DISadvantages of Disc Brakes?

There are quite a few, depending on what you plan to do with the bike:

– Less choice of racks and potential conflicts with panniers. Rack selection is improving and should be less of a problem in a few years.

– Disc brakes and an appropriate disc-compatible frame are heavier then their canti equivalent. Not a real problem for touring.

– Parts harder to find, whereas there are some brake pads – not the best ones, mind you – in almost all towns and cities. However, except on a multi-year tour, it's rare that a tourer replaces pads on the road without any serious advance notice.

– The fork needs to be beefier. Which then means a less springy fork, so bumps feel harder.

– Less gracious look. But that's me.