2024+ Rim brake vs Disc brake catch-all

[jtbenson]

Originally Posted by Nomadmax

As someone who has seven steel frame, rim brake road bikes; it isn't disc brakes. It's what disc brakes allow, good tire width/size. I ride my modern ti disc brake bikes more than all my old stuff because the roads are getting worse by the day.

^truth^

no roads where i live have been maintained to the same standard or better over the last decade. i drive my sports cars less and my truck more; ride my rim brake bikes less and disc brake bikes more, the latter with ever-increasing tire width and decreasing pressure---primarily due to the apocalyptic road conditions. it's like all the local municipalities have collectively decided "well everyone drives around in trucks or atvs anyway, we might as well make their drives an entertaining challenge".

[charliedid]

The brakes are not the bike.

[gravelreformist]

If the industry 'won' by giving people what they want, I fail to see how that's a bad thing. Disc brakes are considerably more consistent in performance than rim brakes, while maximizing choice in tire size.

I have fully modern road bikes with both rim and disc. The rim bike works fine in good conditions, but if I'm riding hard or racing, especially in the mountains and/or when wet, I'm choosing the disc bike every time and it's not even close.

[jasflyfisher]

This thread must be using rim brakes. If it was using discs, it would have stopped by now.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by jasflyfisher

this thread must be using rim brakes. If it was using discs, it would have stopped by now.

winner

[JMT3]

Have both and like both. In California where I do my most of my climbing and descending I keep a rim brake bike only and it works fine. It’s components are SRAM Rival 10 speed shifters. I-Link brake cables, SRAM Red calipers with Avid salmon pads with a set of Mavic Kyrium SL wheels. (Alloy rim) Bike is a Specialized Tarmac SL2 that I picked up cheaply, used, from there and was barely ridden.

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by Big Dan

LP's > 8 tracks > Cassettes > CD's > LP's.

I hope that 8-tracks remain in the nostalgic circle of audio love, as someday I’ll find an unwrapped version of Iron Maiden’s self titled tape.

[merckxman]

I see alot of people new to road cycling that don't even know what rim brake bikes are, don't see them in stores around here.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by gravelreformist

If the industry 'won' by giving people what they want, I fail to see how that's a bad thing. Disc brakes are considerably more consistent in performance than rim brakes, while maximizing choice in tire size.

I have fully modern road bikes with both rim and disc. The rim bike works fine in good conditions, but if I'm riding hard or racing, especially in the mountains and/or when wet, I'm choosing the disc bike every time and it's not even close.

They only gave those that wanted disc brakes what they wanted. They took away choice for everyone else.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by reuben

I must have missed a few threads. Is there some controversy regarding rim and disc brakes?

At this point I find the whole disk vs rim brake argument exhausting. Bikes change... people need to get over it. When I started riding we had friction down tube shifters, pedals with clips and straps, 10 gears etc, etc. Some things the industry came out with died on the vine; Biopace, the Browning transmission? Some were clear improvements and stuck around. I have a rim brake bike and one with disk brakes. The improvement is not monumental but appears enough to relegate rim brakes if not to history then to more of a niche market.

Tim

[djg21]

Originally Posted by redir

Disk for cyclocross and MTB allow you to charge the corner and slow down fast to make it through but if you are doing that on a road bike you are riding wrong. They are marginally better in the rain though and allow you to continue with a bent rim. Call me crazy but if I pull my front rim brake tight I'll flip over the bars just like I would on a disk brake bike. I've ridden both on the road here in the mountains of VA and occasionally in CO and I personally see no real difference except for the annoying sound as mentioned.

I still have rim brakes on my road bike, but am not a Luddite and look forward to having disc brakes on my next road bike that I’m about to order. My rim brakes stop fine, but the brakes on my gravel bike perform far better, especially in wet conditions. As to noise, I keep my rotors true and clean and use quality pads, and don’t have issues.

Putting aside brake performance, disc brakes have allowed wheel and tires technology to develop, and wider rims and tires to be used. I don’t see this as a bad thing.

I haven’t had issues with noisy discs. I keep the rotors true and clean, and use good DT Swiss brake pads.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by merckxman

I see alot of people new to road cycling that don't even know what rim brake bikes are, don't see them in stores around here.

Lucky for them.

[mdeth1313]

Why not switch over to what a waste of money it is to make your bike as light as possible?

What works for one person might be completely different than another person.

Think of it as a bonus - you can probably pick up some used high end rim brake frames for a lot less money.

[saab2000]

Is this seriously yet another whiny thread about disc brakes? Time to move on. Ride what you like and don’t worry about what others ride.

[Hilltopwalters]

Originally Posted by saab2000

Is this seriously yet another whiny thread about disc brakes? Time to move on. Ride what you like and don’t worry about what others ride.

old men and clouds.