dkyser

I know this topic is beaten to death, but asking in the clyde forum in case being over 250 changes anything.

Getting ready to pick up a Cannondale Synapse and lbs only carries rim brake models, says its what they sell. I can order a disk brake model or get a good deal on a rim brake model. I can basically move up from a 105 to a Ultegra by taking rim brakes.

Seems its the way to go now days but how about for us clydes, any reason to go with rim brakes?

I do not ride in bad weather, and if I do would take my disk brake AWOL.

cyccommute 

The question you need to ask is "is there any reason to go with disc brakes?" As a lifetime clyde who mountain bikes, tours, rides in the winter, isn't afraid of rain, etc., I say no. I have bikes with discs and, frankly, don't find that they perform any better than the bikes I have with rim brakes. I mountain biked for years on bikes with cantilevers and never found them lacking on any downhill I had the guts to point the bike down.

I've commuted in winter ice and snow for 35+ years and never failed to stop when I needed to with any brake system.

The dual pivots on the Synapse are excellent brakes. I have dual pivots on a couple of bikes and, again, never found them lacking.

Go with the deal.

prj71

Disc brakes are far superior. I won't buy a bike with rim brakes.

https://blog.performancebike.com/201...s-disc-brakes/

https://www.icebike.org/road-bike-disc-brakes/

Over 250...you want the best for stopping power.

deapee

Rim brakes are far superior. I will not buy a road bike with disc brakes.

Over 250, more weight on the front wheel will result in better stopping with either rim brakes or disc brakes.

prj71

You can have your own opinion but you can't have your own facts.

I suggest you read the links I posted above.

travbikeman

Wow, I need to bring popcorn and start reading the strong opinions from everyone on which way to go.

I personally think if you are not going to ride during bad weather, just good weather, go with the upgraded components and stick with the rim brakes! Sounds to me you may have already made the choice and are somewhat excited about this deal. Go for it!

deapee

Right...and to me, the dislike of disc has nothing to do with a test, nothing to do with anything other than liking the simplicity, ease-of-maintenance, and low weight of the rim brakes. They are effective enough for me and add more benefit to me than disc brakes would add, given the drawbacks that I have with them. If your opinion differs then so be it. We're all entitled to our opinions. For me, rim brakes are superior, and I will not have disc brakes on a road bike unless I have no other choice.

prj71

I never stated my opinion, I stated a fact. I stated that they are far superior with links to back up that statement.

The weight and ease of maintenance don't outweigh the superior stopping power, especially for a bigger guy.

deapee

Far superior in what? Stopping power? What about far superior in being light weight? What about far superior in simplicity? What about far superior based on price?

That's like saying a Ferrari is far superior to a Mustang. Maybe the Ferrari is faster, but the Mustang is fast enough for most.

The part wher eyou say "The weight and ease of maintenance don't outweigh the superior stopping power" is where you inserted your opinion and made your determination that one was far superior to the other (for you).

prj71

Disc brakes will be the future of road bikes.

There is no greater drawcard than the notion of almost identical braking in all weather conditions. Everyone knows the feeling of grabbing a handful of brake with no slowing effect – it is a sensation which would be gleefully forgotten. Team Sky’s head mechanic, Gary Blem, thinks that this fact will improve rider safety. “If you see some of the hairy descents that these guys are doing, especially in the Tour and the Giro, it would make sense to use a disc brake,” he told RIDE at the 2015 Tour Down Under.

Further benefits to riding disc brakes on the road is that they offer greater modulation at the lever. ‘Modulation’ is a word which is often used and sometimes misunderstood. It refers to the amount you can pull in the brake lever relative to the caliper biting on the brake surface. Disc brakes allow more ‘feathering’ because they do not grip like rubber on alloy and therefore do not lock up like traditional road calipers. This is especially useful on unknown descents or in the wet because caution can be exercised without compromising speed or the bike’s handling too much.

From a technical perspective, disc brakes are worthwhile on road bikes because the brake pads generally last longer, rims can be wider and lighter, and hydraulic units require little servicing. The final point could be taken either way as adjustments are a little more challenging than cable and caliper brakes but once set, only a major failure or accident necessitates qualified help.

The future of stopping: disc brakes on road bikes | Cycling

PatrickR400

I keep away from the flame war...

I have a road bike with disc brakes but is is mainly a thing about minimal maintenance required to have good braking.

Taking it from another angle, 105 group set with rim brakes vs. what group set? A 105 group set is very nice.

indyfabz

Nothing like a good rim vs. disc brake thread.




P.S. Just because may be superior doesn't mean the alternatives are inadequate.

GerryinHouston

Mustangs are fun... at a superior (low) price!...

Jarrett2

I have a different take on rim/disc brakes. I think disc brakes clearly stop better than rim brakes, that said I don't want disc brakes on my road bike unless I have to ride that bike in the rain or descend mountains regularly with it. Which I don't, so no disc brake road bikes for me.

Here's why, disc brakes rely on much tighter tolerances than rim brakes in order to be more effective. That tighter tolerance means less margin for error in the wheel system as a whole. This means that the disc rotors have to be perfectly true 100% of the time. There can be no dirt or debris on the pads. The brakes much be dialed in perfectly. The wheel has to be precisely placed in the dropouts every time. The axles have to be strong enough to hold the wheel absolutely straight in the dropouts, ie no quick releases. And the frame/fork have to be strong enough to not flex under load.

If any of that is off, you will get brake rubbing on disc brakes. That's just with a regular sized rider. Now add Clyde weight and power to the equation and all the sudden, it really starts adding up.

While that is no big deal on a mountain bike, on a road bike where the goal is to go up to 100 miles a ride with the absolute least amount of rolling resistance over the course of that ride, every little brake rub will add up over the hours. So much so that unless everything is right on, you will experience more fatigue and have to exert more effort in that ride than you would on a bike that wasn't lightly touching the brakes throughout.

I'm sure as disc brakes become more and more prevalent on road bikes, the supporting mechanisms will catch up and meet these demands, but in my experience they are not there yet. At least on the bikes that I'm able to afford.

With all of that said, I prefer to run rim brakes on my road bikes so that I don't have to constantly be dialing in the system. They are sort of a set and forget. At least much more so than discs, ime.

prj71

I have 3 bikes with disc brakes. One FS mountain bike, one fat bike and my road bike. I don't have any of the problems you have stated above.

The only adjustment I have ever had to do was center the calipers which is easily accomplished by loosening the caliper bolts, squeezing the brake, then while continuing to squeeze the brake re-tighten the caliper bolts and then let go of the brake. But I've only had to do this on the bike when it was new. Set and forget after that.

Ummm...wouldn't you want this to be the case all the time either with rim or disc brake system?

This goes away once you squeeze the brake.

My road bike (Giant FastRoad) with discs has quick release. I have no problems.

It's coming. It will be the new norm in the future, despite the curmudgeons stuck in the their old ways.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...c-power/114455

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...ce-udi2/106250

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...sc-race/106443

Domane SLR 7 Disc | Trek Bikes

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us...c/25998/92734/

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us...1/25991/92749/

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us...2/26004/92756/

deapee

Why can't this be a civilized discussion without derogatory name-calling, insinuations, and things like that.

Just realize, no one is *against* you -- I think people just don't like the fact that you presented your opinion as fact. To some people, rim brakes are superior. To you, disc brakes are superior. Some people have other considerations than stopping power, especially when the rim brakes stop adequately. It is what it is...I know, too much logic included in this post.

Jarrett2

Why do you take this so personally?

DGibson

I have both, a mountain bike with disc brake up front and a comfort bike with rim brakes. I am definitely not an expert but it did seems that the disc brake has much more stopping power with my 383lbs.

prj71

I didn't present an opinion. I made a statement backed up by facts as to why disc brakes are superior.

Kind of the same reason drum brakes have disappeared on cars...disc brakes are superior.

If I was a 250+ guy I would be more concerned about stopping power vs. ease of maintenance and the minute difference in weight between the two systems.

prj71

I don't. Didn't mean to come off that way...but message boards and internets and all...it's weird seeing people stuck in their old ways.

You either lead, follow or fall behind.

deapee

You based your opinion off of facts, then presented your opinion as fact, then supplied the facts you based your opinion off of. That's great, we appreciate that. It's all good man, no one's mad on this end over here...To each their own. Nothing is personal at all. Just realize that your statement is opinion based on the criteria that is important to you, and not necessarily criteria that is factored in similary to another while forming their opinion. To you, stopping power is VERY important. To others, the stopping power of rim brakes is perfectly fine.


That said...good luck man, I'm out.

jsigone

If you don't race than I'd get the disc brake version hands down. The 1 pound weight penalty is worth the real stopping power of disc brake vs slow you down power of rim brakes. My buddy has the HI Mod carbon Synapse with sram RED and hydro and thing was 15# out of the box!!

I have one of each, the rim brake version is for the faster rides, the disc brake version is for adventuring in the mountains, dirty road decents, the extra tire clearance is nice too. Quick release skewers and all!! If you understand the system than it's easy to set up. I have mechanical AVID BB7Sl, so it has adjustments on both side of the rotors as pads wear down. Pads do last a long time and have different compounds pending if you ride in weather more often or not.

Jarrett2

That's a strange way to look at a hobby

Jarrett2

It's pretty clear the manufacturers have figured out QR's and road bike disc brakes don't mesh.

If you really understand the system, its easy to see its flaws in the current state.

No doubt they will get it right down the road somewhere, but its not there yet.

Til then, I'll stick with tried and true.

NYMXer

Having disc brakes on my Mtb's, I can attest that they are superior to rim brakes on my road bike BUT I don't think I need or want disc brakes on the road bike because disc's are more brake than I will ever need to stop and I foresee the potential for wheels locking up or trips over the bars, none of which sound good for me.

So, for me, disc brakes have more potential stopping power than I will ever need and rim brakes give me a level of braking comfort that still can lock up a wheel, it just takes more effort and that makes them safer for me.

To each their own and if you prefer disc brakes, there are lot's of bikes with them. As for me, I'm not buying a new bike because it has disc brakes and will keep my rim brake road bike a bit longer if disc become the only choice. Of course, I could change my opinion tomorrow.