Originally Posted by dynaryder

'parently not,since at least two people didn't understand it.

The poster I replied to was making the point that racers don't have discs,so why do we need them. First,the fact that they are running caliper brakes is moot to a rim vs disc comparo because the rules say they must run calipers. Racers don't have the option to run discs*. Next,the fact that they're on a closed course means they don't really have to stop most of the time,just slow down. Nobody's turning in front of them(well,except for Hoogerland),peds aren't stepping out between parked cars,etc. The majority of the time they're just adjusting their speed,not panic braking. Finally,rim pads wear quicker than disc pads,and rim brakes rely on the trueness of the wheel for maximum efficiency,both things racers don't care about since they have a team of mechanics to work on their bikes and bins full of parts to replace anything with the slightest bit of wear. If your rims a bit out of true,do you immediately put them on a truing stand/take them to a shop,or just deal with it until it starts to get bad?

*Historically,cross racers have only been able to run canti's,despite riding in mud and snow. They are now allowed to run discs. Will be interesting to see how/if this changes the sport.