Originally Posted by
wolfchild
You're talking about the durability of steel disc rotor vs an aluminum rim, that is a different topic, and of course a steel disc will be more durable than an aluminum rim....The the further the brake caliper is located from the center of a disc the greater the leverage and stopping power.
Durability isn’t the word I’d use. That makes me think about how long before it wears out.
Think of it as material properties and structural integrity.
In order to truly use a rim as a disc, you would need compression enough that the rim would be damaged. This is a non issue on a disc. So the calipers can be specifically designed to clamp harder.
So the whole thought experiment falls apart.
The question should be “how hard does a rim brake need to compress on a (insert rim size) to equal the stopping force of a disc on a (insert rotor size)”.
The follow up question should be “how hard can a hydraulic caliper squeeze the rotor compared with a mechanical caliper? In ft/lbs or newton meters or something.”