Originally Posted by
corrado33
I used to think the exact same thing you do. It's not an issue if you can lock the wheels up. The issue is with modulation. Disk brakes supposedly give you greater modulation, which means you can get closer to the "lock wheels up" line which means you stop quicker, see the video I posted above.
Don't get me wrong, I love the rim brakes on my road bikes. I doubt I'll ever willingly buy disk brakes from my road bikes, but if they do stop you quicker, it MAY save some people from getting hurt.
Yup yup... Calipers are like a light switch, the wheels lock up to easily. It's all about controlled stopping as quickly as possible. Car Brakes these days are much improved since 30 years ago, the pads are better and the disc are better... cars can stop much faster now and it's NOT because they can lock up their brakes easier. It is because they have CONTROLLED STOPPING.
In addition to that....
1) Rim Brakes have "brake fade", disc does not. Once a Rim and Brake heats up, the brakes will seem like it fails to stop.
2) Disc Brakes does not care about rain or mud, they stop in the rain and mud just as well as when it is dry and clean. Rim Brakes at times will fail to work in the rain and mud.