I'm looking at a 2015 Trek FX 7.4 or the FX 7.4 disk but the disk doesn't come with carbon fiber forks. Live outside Orlando so mostly hot and humid climate. It rains a lot but I won't be riding in it by choice. I might get caught in it however. Mostly biking on road and asphalt bike trails. Also I have a 4 year old son so riding slow on sidewalks short distances for family rides until he gets older. Then I'll be going who knows where with him lol. So keeping all that in mind I have a couple of questions:

1. Whats the weight difference between the 2 and is it going to be noticeable?

2. Are the carbon fiber forks with no disk going to make a bigger difference on the 7.4 or are the hydraulic disks brakes with no carbon fiber forks?

Thanks in advance!

Also ck out the Specialized Sirrus - disc brakes AND a carbon fork.

Disc brakes are the future.

Flat & dry- There's really no need for discs.

If anything Disc brakes are the past, it's hardly a new technology.

I agree. No reason to spend the money if you're never going to use them.

Florida dry********** I thought Fl was humid and rainy......... he even mentioned being caught in the rain.

Disc brakes on bikes, are still the future of bicycling...... and they are awesome!

Either way I think it's overkill for what OP wants to do with the bike and I certainly wouldn't recommend a 900$ Sirrus.

The disk brakes will add about 1 pound to the bike. But it won't be all that noticeable. Go for the 7.4 and put the $100 toward accessories (flat kit, gloves, water bottles). You won't often be riding in rain so I would save your $.

My vote is purely on style:

The crystal white is a gorgeous color on the regular 7.4, the disc version only comes in battleship grey. Go with the white!

I own the 7.4 Disk and love it. The weight difference is negligible -- my own weight varies more than that from day to day. The disks have awesome stopping power that you will appreciate in those scary moments when you really need it. I've always hated fiddling with rim brakes -- the disks just work. And IMHO they look awesome.

Never had a bike with a carbon fork so I can't comment on what's given up. But I can tell you that the bike rides smoothly with the AL fork.

The color is a matter of taste. I like the grey and green. It looks much sharper in person than in the pictures.

Yeah, Shimano's big announcement of two extremely refined road brakes with hydralic lines fed from reservoirs concealed in ergonomic levers is what? 4 DAYS OLD!!! Are you insane? "Hardly new technology." ROFL

Have you ever seen a brake set like the one below on any disk brake application in the history of disk brakes? Your laughable attempt to soil disc brakes is pathetic.

Ride both bikes and decide for yourself and don't buy a bike you haven't test ridden or because someone told you that disc brakes are the best thing since slice bread, which they are, but isn't particularly relevant to you.

You don't sound like the sort of road warrior that rides through hurricanes. If it starts to rain, you're far from home, you'll probably have to slow down and anticipate stopping by staying very alert. You'll be fine. On the other hand, disc brakes are kind of fun. Because they are less grabby, it is easier to modulate speed coming down a steep hill or just cruising to a stop. The powerful calipers can be operated with a single finger. They might fall under the category of "convenience" for you but not necessity.

Just my .02.

Yeah, the concept of a hydraulically actuated caliper squeezing a pair of pads against a rotor is brand new technology. Hold me before I faint from surprise. Disc brake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I never said they wern't great, but we've had them on motorcycles for ~50 years and people act like it's a brand new invention just because they started putting them on bikes.

You've never had anything like those brakes. They had computers before semiconductors too. Your comment was little more than mud slinging. Nice toss.

Uh, all I said was "it's hardly a new technology", and it isn't. You're the one who read something else entirely into what I wrote. Nice assumptions.

You probably wish that's all you said but it was actually, "If anything Disc brakes are the past, it's hardly a new technology." The past? What sort of interpretation of the past did you have in mind? Or are we to make assumptions about everything you wrote?

I submit that your post was an effort to steer the thread into a mud slinging session. You can assume I'm done.

Your comment regarding disc brakes on BICYCLES is uncalled for.

Most disc brakes on bicycles is new technology on bikes, is awesome, and is the future of brakes on bicycles.

Your motorcycles never had anything remotely like the slim, lightweight, awesome, disc brakes as is now found on bicycles.

Nice attempt at trolling, though!

Just read this, here's my 2¢:

If you ride on pavement you'll be better off with a carbon fork than disc brakes. Yes it does rain in Florida but people have ridden with rim brakes in the wet for years. The compliance of the carbon form will add to the enjoyment of the ride.

Now if you were going off road and lived in the north I would consider disc brakes but you don't.

Good points!

Carbon forks really do make a huge difference in comfort! Which was my reason to refer to the Sirrus Disc.

However, I still maintain that discs are the future, and will help you future proof your bike, add value, and improve safety, under almost all circumstances.

I "try" to ride in good weather, being retired; but that doesn't always work - and frequently get caught in the rain (even way up north from the OP)

I suspect, he will be caught in the rain even more than me, and would benefit with the discs.

And, should they want to resale later, value will be returned with them, as well..

Yes and no....

in the past 3 months I purchased 2 new bikes. In January i purchased a Trek Emonda SLR and went with direct mount rim brakes. True that bike isn't offered with disc but I could of purchased a number of other high end bikes if disc were what I wanted. Last month I purchased a Trek 8.5 DS with disc brakes.

Now on a road bike brakes are just "slowers" and not "stoppers". And having full carbon wheels vs alloy also decrease braking. But with the terrain on Long Island I don't need to stop on a dime.

Now the DS is a different story since I do intend to ride it in the wet on some single track, gravel and dirt roads. There are hills and some technical descents so having excellent brakes is a top priority.

Will disc brakes be on road bike in the pro peloton soon... sure. Rides ride what their sponsors want to sell. But I best teams will have bikes with traditional rim brakes for flat and fast stages.

Now for the OP, he's going to be on pavement on flat terrain and not planing on riding in the rain unless expectantly caught, so given carbon fork with rim brakes vs steel fork with disc... i vote for the carbon fork.

Odd, you didn't have any objections to my post the first time around. Go ahead and tell me how completely un-alike these are.

40 pounds................. and I did disagree with you earlier. The brake handle on your motorbike probably weighs more than the entire bicycle system.

Just a little pot stirring.....aren't discs very squeaky and noisy?