Originally Posted by
tetonrider
i was unable to build a 6.8kg cross bike last fall--and that was with a single chainring, no FD, s-works frame, and some other light parts. wasn't even close. yeah, the cross tires are another pound, but i was around 17.5 i think.
IMO, mechanical discs are not good. the pads wear and then feel spongy or worse. hydraulics or bust, for me. (there is enough wear during a single cross race that mechanicals decrease in braking power, noticeably.)
anyway, is racing an element of your life, still? (don't mean this to come off in any way other than an honest question--just can't remember if you are still actively racing.)
you willing to take the aero penalty of discs?
i can think of one occasion where i would have liked more power (in a race), but i looked around and felt pretty happy that we all had equally little power.....so there were no sudden movements.
i hope disc brakes do not become a thing in road racing. say goodbye to neutral wheels that actually work w/o brake rub!
I am. But almost entirely on the MTB. A bit of cross.
Thus, I have a boat load of disc wheels, all carbon. Three pairs of tubulars, two pairs of clinchers. Don't own any aluminum wheels anymore.
Due to where I lived while stationed in GA and NY, I more or less stopped racing on the road; there were no road teams, no organized group rides, nothing. Lining up at a race without teammates, unless you're a world class dude out to lap a crit 3 times, isn't fun. I could, however, drive a couple of hours to great MTB and cross races. Also, due to the demands of my job, I didn't have time to train like I did before the military. Thus, shorter races were better for me.
Of course, now I'm a civilian again, and stronger than I was before...