Sagan on Discs Except for the Roubaix Stage

[R3awak3n]

I don't think road bikes need discs BUT, the tech is there and is now good enough and anyone that tells me, I rather descend with calipers on carbon over discs on carbon... that guy never has used a disc bike.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

I'm confused by some of your posts. Do you ride tubeless tires or no?

Some people I ride with use tubeless tires, but after looking at their experiences (and hearing about others), I've decided that the hassle/benefit ratio doesn't make sense for my situation. (as a side note, I might also mention that in addition to standard clincher tires, I use tubulars in a few sitatutions, but here again, I find that the hassle/benefit ratio of tubulars doesn't make sense for most situations.)

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Dude

Regardless of whether disc brakes should be on road bikes or not (they should), Sagan can ride w h a t e v e r he wants. He's not riding discs because Specialized told him to, he's riding them because he's a great bike rider and finds discs perform better for reasons.

Are you sure that is the only reason?

In the past, bicycle product manufacturers have offered bonuses for riders that win races using specific products. These agreements are obviously to develop advertising opportunities, and are generally nto public knowledge. How can you be sure that there are no such bonuses being offered for riders who win using disc brake bikes? (Personally, I'd be more surprised if there aren't such agreements in place for the latest new bike introductions.)


(In a related comment: Olympic athletes often talk about wanting to win models for the glory of their country. What they don't mention is that the USOC and most other national Olympic committees also offer substantial cash bonuses for every medal won. For all top level sporting events, winning is about far more than just athletic glory - there's usually a big direct financial element as well.)

[ptourkin]

Most of Quick Step, including the lesser paid riders, have been on discs since spring. It did look like there was a change in the ToC that went slower than it should have because of neutral support but I don't know anyone who has ridden discs and then said they wished they were still on rim brakes. I'm sure one will chime in now, though.

[Dude]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Are you sure that is the only reason?

In the past, bicycle product manufacturers have offered bonuses for riders that win races using specific products. These agreements are obviously to develop advertising opportunities, and are generally nto public knowledge. How can you be sure that there are no such bonuses being offered for riders who win using disc brake bikes? (Personally, I'd be more surprised if there aren't such agreements in place for the latest new bike introductions.)

I'm not sure that's the only reason, but I think performance is the biggest motivation.

[BobO]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Some people I ride with use tubeless tires, but after looking at their experiences (and hearing about others), I've decided that the hassle/benefit ratio doesn't make sense for my situation. (as a side note, I might also mention that in addition to standard clincher tires, I use tubulars in a few sitatutions, but here again, I find that the hassle/benefit ratio of tubulars doesn't make sense for most situations.)

Around here there are enormous amounts of thorns and needles that wind up on the roads. A single Cholla needle will flat a tire. Most of my favorite rides are in the open desert where that's at it's worst, particularly after monsoons when the crap gets washed out onto the road. Sealants went a long way towards helping with that, but tubeless works better and rides better. Horses for courses I suppose.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Dude

I'm not sure that's the only reason, but I think performance is the biggest motivation.

Lol.

He's not some TT obsessive going out there buying his own parts or getting in super stealth Lightweights like Jan Ullrich for an uphill time trial to shave seconds.

1,000% he just rides whatever they give him.

[tommyrod74]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Lol.

He's not some TT obsessive going out there buying his own parts or getting in super stealth Lightweights like Jan Ullrich for an uphill time trial to shave seconds.

1,000% he just rides whatever they give him.

This might be 100% correct - I don’t pretend to know his actual motives - but it’s also true that discs perform better. The only drawback now is neutral support/speed of wheel change, and only at the levels where that matters.

[tommyrod74]

Originally Posted by ptourkin

Most of Quick Step, including the lesser paid riders, have been on discs since spring. It did look like there was a change in the ToC that went slower than it should have because of neutral support but I don't know anyone who has ridden discs and then said they wished they were still on rim brakes. I'm sure one will chime in now, though.

I’ve been on a Dura-Ace disc bike for 3 weeks now and wouldn’t think of going back if I had a choice.

[El Chaba]

Note that Sagan is not a GC rider, so the speed of wheel changes is not of the same importance....

[redir]

I think it's awesome!

Because now slightly older carbon tubular rim brake wheelsets can be found for a steal! Woo Hoo!

[saab2000]

I remember when indexed, then integrated brake/shifter levers, arrived. People balked because they said in the event of a crash you wouldn't be able to shift if the derailleur was knocked out of alignment and then people balked because they said they didn't need shifters integrated with their brake levers. There was resistance to clipless pedals by some folks too.

Today only a handful of holdouts (and more power to them) have eschewed these aforementioned developments. The only thing surprising about Sagan riding disc brakes at this year's Tour is that it didn't happen several years ago. Today's bikes have 11 gears in the back and soon 12, shift better than ever and are lighter and more aero than ever and I don't see anyone wishing they still had hot-foot syndrome with clips and straps.

This resistance to technological advancement by some folks is almost like it's 1990 all over again.

[David Kirk]

Thank you for this.

I'll add a little something and then go back info my hole.....for some reason all too many people are looking at discs on road bikes as either an all-good thing or an all-bad thing and they can't seem to grasp that they can be both good and bad at the same time. Compromise I call it. If something is more good than bad....use it. If not.....don't.

To those that think rim brakes will be removed from the market in a year and then civilized life as we know it will come to an end I'm calling BS. Rim brakes are going nowhere. Want a rim brake bike? Buy one. Wait a year and then buy one.....wait 5 years and buy one. One can still buy 5 speed freewheels and toe clips. I think the rim brakes are safe.

The whole chicken little/sky is falling aspect of this is a mystery to me.

As you were.

dave

Originally Posted by saab2000

I remember when indexed, then integrated brake/shifter levers, arrived. People balked because they said in the event of a crash you wouldn't be able to shift if the derailleur was knocked out of alignment and then people balked because they said they didn't need shifters integrated with their brake levers. There was resistance to clipless pedals by some folks too.

Today only a handful of holdouts (and more power to them) have eschewed these aforementioned developments. The only thing surprising about Sagan riding disc brakes at this year's Tour is that it didn't happen several years ago. Today's bikes have 11 gears in the back and soon 12, shift better than ever and are lighter and more aero than ever and I don't see anyone wishing they still had hot-foot syndrome with clips and straps.

This resistance to technological advancement by some folks is almost like it's 1990 all over again.

[weisan]

that's it, dave pal, let it out.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

Note that Sagan is not a GC rider, so the speed of wheel changes is not of the same importance....

That's right: For Sagan, on some stages the speed of wheel changes is less important than for GC riders, but for other stages, wheel change speed is even more important. On flat stages, if a GC rider gets a flat, they only have to catch up to the back of the peloton to get the same time as their rivals. But if Sagan gets a flat in the same stage, he has to not only regain the peloton, but then he has to have time to fight his back to the front of the race if he wants to get sprint points. I expect Sagan to be riding a disc brake bike on mountain stages (which aren't important to him), but riding a rim brake bike on several of the sprint stages (particularly the cobbled ones).