Why I'm going back to rim brakes for road.....

[KJMUNC]

And here I thought I was the only one…..OP has it right: sure they brake better, but for 99% of my riding in sunny SoCal, they’re completely unnecessary. Hence I sold my Factor O2 disc in favor of my rim brake Peg.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by KJMUNC

And here I thought I was the only one…..OP has it right: sure they brake better, but for 99% of my riding in sunny SoCal, they’re completely unnecessary. Hence I sold my Factor O2 disc in favor of my rim brake Peg.

My Addict then Race Shop Classic Team Dom rim/brake bikes got me thru 6-7 rears as main rides. The disc thing more gravel off road, but the few road disc I wish I didn't buy.

Now back to the RSL rim as #1 and probably staying there. Looking at an unused Helix pro Disc Road bike hanging I never use seems like wasted effort and money. Need to trade it for a good PU truck maybe.

I also like the Tomii Canti with the Pauls MiniMotos, talk about good brakes, great stopper, modulating etc etc... I ride it and wonder why I bother with discs. Especially since I can do a rim swap if brakes eat them up in 1/2 hour if same ERD rims.

I am not quite done with discs, but sure getting there. Not for MTB to be clear...

[Greyfox]

I agree that this is the main reason for the move to disc brakes.

The question for me is, how much worse carbon rims stop compared to a good alloy rim like a HED Belgium in its various incarnations?

Some say that the carbon rims with the textured brake track are quite good. But seeing that even with a great rim brake like the Dura Ace 9100 with an alloy rim stopping in the rain is greatly reduced, I’m hesitant to go to carbon rims with rim brakes.

Still, I can’t help but feel I’m losing something by not moving to carbon rims - lighter weight, stiffer wheel?

So, are the textured rims really comparable to an alloy rim? If so, I’ll stick to rim brakes on my road bike for awhile yet…

Originally Posted by offtheback

agree 100%. the way I see it, road disc was pushed because the industry had a problem with rim brakes and carbon rims.

[72gmc]

OP, that disc Kirk of yours caused me to have ideas. But the rim brake Hampsten that used to be yours is just so good for the riding I do. Discs would not be an upgrade.

[XXtwindad]

What's interesting about this thread is that the OP doesn't posit it in the usual binary "rim brakes good/disc brakes bad" b.s. that characterizes a lot of similar threads on the subject. The OP has made the journey, and states that disc brakes have their place. And they do, in my book.

Riding 38c tires with cantis in the dirt? No thanks. Disc brakes are superior.

But for pure road riding, I've gone on a similar journey as the OP. I'll never buy a road disc brake bike again. The modulation is better on long descents, but it's not worth the trade-off, in my opinion.

The moment that crystalized that thinking was during the descent of Gibraltar Road in Santa Barbara. The disc brakes were shrieking like crazy, but it was hard to tell over the racket of my i9 hubs and my own cursing and incantations. People definitely heard me coming.

The biggest advantage of disc brakes is the opportunity to run bigger tires. No production bike (that I'm aware of) will allow you to run 32c tires. If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a custom builder to build me a Ti or stainless rim-brake frame that could handle bigger tires and call it a day.

And one more thing: in general, rim brake bikes are much better looking than disc brake bikes.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Riding 38c tires with cantis in the dirt? No thanks. Disc brakes are superior.

IMO and in my case, not my Tomii Stampede Canti CX race machine with 40-700 gravel tires. I use more than the Boone Disc bike I may trade out. Not that it is better brake wise, as good. But kinda learned it is so good I will loose the Boone before I wear it and it looses value, but will be letting it go it is looking like.

So not in all cases to your post IMO, not trying to only be contrary.

That said, I only need enough brakes, not more than I need. But I am also a big guy on 58-60cm bikes and require real stopping power. I honestly find the Pauls Mini Motos on the Tomii fine for me, and the Boone R8k Di2 Hydro is my best disc setup on paper, certainly my most contemporary..

[merckxman]

I have been tempted but not gone to disc's for some of the aforementioned reasons. Also, with patience, fantastic rim bikes are available at terrific prices and I have picked up a couple.

[GOTHBROOKS]

Originally Posted by geordanh

Road discs in 10 years I think will be much better. Hopefully they've figured out a way to get much more distance between the pad and the rotors for more flexibility on wheel swaps, less rubbing, less annoying griding in wet, debris filled riding.

this has yet to happen in mtb world since the first disc brake was introduced i think its foolish to think its going to one day happen for their road counterparts.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

this has yet to happen in mtb world since the first disc brake was introduced i think its foolish to think its going to one day happen for their road counterparts.

Agreed

[robt57]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

this has yet to happen in mtb world since the first disc brake was introduced i think its foolish to think its going to one day happen for their road counterparts.

My old 29er with Juicy Avids still are as good as anything I've ridden, actually at top of heap for good performance. So where is the evolution to today's hydo MTB I wonder?

[tbike4]

Originally Posted by 72gmc

the rim brake hampsten is just so good for riding

^^^ bingo!!!

[rain dogs]

There are so many point/counterpoint aspects to this debate I won't bother adding to the pile.

I will say, however, from a strictly Industrial Design standpoint being able to easily and affordably replace your (consumable) braking surface indepedent from the integrity of the wheel/rim is so vastly more elegant/intelligent a solution it really does make rim brake tracks look like a terrible compromise.

*My road bike btw has rim brakes*.

*full disclosure it is 30 years old.

[Kirk007]

And to be clear I ‘m hedging my bets - i Hope they figure a way to improve road docs. I am reconfiguring the herd, hopefully downsizing although this plaçe makes that hard at times!

One bike incoming in 2023 will be discs to accommodate 650b x 42 wheelset as I find that to be a very versatile and fun bike


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[robt57]

Cleaning bike after wet rides a plus for discs of course.

A really wet rim brake rim brake ride sure gets messy thinking about. But your all road disc with 32+mm tirz for wet wet = good good.. Let's agree there...

[GOTHBROOKS]

being outside in the rain gets you dirty no matter what type of brake your bike has.