bdime

I know this has been beaten to death but I'm going to make a purchase and want some input.

I'm buying a Tarmac (after testing the new Roubaix). Either the Expert or Expert Disc. The only difference that I can find are the shift levers (Ultegra 6800 vs. ST-RS685) and of course the rim brakes (Ultegra) vs. disc brakes (Shimano BR-785 ice-tech). Per Specialized, the weight difference is 3/4 lbs.

Any opinions...besides a different brand? Price difference is $200.

Thanks!

Dave Mayer

If you're doing loaded touring in the rain, then go for the disks. Otherwise, the cost and weight penalty is not worth it; rim brakes are more than adequate. Another consideration is the stigma of disks while riding with an experienced pack. Nothing indicates a newb road rider more than disks.

Jofu

Sorry, no answer to your question... But where did you get bike weight from Specialized? As far as I know, they're purposefully not showing that on their website Or did I completely miss it?


Geoff

caloso

So the question is whether you should pay an extra $200 for something heavier, less aero, uglier, and don't stop your bike any faster?

LGHT

On a side note why are you going with the Tarmac after testing the new Roubaix?

bdime

You're correct, it's not listed on their website. I called Specialized. The rep said 1/2 to 3/4 lbs difference.

bdime

The Roubaix was nice and the front shock thingy didn't bother me at all (I'm 165 lbs). I didn't like the upright position and the thick handlebars. Maybe I liked it b/c is was more like my old road bike. I also tested the 2016 Roubaix. It feels similar to the 2017 model.

Seattle Forrest

Haha this is comedy gold!

Dave Mayer

Thanks! Last weeks group ride was strange: 2 riders with disks show up. 110k with lots of sharp corners and descents. Nobody wants to paceline with the disks, due to the risk of being caught up in an inexperience-induced pileup. So the ride turns into a race to constantly stay ahead of the disks, which substantially increases the pace.

Regardless, one of the disks gets shelled off of the back, and nobody seems motivated to wait. On a no-drop ride. The second disk overcooks a steep descent that leads into stop sign. Rider goes over the bars. So the disks are done 1/4 of the way in..

What about the bigger question here.... why should the OP pay for a bike that can be obtained at roughly a 25% discount in a lesser-known brand such as Fuji or Garneau or one of the mail-order house brands? For roughly the same bike... You'd get another 25% discount by buying the carbon frame direct from Asia, and building up with a component kit from the UK...

Seattle Forrest

So you're telling us people shouldn't benefit from all of the many advantages of disc brakes because your club doesn't know what "no drop" means. Better than Seinfeld, I tell you!

Symtex

Back to Rim vs Disc again...

Disc brake are the future. They offer the same breaking ability under any weather condition and they are not more dangerous than rim brakes. The UCI is working with manufacturer to dull out/round out the disc edges. In 5 years, you will be ancient dinosaur if you ride with rim break.

bdime

I agree it is the future. My situation may be different than the other riders in this forum. Being an "ancient dinosaur" or a "newb road rider" doesn't bother me. I'm more concerned about the shift levers (ultegra vs. ST-RS685), the weight, the ability to repair or tweak the discs and of course the ability to stop.

I liked the ability to stop with just one finger on the brake / in the drops but did I feel I could not any faster...no. Seems the rims were fine even on the downhills. Keep in mind im not riding in a mountainous area.

caloso

I can lock up both wheels with two fingers on my Ultegra rim brake equipped Tarmac. Discs don't make your tires grippier.

Dave Mayer

There you go. You should not want the extra weight, cost and aero penalty of disks.

Further, instead of buying new, you might want to consider buying a used rim-brake based bike from the gullible early adopter types, who felt they absolutely needed disks for dry coffee-shop rides. Much of this 'need' for disks emanates from newb riders, who are likely recent mountain-bike converts. Hence the misguided desire for disks, and other irrelevant and inappropriate features such as sloping top tubes, long head tubes, and suspension features in the frame or post.

BTW: if you can forgo the life-altering advantages of '11-speeds' (sarcasm), you'll save buckets of money, as 10-speed gear has the same functionality, at a fraction of the price. 3 year old bikes sell at a big discount, particularly the high-end stuff, as dentists and other weekend warriors regularly shed their 'obsolete' gear.

TeeCeeW

I have a Roubaix Pro Disc Race 2015 and a Pinarello F8 with rim brakes. I am not a fan of the rim brakes after riding the Roubaix. If I had it to do over I would have gotten discs. The difference is night and day for me. New tech takes time to gain a foothold but it will be on everything soon.

LGHT

Not a dentist, but I agree as I have my 2012 Tarmac with upgraded wheels, seat and look pedals up for sale after getting a new Roubiax (not 2017). I know I'm going to take a huge hit on the sale, but the market dictates it's sales price not me

Seattle Forrest

I'll have a pair of Enve disc-brake road wheels soon. They're not available for dino-brakes. The rim is designed for aerodynamics, weight and impact resistance, not heat dissipation and to resist clamping force.

Plus when the braking surface wears out I'll be able to replace it for $50 instead of $900.

There's just no looking back.

Pendergast

+1

I like the feel of disc brakes. I'm not likely to have carbon wheels, but disc brakes make even more sense for people who are interested in carbon wheels.

LGHT

Wow now that's the only reason I would consider disk brakes!!

RushFan2112

Totally agree. I thought the whole disc brake thing was nonsense until I actually tried them. Not only will discs stop you faster under any conditions, but the increased modulation is something you don't fully appreciate until you experience it.

I live in a fairly mountainous area and it's nice to know that I can stop quickly when bombing down the side of a mountain at 50 mph. The wet weather stopping isn't a consideration since we're about 5 years into a drought, but power and modulation trumps all.

I have a set of Reynolds Aero 46 discs and they are simply fantastic.

Symtex

Disc brake is the savior of chinese carbon clinchers !

birru

I see nobody has mentioned perhaps the most important factor of all: The disc version comes in cooler colors. The "satin ink" colorway looks mean.

GeneO 

The expert disc satin ink looks very nice. Don't care for the color schemes of the expert


Doh. birru beat me to it.

Seattle Forrest

Hope you get some kind of drought relief without us having to mail you water.

Living in Seattle, I can confirm that they're much, much better in the rain, too.

Seattle Forrest

A lot of wheels use the same rim for disc or rim brakes. I like that some disc wheels don't, that some rims are for one or the other but not both. Like those Enves. They're shaped to cut through the air, not to fit brake pads. The rims themselves are lighter because they're not a braking surface - the weight is moved in, toward the hubs, where the rotational penalty is cheaper.