Future of Rim Brakes

[one60]

you'll get the gamut of replies on this topic...my 2 cents...

IMHO, direct mount brakes are an improvement over the traditional center-post mount calipers. I have discs on my gravel/all-road and Campy DM's on a road bike with Bora wheels. Out on the road, the braking is not substantially better wrt modulation. Perhaps the force required is lower for the disc but that benefit alone (for me) doesn't justify the added complexity.

[herb5998]

I think the DM brakes look good on the C64, and if you can, get in the Mapei paint scheme! That will be timeless.

[David in Maine]

If you're only choosing disc brakes for future proofing, it's still a gamble. Who knows if the current disc brake and TA standards will last for long. Rim brakes have been around for so long, I doubt replacement parts will completely disappear unless you must have the current top shelf stuff. Choose based on what you prefer now and ride the bike you love.

David

[JoB]

I'd get disc brakes. I'd much rather change a rotor than a rim, braking in wet conditions isn't compromised (esp. on carbon rims), it's a cleaner system overall.

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by David in Maine

If you're only choosing disc brakes for future proofing, it's still a gamble. Who knows if the current disc brake and TA standards will last for long. Rim brakes have been around for so long, I doubt replacement parts will completely disappear unless you must have the current top shelf stuff. Choose based on what you prefer now and ride the bike you love.

David

I had similar thoughts about the wisdom of trying to "future proof" a bike by specifying disc brakes. Aren't they still evolving and aren't some of the early disc systems already considered obsolete?

[elladaddy]

I recently was in the exact same situation as you. I didn't belong to either of the passionate Church of Disc or the zealous Church of Rim.

I used to have a Look 585. It had Dura-Ace calipers and carbon rims. They were squeaky and smelly but I loved them and the braking power was incredible. Only one finger needed drag the brakes and maintain speed. Only two fingers for a full stop. And yet I never found them grabby.

Then in November I had a garage break in and the Look was one of the bikes stolen.

As replacement, I also decided to future proof. More and more wheel manufacturers don't make rim versions of their wheels. More and more manufacturers seem to not have rim versions of some models.

So I got a C64 with DA discs in Jan. First couple of rides took some getting used to. I now needed two fingers to scrub, three for a full stop. But already I like them much more than my DA calipers. The power does not come on nearly as quickly, which is actually reassuring. With a harder pull, the same full power is there as the calipers. Probably there's more power, most sources say so, but I haven't needed it.

What I have enjoyed—I'll side with the disc brake church here—is that the delivery of power is so smoother and more controllable. It's silky. It's a revelation.

[elladaddy]

I will say that they are more fiddly than my calipers. It's an easy adjustment to stop rub on the calipers.

First ride of the C64 and my disc calipers started rubbing. I realigned when I got home and it's been fine since. And the realignment isn't *that* much harder than a rim caliper adjustment, but I expect the discs to be more temperamental maintenance wise (not even considering brake bleeding etc).

As an FYI, in this process I've test ridden many bikes with Ultegra. I'd prefer to run Ultegra—I'm not nearly strong enough for a DA logo on my bike—and while I've found nothing that says there's any difference between 7K, 8K or 9.1K brakes, I found the DA brakes to *feel much better. The Ultegras were fine though and overall stopping power seems the same. DA just silkier. I might switch to ST-8000 and stick with my DA calipers/rotors and see how that feels.

[elladaddy]

As for the C64, it's great. Light and stiff at the BB.

It's not quite inspiring enough to deserve as many gasps and ooos and ahhs it receives (by me as well), but I enjoy riding it. I'd happily post a longer review if you're interested and/or unable to test ride one.

[GParkes]

So, I have heartedly tried to sell this C-59 for a family member. I mentioned to him that people now want gravel bikes, and disc brakes, so market was a bit soft.......... Anyway, I bought it from him despite it being rim brake and 10 speed Dura Ace. It arrived Friday in showroom condition. When weather brakes....

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attac...1&d=1612468674

[lavi]

All I know is that this thread makes me itchy for a Colnago myself!

I will be honest though, as much as I do like rim brake, I'll keep that to my "retroish" (if it's even fair or accurate to say that) steel bike. I'd like to see the manufactures follow where Specialized went with the Aethos....a road race bike with room for 32s. I'm fine with discs in this application.

Think about it: a C64 with 32s/disc, an F10 with 32s/disc....you see where I'm headed.

[robertbb]

Originally Posted by saab2000

This is sort of funny when people think Colnago is all super traditional. Teams sponsored by Colnago have long used Japanese components, both Shimano and Suntour. And Colnago was, IIRC, the first of the 'traditional' major brands to offer a disc brake bike.

I think they are far more progressive in bike design than people imagine.

That said, I'd probably go with rim brakes because it's what I'm used to but someday this will be like clipless pedals or downtube shifters (friction no less) or steel in the pro peloton (which ain't coming back) or quick releases on wheels, which are going to go away as well.

Nothing wrong with liking Colnago, but they're forward thinking there, not retro at all.

Just for fun, here's a pic of the first branded Colnago bike to win the GC at the Tour. Still with rim brakes on this one and QRs on the hubs.

Full Campy and Rim brake... but not the C series ;-)

[Team Murray]

I have both and I created an apples-to-apples comparison for C64 rim versus C64 disc. Here is my review I sent to the team principle of Team Novo Nordisk.


I wanted to give you some feedback on the C64 disc versus the C64 rim brake. I built both bikes to almost the same exact spec.

Disc vs. Rim brake
Frames: C64 disc vs. C64 rim
Groupset: Both are using SRAM Red 11sp etap.
Brakes: SRAM flat mount HRD vs. Dura Ace direct mount
Wheelset: Campy Shamal Ultra DB vs. Campy Shamal Mille (ceramic coating)
Post and Seat: same, C64 post and Fizik Arione CX
Bars: FSA Metron Trimax 4D, 44cm
Stem: Colnago integrated cable stem (120mm -8d) vs. Easton EA90 (120mm -10d)
Pedals: same Look Keo HM
Tires: Same, Vittoria Corsa Graphene 700x28
Weight (with cages) 17.5lbs vs 16.6lbs
The DB C64 is about 500g more due to the heavier levers, having rotors, and differences in weight in the braking calipers.

The feel.
The DB C64 feels more solid/heavier in the front end due the lever weight and rotor. It also feels "more solid/heavier" also because the levers are just bigger/chunkier than normal levers.

Braking is better, but, with aluminum rims, I did not have an issue. My rim brake C64 already had the best rim braking possible (direct mount DA calipers, ceramic coated Campy rims, and non-compressible brake housing). I can see if I was comparing it to a rim brake bike with carbon wheels, the disc brakes would be a huge improvement.

Either way, both bikes are great. The frames are identical in feel. 500g difference doesn't really matter to me. What actually matters to me is that the rim brake levers are smaller/thinner and fit my hands better.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lavi]

Originally Posted by Team Murray

I have both and I created an apples-to-apples comparison

I have a new hero. And it is you. Bravo (slow clap)!

[mike_b]

The bike on the left definitely looks faster.

[R3awak3n]

the rim brake looks better not just because smaller levers and rim brakes but also because the front wheel is not the g3 which is just not attractive.