2024+ Rim brake vs Disc brake catch-all

[Erikg]

My dad bought one of those mountain bikes from the early 80's new craze, he didn't ride it much so I did. Mountain biking is such a young sport compared to road bike/racing and its storied history and culture.

It's funny that I'm so accepting of new tech when it comes to mountain biking. Over the years, adding suspension, than disc brakes, than better susp pivot locations, than carbon fiber, than amazing geometry revelations, than tuned suspension. I have to say, where mountain biking has come compared to the 80's Schwinn MB my dad had is profound. there were some oddities along the way. For example, I would never buy a lefty fork, but I truly look forward to the new tech and the future in mountain biking.

In road biking not so much. I have a different attitude towards it. I don't appreciate my carbon disc road bike compared to my old steel one even though it's clearly a better bike. It's weird that for me, it's okay to feverishly embraces the future for MB, whereas for road it's not that okay....weird!

[AngryScientist]

Since there is a new rim vs disc brake thread created every week, usually with a slightly different flavor on page 1, which devolves into the same comments over and over and over, this thread will serve to catch them all.

I will merge as appropriate.

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by mattsbeers

That is just not true. Your perception of speed and your actual speed is very different. Going 55mph in an old Beetle “feels” fast. It’s not. Going 120mph in a new BMW suv feels like nothing. Feel and speed are not equal.

You know.... I only commented on your post because it's B.S. to speak for everyone as if what you are saying is fact. And now you are plain saying my Garmin recorded bike logs are "not true" Do you even realize how silly that sounds to me, LOL!

So you know more than my Garmin.

Funny thing is my recorded data is backed up by something GCN just noticed while testing some stuff using Pirelli's lab. Of course what they saw doesn't explain what's happening in real life. And real life riding is all that matters to me. Not what the Industry says, not what you say, and not even what I say. I just can't ignore what my bike logs say.

Heck I have nothing against bigger tires or Disc brakes, etc. I loved the move in most cases from 23 to 25mm tires. I've got bikes (not road though) running disc, I've got tires on bikes up to 50's . I even keep playing with the 30mm setup on one of my road bikes trying to find this speed and feel gain.

Hell, I'm chasing every gain I can find this year after things not turning out as well as hoped with my 2nd knee replacement. I'd love to see fatter tires give me free speed at a feel level I enjoy.

I'll even concede that comfort and feel are perceptions but recorded speeds over the same route I use day in and day out don't lie. No matter what you state as fact.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Since there is a new rim vs disc brake thread created every week, usually with a slightly different flavor on page 1, which devolves into the same comments over and over and over, this thread will serve to catch them all.

I will merge as appropriate.

This is hilarious! Was going to say half the postings are more like meta discussions on the nature and evolution of rim/disc threads.

And while you are at it maybe we need a skinny/fat tire one too

[Wunder]

Originally Posted by mhespenheide

If you want simplicity and bigger tires, I can suggest modern medium-reach brakes, good canti's, or even Paul Racer centerpulls. All of them are great. All of them will lock up your wheel if you want to.

The limitation on braking isn't the brakes.

I have bikes with all three of these, they work well and happily clear a 32-38mm tire. Most of my bikes are rim. My gravel bike however is SRAM hydro disc and Hardtail MTB is also hydro disc and makes sense in those applications. Best braking performance and feel of any bar none is my Cervelo R3 with Ultegra 8000 side pulls, PEO ceramic coated alloy rims, and Swiss Stop BXP pads, clears a measured 30mm tire fine.

[Elefantino]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Just for a bit of perspective -
Remember that the bread and butter of many bike shops are city and cruiser/hybrid bikes in the $500 - $700 range.

We really don't make much on those; the margins aren't great. (Although better than they are for e-bikes.)

You're seeing more and more rim brakes on hybrids in that range. (You're also seeing fewer and fewer bikes priced in that range!)

[prototoast]

My wife is not nearly the bike enthusiast I am, and certainly would struggle to keep up with others here in a conversation about bike tech. She only got into riding bikes because of me, but I've tried to equip her well, and she had a variety of rim and disc brake bikes.

Yesterday we went out for a ride together, and she was riding her Colnago C59 with rim brakes. Her back was bother her, so she suggested we pull over so she could stretch it, and this was right when we were near the local Trek dealer. We decided to stop there so she could stretch, and I could peruse if they had any good deals going on.

One thing led to another and she ended up test riding a new Trek Domane. She really liked it a lot, and we left without buying it, but discussing whether or not we should. As part of the discussion of whether or not to buy the Trek, she wasn't sure if it was worth the money given her other bikes, and put out the suggestion that we could sell the Colnago to fund the Trek.* Her response was something to the effect of "no, I really like the Colnago, I don't want to sell it. Actually, do you know what the one thing I don't like about it is? I wish it had disc brakes. If it had disc brakes I'd never sell it."

Just thought it was a funny anecdote to add to the pile, with the perspective of someone who is not nearly as invested in bike equipment as many of us.

*I know for some here effectively trading a Colnago for a Trek is sacrilege, but objectively the Colnago is not a great fit for her. The frame is too long and low for her position, so she uses a 70mm stem and Specialized Hover bars. She also had back problems so a stiff frame with 25mm max tire size isn't ideal. But there's also something about the sensations of riding that bike that really connects with her, which speaks to the fact that ultimately when you're riding for smiles, you never know what kind of bike your body will connect with.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

We really don't make much on those; the margins aren't great. (Although better than they are for e-bikes.)

"Bread and butter" was probably not the right phrase for these bikes - "highest volume" is closer to what I meant. Maybe not the absolute highest volume of all bike types, but still a hefty proportion.

[cash05458]

always preferred natural over latex sheath via the member...but sure, let's hear it for far better braking on mostly flat roads... speed the plow via age, weight et al right?

[Elefantino]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

"Bread and butter" was probably not the right phrase for these bikes - "highest volume" is closer to what I meant. Maybe not the absolute highest volume of all bike types, but still a hefty proportion.

Highest volume, yes, by far. Close second: one-up-from-entry-level MTBs. At the bottom: road bikes. (Although we did sell a Tarmac this week!)

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

Seems that the gist of the debate is whether, in fact, disc brakes represent progress for road bikes (decidedly so for bikes that go off-road). Personally, even as a pretty fast descender braking has never been a problem for me, and I prefer the simplicity of rim brakes, so it's not progress for me, but I recognize that for others disc brakes offer more confidence.

I feel the same about road tubeless.

I think disc brakes, like a lot of bike 'stuff', 'evolved' from mountain bikes. Real advantage there, MTB...able to still have brakes in the muck, mire and mud. Wack a wheel and still have brakes..BUT, except for 'GRoad' riding, neither of these things really apply to a leisure time road bike...

But, these more expensive, heavier and more complicated things on road bikes are here to stay. The bike manufacturers will make sure of that, whether you like it or not.

[merckx]

Disc brakes evolved on road machines for the following reasons:

Address the heat challenges of rim brakes with carbon rims.

Address the decreased braking power when using rim brakes with wet plastic rims.

Address the space challenges when using larger volume tires with rim brakes.

Address the stagnant sales of bicycle equipment with the introduction of must-have technology.

[merckx]

I prefer using rim brakes.

[jet sanchez]

I’m only interested in disc brakes because I ride through Toronto winters and I think that decent hydraulic disc brakes will be beneficial to me

I’m thinking about a Cervelo Caledonia with 105

I like the Caledonia because it has fender mounts

[thwart]

Originally Posted by merckx

Disc brakes evolved on road machines for the following reasons:

Address the heat challenges of rim brakes with carbon rims.

Address the decreased braking power when using rim brakes with wet plastic rims.

Address the space challenges when using larger volume tires with rim brakes.

Address the stagnant sales of bicycle equipment with the introduction of must-have technology.

Agreed.

And the last point is where the truthful (IMO) original title of this thread came from. They did indeed win.