going from bb-7 to Hy/rd, the difference was huge. Aside from the improved power and modulation, it is so much quieter.

[572cv]

I have a retrofitted S&S 56cm Serotta Fierte, which travels in the hard case. Over time, I've figured out a more compact packing routine... which leads me to believe that there would be plenty of room for wheels with discs. The rear wheel goes in with the cluster side down, and the disc would fit nicely inside the upper frame half. The front wheel would have to be packed disc side down, I suspect.

The article about the Seven Airheart from RKP talks about the decision to use TRP Spyre SLC discs, which are mechanical. I'd suggest reading that to see if you agree or disagree with the logic, but I thought it was pretty well considered for his purposes.

One thing he said he had to do was to remove the fork from the headset for packing. Actually, if you have std caliper brakes, all you have to do is turn the fork around backwards, and it fits, without removing the stem, at least for a 56. With a disc set up, I guess it would work that way too.

My Fierte will handle a 28 tire, but that is, for the moment, about all I would use traveling, at least here and in France. I just have standard Ultegra brakes and group on the bike at present.

[gone]

which leads me to believe that there would be plenty of room for wheels with discs. The rear wheel goes in with the cluster side down, and the disc would fit nicely inside the upper frame half. The front wheel would have to be packed disc side down, I suspect.


I wonder if this would be true for a bigger frame e.g., a 60CM? I can pack my coupled 60CM in the S&S case but have never eyeballed it when packed to see if discs would fit. IIRC, it seemed pretty tight.

[foo_fighter]

Yeah, I've gone from BB7->Spyre and just ordered a front HY/RD. Since SRAM road discs and Shimano RS685 came out, I'd really like to go full hydro on the next build. I might go with 140mm rotors all around to save a bit of space, but I think I'll go for it.

[sand fungus]

I have not been able to keep the fork attached to the frame as it is just to tight with my 58 and I tried to keep the rotors attached but was not able to make it all fit. Maybe I just need to try harder:)

[DRZRM]

Not to cause too much thread drift, but this is one reason why I had my cross bike coupled. It's a 57.5 tt, while my road frames are closer to 59. I know people get 59 and 60s into their cases, but it seems like a lot of work. I can pack my IF with the fork in the frame. It's just fine on the road with a long stem (130) great on trails (within reason), its unpainted ti so it has held up very well at a travel bike (tobably about 20 flights on it now). I think it would be much harder to pack with disc brakes.