Rim vs. disc - a frame build quarrel

[Greenlikeme]

So I have the opportunity to have a custom make frame and fork.

I’m coming from a s3 steel frame with a carbon fork.
1-1/8” straight. QR wheels. Short chain stays. A real go fast bike.

I am looking to do something with a 32c max tire.
Keep the responsiveness but would also like to take the bike out for 75-100 mile rides and not feel beat.
A rim brake steel fork would be more compliant bjt then I’m locked into one option if I want to switch to carbon later. Plus the additional things such as weather conditions, limited rim options for tubeless.

With Disc I’m either doing a heavier segmented fork with a tapered steered. Or carbon.


Any tips from recent custom builds?

[jtakeda]

For 32 max tire I’d do a rim brake bike.

I love both disc and rim but they have their place. Disc is nice for swapping wheel sizes, off road/wet riding and big tires.

I think for what you’re describing a medium reach or long reach brake or maybe even a bike built for Paul racers might be awesome.

Since you’re getting custom I would personally go for a bike made for mounted Paul racers and a nice steel fork.

This is coming from someone who just went custom disc but it’s because I wanted fatty tires

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Greenlikeme

So I have the opportunity to have a custom make frame and fork.

I’m coming from a s3 steel frame with a carbon fork.
1-1/8” straight. QR wheels. Short chain stays. A real go fast bike.

I am looking to do something with a 32c max tire.
Keep the responsiveness but would also like to take the bike out for 75-100 mile rides and not feel beet up.

A rim brake steel fork would be more compliant bjt then I’m locked into one option if I want to switch to carbon later. Plus the additional things such as weather conditions, limited rim options for tubeless.

With Disc I’m either doing a heavier segmented fork with a tapered steered. Or carbon.


Any tips from recent custom builds?

Not sure I completely understand your post. I would go rim brake, though. I know Whiskey makes a “road plus” (1 1/8) fork that can handle 35c tires. Lots of rims are tubeless nowadays.

Also, I’d like to defend “beets.” I think they’ve been unfairly maligned. Have you ever had Borscht? Cold, like it’s supposed to be? Yum!

[EB]

Going against the general tide of this forum of late, I know, but I’d go disc.

You’re paying for a custom frame, get something you will be actually be able to buy a new group and wheels for over the next several years.

The only real downsides for a steel frame are a slight weight penalty that doesn’t matter in the slightest and a slight stiffness penalty, especially for the fork. The latter can matter, depending on your body weight, but my modern steel disc bike is more forgiving than the Colnago Master build I had for awhile. Components matter too, and the frame is just one contributor overall to that equation.

I find the vogue for Medium Reach brakes here a little puzzling, but that’s just like, my opinion, man.

[p nut]

Originally Posted by Eli Bingham

You’re paying for a custom frame, get something you will be actually be able to buy a new group and wheels for over the next several years.

Not that I have any advice for going rim or disc, but you can pretty much get almost all new group sets with rim brake option. Even SRAM AXS. If you are worried about supply drying up, just get some spare parts now or an extra group set.

[Greenlikeme]

The only tubless rim brake I am aware of are velocity, boydAlta mount, and HED.
Other options?

I guess I’m hoping for a 12 speed shimano rim brake release!

[Greenlikeme]

Originally Posted by p nut

Not that I have any advice for going rim or disc, but you can pretty much get almost all new group sets with rim brake option. Even SRAM AXS. If you are worried about supply drying up, just get some spare parts now or an extra group set.

This is true!

[madsciencenow]

Originally Posted by Greenlikeme

The only tubless rim brake I am aware of are velocity, boydAlta mount, and HED.
Other options?

I guess I’m hoping for a 12 speed shimano rim brake release!

Pretty sure DT Swiss and campy have tubeless rim brake options as well. If you are willing to go carbon there are additional options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[elladaddy]

Not considering the rim constraints, I just got my first hydraulic disc brake road bike.

I had a Dura-Ace rim brake bike stolen and got DA hydro disc to replace it.

Many people say they are 100% satisfied with their rim brakes. My BR-R9000 brakes were stellar, the 2nd best braking bike I'd ever had (My MTB XT discs were best).

Ultimately I may decide discs are not worth it when I have to service them (though bleeding looks oddly satisfying on youtube but for now, my experience is performance wise, there's no comparison IMO.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by Eli Bingham

You’re paying for a custom frame, get something you will be actually be able to buy a new group and wheels for over the next several years.

That’s assuming we don’t see another change in axles, hub spacing or disc brake mounts. It’s easier to buy new wheels and components for a rim brake bike than it is a road/cross frame with post mounts and a 15mm axle. Road boost is already starting to creep it’s way into the market. At least with 130/100, qr, and rim brake, you have decades of parts to pick from.

I would probably go direct mount ee brakes. Not because it’s future proof or universal, but because it’s simple and classy. Anything larger than a 30-32mm tire and then I would lean disc. I wasn’t happy with medium reach brakes.

[Kirk007]

I've got too many of both. Both work fine and each have their tradeoffs.

I've concluded that for me, disc brakes for road size tires, and I think 32 are at the upper limit, again for me, are unnecessary on most of the rides I do. Riding all the time in Alpine environments where afternoon thunderstorms are a regular occurrence or riding all year long someplace where it is wet in winter/spring, then yes a disc brake road bike makes a lot of sense. But for dry weather, I don't find discs stopping me any faster or with more assurance than rim brakes, even rim brakes with carbon rims. Now I may brake a bit differently with both, but I stop when I need to.

If your looking for the lively response of a steel fork, I have found steel disc forks (ok I've only ridden one but it was made by Dave Kirk for his personal cross bike, so it was a pretty good one), do dampen that feel as they must be beefed up. Carbon forks - I tolerate both styles but don't have much affection for them.

Finally, if your only going to run one wheelset on the future bike, then discs are less of a user hassle than they may otheerwise be. If like me you like to run different wheels with different size tires, I find discs a bit tedious as I'm usually having to tweak the caliper placement so they don't rub.

I had a bike with Paul's centerpulls. They worked great for tires the size you are considering. You have to deal with the straddle though and on the rear might want to consider a custom cable stop if you go this route. I wasn't fond of medium reach Shimanos but that was a decade ago, maybe they've improved.

[Tychom]

I'm having a frame built currently that's steel, rim brake with a Ritchey carbon fork that's designed around a 30mm tyre, 32 at a push (with the right calipers). I decided against ever larger tyres and mid-reach as then there's other compromises to be made (geometry, fewer component choices)

But this is a dedicated summer bike at the family house in the mountains. Mostly good weather, fully mechanical & low maintenance, and keeping price/weight reasonable. Rim continues to be IMO a good choice there and I've plenty of spare parts in the bin.

However if I was having a similar bike built up for home (4 seasons with plenty of wet northern European months) then at this point I would have it built with disc brakes. The braking on my gravel bike with GRX hydraulic is noticeably nicer particularly in the wet than the braking on my rim brake bikes, smoother/less effort/more predictable. So I want that available on all my wet-weather rides. And there's lots of good wheel choices for larger tyres.

That's a round-a-bout way of saying it depends on the weather you're cycling in for me.

[zzy]

I'd also recommend direct mount rim brakes. If it's a go fast bike and you're not riding in rain and snow the simplicity of rim brakes makes sense to me. That said it's clear the industry has decided hydro disc is the future so your future group and wheels choices will be constrained. Since it's a custom you need to decide for yourself knowing the riding you do. But given your parameters I would take direct mount over med reach calipers or discs.

[KonaSS]

This is really simple to me. It is your bike, it is custom, so design it the way you want it. If that is rim brakes, go for it!

That said, ff you don't have a strong preference, I would go disc. That is where the market is going, that is where the new components and future development is going to be. There is very little downside to disc.

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by zzy

I'd also recommend direct mount rim brakes. If it's a go fast bike and you're not riding in rain and snow the simplicity of rim brakes makes sense to me. That said it's clear the industry has decided hydro disc is the future so your future group and wheels choices will be constrained. Since it's a custom you need to decide for yourself knowing the riding you do. But given your parameters I would take direct mount over med reach calipers or discs.

I agree with this.


Also who knows what the future holds. Rim brake might make a comeback sometime in the future.