No, that's not why disks are showing up on touring bikes. And it's not about the stopping power(other than perhaps the marketing). I guess one benefit to stopping power is reduced hand fatigue if you're doing a lot of braking in the mountains or something, but that's probably not a real issue for most. As you said, a decent brake dialed in right will put you over the handlebars, basically no matter what kind(though disks do indeed have crazy stopping power). I don't think you really understand disk brakes. The modulation benefit of disks is huge. I never realized what a difference it made until I had disks, but it truly is a benefit to have. The ease of replacing a brake disk when it wears out versus a wheel rim is also a great benefit. The brake pads are also much easier to swap out on the cable varieties of disks vs. "standard" brakes. You don't even need tools. And granted prolonged braking in mountain type descents isn't an issue for everyone, but if you are doing a long descent like that, I'd much rather have disks. People don't often have issues with rims overheating and tires blowing or coming off of the rim, but it does happen. It won't happen with disks since you aren't heating up the rim. The last place I want my front tire to go on me is on a long descent with likely a steep drop on at least one side of the road, which is usually on the outside of the turn... I think there's Definitely a real benefit, as do other people who have used disks in day-to-day life and the people designing the bikes, including small, independent, well respected builders who aren't just after marketing hype. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never heard anyone say they don't see a benefit to disks after they've owned a bike with them. I've heard Many people who have tried disks speak positively of the benefits. And the weight penalty is so minimal it's hardly worth mentioning on a touring bike. Don't carry any extra tubes if you're worried about that little bit of weight. The only real downfall I can think of is possibly warping a disk in the middle of nowhere, but I don't think that outweighs the benefits. And you can get a warped disk straight enough to at least use it(assuming it wasn't really mangled by something) until you can get a new one. I'd Highly recommend trying them out.