Co-Motion ~ No more cantilever brakes for touring bikes?

[raygunner]

I was recently checking out Co-Motion for a new touring bike & noticed that disc brakes are standard on all of their touring bike options.

Just as a personal preference I wanted to stick with cantis for a road touring bike and was told my Co-Motion that while they can install canti brake mounts they'd have to grind off the disc tabs prior to painting.

Plus my local Co-Motion dealer said while they could do it I would have to source my own wheels since everything they had was disc ready.

Personally as a customer I'd appreciate the option for cantilevers especially after they're giving the customer a range of upgrade option from everything from S&S couplers, dynamo headlight, paint, ect.

Anyways, my question is if anyone has had experience with Co-Motion and having canti brakes installed on a disc ready bike?

And would there be any issues with grinding off disc tabs??

Thanks!!

[gasman]

Co-motion is here in Eugene. I'm sure they can build you a frame with mounts for cantis and no disc tabs. Sure they can do couplers, you'll just need to order a custom frame with what you want. I did about 8 years ago and a bunch of little things done.
Call them directly, PM me if you have trouble.

[AngryScientist]

That's disappointing and stupid. Discs may have their purpose, but a touring bike is not it. Or, at least not as the sole option.

[protorio]

this seems like just the beginning of the disc eclipse.

[palincss]

this seems like just the beginning of the disc eclipse.

apocalypse, more like

[Anarchist]

There must be a lot of margin in discs.

[benb]

Meh.. I'd use discs on a touring bike assuming someone showed me "road discs" with stopping power like that of MTB discs.

My experience has been I could probably ride all the way across the US and back on hydraulic discs and not have to touch the brakes once and they'd function perfectly the whole time.

Yah they are a PITA to fix if they do break, but the MTB ones just don't break compared to rim brakes.

I can imagine going with Cantis and having to adjust the brakes every night when I finished riding since they burn through pads quickly & change performance as the pad wears.

[Tandem Rider]

Why not have them add canti bosses and leave the disc tabs on? That way you have options down the road.

[joosttx]

Can discs handling prolong braking of full loaded touring bikes???

[Lewis Moon]

this seems like just the beginning of the disc eclipse.

I'm kinda pissed about this headlong rush into discs. It seems like a lot of bike companies are completely dropping any canti options. I'm just not sold on discs. This REALLY seems like the industry, rather than the customers, dictating the market.

[benb]

Can discs handling prolong braking of full loaded touring bikes???

That should be written, "Are there any currently available bicycle-specific disc brake systems that can handle fully loaded touring bicycles."

Discs can obviously do the job.. they can do fine for a 1000lb+ setup of rider + passenger on a loaded touring motorcycle and there isn't a whole lot of technical difference in the systems until you start talking about ABS & Linked brakes on the motorcycle.

It's just a question of whether or not there is an appropriately sized/specced system that mounts onto the right type of fork/frame.

Downhill MTB setups are almost certainly sized big enough for touring but maybe don't have the right mounting hardware?

[raygunner]

I'm kinda pissed about this headlong rush into discs. It seems like a lot of bike companies are completely dropping any canti options. I'm just not sold on discs. This REALLY seems like the industry, rather than the customers, dictating the market.

I'm not saying I'm upset but more befuddled why the customer isn't provided the option, especially when they offer so many options & upgrades.

Even Surly gives me an option of a Long Haul Trucker & a Disc Trucker.

[bicycletricycle]

I wouldn't buy a bike from somebody who doesn't want what I want in a bicycle.

If you want cantis, get a frame from a company who has options for cantis

[Mark McM]

That should be written, "Are there any currently available bicycle-specific disc brake systems that can handle fully loaded touring bicycles."

One unfortunate feature of loaded touring bikes is that they often place panniers right over the areas where the disc calipers would be, reducing air flow over the caliper and reducing brake cooling. So hopefully this would be taken into account when designing/testing fully loaded touring bikes with disc brakes.

[MattTuck]

My experience has been I could probably ride all the way across the US and back on hydraulic discs and not have to touch the brakes once and they'd function perfectly the whole time.

I read this first as you saying you could ride across the country and never have to use the brakes. I was like, "that would actually be pretty impressive... might as well just take them off and save the weight."

[Bradford]

I love my Co-Motion and and love the company, but if they have don't have cantis, you should go to Independent Fabrication. The Independence is a great bike.

[joosttx]

That should be written, "Are there any currently available bicycle-specific disc brake systems that can handle fully loaded touring bicycles."

Discs can obviously do the job.. they can do fine for a 1000lb+ setup of rider + passenger on a loaded touring motorcycle and there isn't a whole lot of technical difference in the systems until you start talking about ABS & Linked brakes on the motorcycle.

It's just a question of whether or not there is an appropriately sized/specced system that mounts onto the right type of fork/frame.

Downhill MTB setups are almost certainly sized big enough for touring but maybe don't have the right mounting hardware?

are these available specs spec'ed on touring bikes? I would be concerned with boiling the fluid on a prolonged brake effort.

[Lewis Moon]

I wouldn't buy a bike from somebody who doesn't want what I want in a bicycle.

If you want cantis, get a frame from a company who has options for cantis

I agree with the sentiment, but sometimes the bike has everything else you want. I LOVED my Raleigh Hodala. Loved it. I want an RXC (geared version) but they don't come in Canti.

[pdmtong]

I read this first as you saying you could ride across the country and never have to use the brakes. I was like, "that would actually be pretty impressive... might as well just take them off and save the weight."

thats funny. so did I

hey, CM saying no more canti is no different than giant going all in on 27.5 mtb in that mfg making a market share choice. their choice.

as biketrike says, dont like it? go somewhere else (or order custom)

[benb]

One unfortunate feature of loaded touring bikes is that they often place panniers right over the areas where the disc calipers would be, reducing air flow over the caliper and reducing brake cooling. So hopefully this would be taken into account when designing/testing fully loaded touring bikes with disc brakes.

This is so not a real problem though. The bike companies just need to hire away some engineers who've worked on cars or motorcycles where the airflow is more impeded AND you've got an engine heating everything up too.

I know there is someone like Hayes out there who already makes MTB brakes and also makes dirt/moto brakes and can easily figure this out. I honestly think the road/cross dependency on Brifters is hurting innovation here, although who knows what % of touring bikes have brifters.

I don't know though, the shimano ones I just tried seemed like it might have just been crappy long wear pads or something.

[pdmtong]

I honestly think the road/cross dependency on Brifters is hurting innovation here, although who knows what % of touring bikes have brifters.

Agree with this. I have six piston DH brakes on my full suspension tandem and can stop us (300# team) (traction allowing) with one finger down a 20% root rock stairstep.

[benb]

Agree with this. I have six piston DH brakes on my full suspension tandem and can stop us (300# team) (traction allowing) with one finger down a 20% root rock stairstep.

Right.. it might just be the companies that know what they're doing know they can't sell their product to roadies unless they also built a world class shifter into the lever.

My guess though is your DH brakes also use DOT fluid.. IIRC it seems most of the MTB brakes that are really good are on DOT whereas Shimano sticks with mineral oil. Who knows if that matters but DOT certainly handles temperatures far higher than you'd expect to see in biking.

[pdmtong]

Right.. it might just be the companies that know what they're doing know they can't sell their product to roadies unless they also built a world class shifter into the lever.

My guess though is your DH brakes also use DOT fluid.. IIRC it seems most of the MTB brakes that are really good are on DOT whereas Shimano sticks with mineral oil. Who knows if that matters but DOT certainly handles temperatures far higher than you'd expect to see in biking.

yes DOT in the DH (Hope Mono Ti). The SRAM XX and XO trail in the house also DOT and work great until air gets in. Pita to maintain. Wife's mtb is SLX - works great set and forget.

Shimano for disc all the way. They'll figure it out.

[raygunner]

So would an all disc platform be a decision based on margin, customer preference, engineering? Or would be it a combination of these & other factors?

[zennmotion]

Cantis stop my tandem just fine on hilly gravel roads. And get a Bruce Gordon.