what tempted you to go disc road?

[jimcav]

I rode for 2 years up in Puget Sound, either in the rain or on wet roads; probably 58% of my comminuting to work was soaked (I did it year round). I had 10-12 bikes coming and going during my time there (yes, a bit of a problem searching for the next great thing, irresistible forum deals, coping with SAD, etc.), and all were rim brakes and mostly I was on carbon wheels. I also did mtb up there and never once wished for disc brakes on the road.

It is raining again today, so my plan to get out to MTB will wait. I've come full circle from my HS nishiki Tri-A, in that I have nothing I ride but steel. An old 70's Masi, because 'Breaking Away' inspired me as child. My 1st "top" road bike, a 92 serotta coors light replica is in storage in my parents' (now sister's) old house, a Kirk terraplane, and recently acquired '06 Vanilla (which I'm still trying to figure out a bar to dial in fit). I do have a Ti Black Sheep f/f/hs I haven't parted with, even though it is too low for me now with cervical radiculopathy that has developed. I may try a spec. hover bar, and think maybe my son will use it as a stealth SS in college in a few years.

what made you go N+1 to road disc (not gravel/adventure as I have no gravel or any significant fire roads near me--there is one accessible SDGE utility road near, but it is so rutted/eroded by rains that even on my MTB it can be tricky)

I really have zero interest in a disc road bike per se, but, sitting here as rain rolls in, I have been on the forum and the internet and two things have jumped out at me that maybe didn't really have to be disc only, but are only available with disc due to market forces/issues:

-- a 1x system like Ekar
-- and equally if not more interesting a 1x with 2x capability present in the classified cycling powershift hub:
https://www.classified-cycling.cc/products/road

anyone use the power shift hub? I'd love to hear about it. And of course more general thoughts on what led you to go disc road. Hard to imagine better bikes than what I have, but the idea of new things that simplify the experience (i.e. no FD was something I really ended up loving for MTB, shifting under load on etap or di2 was cool, and I still hope to try a gearbox MTB one day).

[Turkle]

I went disc road because frankly that's what all the new frames are.

In my experience, disc road is incredibly great when it's working well and is incredibly frustrating and time-consuming when it is not. Mechanical discs require a lot of fussing, and since I don't bleed brakes I'm unable to even properly service my main road bike that uses hydro discs.

I just built up a rim brake frame and it's so simple and works so well, I'm wondering why I ever messed with discs.

Of course, I really don't ride in the rain any more and I live in a very flat area. So those that do a lot of mountain descents in the rain likely love discs!

[bshell]

I would never deny the experience someone has had with a product (of any kind) but I'm mystified by many of them. As long as one buys a well designed product I'm not sure what there is to fuss with?

Occasionally I'll turn the adjustment dials to advance my sintered metallic pads...which seem to last a looong time.

Recently I had a young mechanic (quite smart and a talented rider etc. etc.) talk about all of the "points of failure" on mechanical disc and I just didn't get it.

As for the original question, if I get a new bike it will be disc because there are lots of hills where I live. And while it will be overkill for the dry days it should make things much safer in the rain. Which has been constant for 2023.

[mhespenheide]

I moved to Seattle, and the only commercially-available frame that fit 28's and fenders came with disc brakes. And it rains a lot here. And hey, N+1!

But yeah, I'm now obsessing over a 650b + fenders + rim brake bike.

[jimcav]

but disc for rain not so much. It would have to be pretty hilly to me for it to matter, or maybe a truly horrible intersection. I rode year round up in Kitsap county and had no issues on carbon rims, but no fenders, so wiped my bike down after each ride and hung my wet, often gritty covered kit to dry at work so it would be dry-ish for the ride home.

I'm now at more years MTB'ing with disc than on v-brake, and they are easier to modulate and do make it safer for me on tricky descending. I never felt braking was an issue on roads, but never went over 51mph. My biggest descents were off Mt Washington (WA state) and Mt Figueroa (which had snow and slush up top) and Mt Palomar, and the only think that made me nervous was motorists apexing turns on Palomar.

I guess the ship has sailed, but sad to see everything disc. At least I've found some other things to pair with disc like the 1x drivetrain and the powershift hub to bring a new experience to riding.

[deluz]

I have two rim brake bikes, one steel and one carbon.
I am considering a new disc bike to have the latest and greatest including 12 speed and room for at least 28mm tires. But when I look at the price and weights I wonder if it is worth it. My steel bike is custom, fits me really well, takes wide tires and I really enjoy riding it. It weighs 18 lbs which is on par with a new carbon bike that costs $5K. The one I am most interested in is the new Cannondale EVO 4. I would have to test ride to even think about if it is worth it. As far as the braking it doesn't matter to me because I don't ride in the rain, but disc does have the advantage no brake track on a carbon rim to worry about.

[rnhood]

I haven't gone disc yet, because I only have 85K miles on my 7900 equipped Tarmac. But I do think that I will go disc on my next bike, which should be soon. I think disc are better on the long descents in the mountains. And, more and more bikes are being made to accomodate discs. I still like riim brakes a plenty, but will likely be on discs with my next bike. I just hope the bugs are worked out for road bikes, and they operate as flawlessly as my 7900 brakes.

[lavi]

I did road disc for 2 reasons:

1) My Hampsten is for 700x35 and 650x42 or whatever else I happen to be feeling. So disc.

2) Most nifty new bikes only come disc (Crux). So disc.

[robt57]

I did it to try because of a Lynskey stupid sale. Helix Pro with a ENVE fork for 1250.00. The fork was a free upgrade after some squeaky wheeling on delayed [very] Lynskey fork they already had charged me for with no idea of when they could ship.

I've since bought a rim brake bike I use mostly that is 2 years older.

Probably sell it off this season. Not here now that I have disclosed how much I paid.

[jimcav]

I admit I saw a nice looking scott something last week--maybe an addict, but unless I read great things about the classified cycling powershift hub, the next great thing I may try is having OP or someone similarly skilled move Ekar guts into another campy shifter so I can run a 1x13 rim brake build on my Kirk.

[Heisenberg]

Got my first disc road bike in 2014.

Being able to get almost full braking power from the hoods was the big draw. I like riding my road bikes on dirt. Riding rough/technical terrain from a higher position with full control of the bike was huge.


Ymmv.

[bmeryman]

Originally Posted by jimcav

having OP or someone similarly skilled move Ekar guts into another campy shifter so I can run a 1x13 rim brake build on my Kirk.

Count me as interested in this if there’s some way it could work! I’m keen on the exact same setup.

[Coffee Rider]

The main reason I went to disc brakes was for better stopping power and peer pressure from spending a lot of time riding with someone who was already a convert. I don't notice much of a difference on flats, but on hills I can (or at least think I can) feel better stopping power, which is something I really appreciate since I have a low risk tolerance for going downhill. I also like being able to run bigger tires too. The largest any of my rim bikes can take is 28mm, which is certainly enough, but 32mm is even better if you aren't really worried about being more aero I feel like there's a significantly higher PITA factor when it comes to dealing with discs, but to me it's worth it. Plus, I still ride bikes with rim brakes. FWIW, I ordered a lugged steel rim brake bike after already owning a disc.

[Coffee Rider]

Originally Posted by jimcav

-- and equally if not more interesting a 1x with 2x capability present in the classified cycling powershift hub:
https://www.classified-cycling.cc/products/road

anyone use the power shift hub? I'd love to hear about it. .

The U.S. distributor for classified is local and a friend, so you could go to the office and check it out if you'd like. PM or email me for the contact information. I haven't personally used it, but several other friends and were very impressed.

Somehow I didn't know about all of these cool bikes when we were neighbors. I just really remember the one (Litespeed, I think) you put on your roof rack, which I always thought was unfair to both the bike and the car.

[Gabeah]

What tempted me to go disc was the amount of long descents my nearly 200 lb ass would be doing between 8-14%.
This is in no way a flex, just some quality mountain roads I tend to visit. Carbon doesn't like the heat those numbers may produce.
Discs handle them better and with much more confidence.
Braking power in these extremes is not only noticeable but almost renders rim brakes a bit dodgy (for what I've experience at least).

I think the tribalism is justified since there are very understandable use cases for each brake type,
Mine just happen to be disc. Rain in my area isn't too bad but that can also be a factor.