Disc brakes are now the default on road bikes and no one cares
04-18-20, 03:35 PM
#501
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Always curious about those SMPs.. is there actually a way a rider utilizes/sits on that droopy part at the front? Otherwise.. why isn't it just a shortened saddle and save the weight?
I have a Cinelli Supercorsa that I put a Brooks Swift saddle on. It was like breaking in a cinder block, but finally we have become compatible.
04-19-20, 10:20 AM
#502
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Psimet2001
I'd have to disagree on that one. As a shop I can tell you that without a doubt I can't remember a single situation where any regular rider/enthusiast ever actually came to me to adjust their brakes. All seemed comfortable with turning a barrel adjuster and opening them up if you had a problem.
Since the switch to disc I see every single one of those guys. "I'm sure its easy but I don't have the tools and I don't know the first thing about bleeding brakes. I don't want to mess with it". Its one of the things I mentioned I like about disc. It has absolutely put more money into my pocket.
Also - worked on 4 BSO's today. These are "Bicycle Shaped Objects". Big box cheap bikes with no quality of components, assembly, adjustment or maintenance. All had been sitting for many years as well so rust, dust, dirt cobwebs and dead insect carcasses everywhere. All 4 had cable brakes and all worked just fine.
Since the switch to disc I see every single one of those guys. "I'm sure its easy but I don't have the tools and I don't know the first thing about bleeding brakes. I don't want to mess with it". Its one of the things I mentioned I like about disc. It has absolutely put more money into my pocket.
Also - worked on 4 BSO's today. These are "Bicycle Shaped Objects". Big box cheap bikes with no quality of components, assembly, adjustment or maintenance. All had been sitting for many years as well so rust, dust, dirt cobwebs and dead insect carcasses everywhere. All 4 had cable brakes and all worked just fine.
Though the apocalypse and leave of absence from work changes the equation slightly. So I'll probably bring the bike, cables lost inside the frame, and a puddle of the wrong hydraulic fluid to the shop lol.
04-19-20, 10:50 AM
#503
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Always curious about those SMPs.. is there actually a way a rider utilizes/sits on that droopy part at the front? Otherwise.. why isn't it just a shortened saddle and save the weight?
Originally Posted by Johnk3
I don't really know how to answer. It is not as if the front just isn't there. It does provide some support without putting a lot of pressure on an area that doesn't appreciate it.
04-19-20, 10:51 AM
#504
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Originally Posted by Abe_Froman
I can attest to this...I need to recable my cross bike. I've torn apart bikes to the frame, repainted and rebuilt them for fun in my garage. I dont know the first thing about hydro brakes. That combined with interna routing means I'll bring it to the shop just for new cables.
Though the apocalypse and leave of absence from work changes the equation slightly. So I'll probably bring the bike, cables lost inside the frame, and a puddle of the wrong hydraulic fluid to the shop lol.
Though the apocalypse and leave of absence from work changes the equation slightly. So I'll probably bring the bike, cables lost inside the frame, and a puddle of the wrong hydraulic fluid to the shop lol.
Hydro brakes are easy, too. Most of the time, you just need to replace pads - pull the pads (there's one screw that you need to remove), carefully push the pistons back in to the calipers (use a tire lever or something flattish and wide-ish), put the new pads in (don't forget the screw) and you're done. It's literally 3 min per wheel.
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04-19-20, 11:17 AM
#505
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Something I find amusing is that there are cyclists who:
1. Think disc brakes are too much work, but wax their chain every week and love tubeless tires.
2. Think tubeless tires are too much hassle, but wax their chain every week and love disc brakes.
3. Think waxing a chain every week is too much hassle, but love tubeless tires and disc brakes.
.
.
.
53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
.
.
N. Wax their chain every week, run tubeless or tubular tires, and use disc brakes, but they can't be bothered to replace their bar tape more than once a decade.
1. Think disc brakes are too much work, but wax their chain every week and love tubeless tires.
2. Think tubeless tires are too much hassle, but wax their chain every week and love disc brakes.
3. Think waxing a chain every week is too much hassle, but love tubeless tires and disc brakes.
.
.
.
53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
.
.
N. Wax their chain every week, run tubeless or tubular tires, and use disc brakes, but they can't be bothered to replace their bar tape more than once a decade.
04-19-20, 11:19 AM
#506
Senior Member
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
Something I find amusing is that there are cyclists who:
1. Think disc brakes are too much work, but wax their chain every week and love tubeless tires.
2. Think tubeless tires are too much hassle, but wax their chain every week and love disc brakes.
3. Think waxing a chain every week is too much hassle, but love tubeless tires and disc brakes.
.
.
.
53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
.
.
N. Wax their chain every week, run tubeless or tubular tires, and use disc brakes, but they can't be bothered to replace their bar tape more than once a decade.
1. Think disc brakes are too much work, but wax their chain every week and love tubeless tires.
2. Think tubeless tires are too much hassle, but wax their chain every week and love disc brakes.
3. Think waxing a chain every week is too much hassle, but love tubeless tires and disc brakes.
.
.
.
53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
.
.
N. Wax their chain every week, run tubeless or tubular tires, and use disc brakes, but they can't be bothered to replace their bar tape more than once a decade.
04-19-20, 01:56 PM
#507
Senior Member
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
I think your SMP must be broken. They're supposed to straighten out as your speed increases, like the Concord.
By the way, My wife and I flew on the Concorde with Air France from Paris to New York many years ago. The trip took about 2-1/2 hours; with the time zone difference, we arrived well before we left. It was a pretty fancy ride, they were pouring Dom Perignon champagne freely and serving beluga caviar and pate de foie gras before we took off. The plane was quite small, two seats on either side of a narrow aisle. They had a large speedometer on the front bulkhead that told you how fast you were going in terms of Mach. Most of the time the sky outside was not blue; it was black because we were so far above most of the earth's air. When I flew, the one way price was $4,000.00 per person. Someone else paid for it.
04-19-20, 02:07 PM
#508
Senior Member
About direct mount rim brakes: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/w...s-are-awesome/
04-19-20, 03:02 PM
#509
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".
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53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
."
I rode tubulars for decades and am going back to them. I've had the clincher nightmare; the tire coming off the rim at ~25mph after a blowout. I never want to do that again. I don't even like thinking about it. I've blown tubulars downhill at 40+. No big deal. I'm going back to keep it that way (and to fully enjoy descents).
A lifetime of tubular hassle vs that one crash - easy choice.
Now, waxing chains, dealing with discs and tubeless tires, naw. Not one of those exercises will help me sleep better at night.
Ben
.
53. Think tubeless tires, disc brakes, and chain waxing are all too much hassle, but use tubulars.
.
."
I rode tubulars for decades and am going back to them. I've had the clincher nightmare; the tire coming off the rim at ~25mph after a blowout. I never want to do that again. I don't even like thinking about it. I've blown tubulars downhill at 40+. No big deal. I'm going back to keep it that way (and to fully enjoy descents).
A lifetime of tubular hassle vs that one crash - easy choice.
Now, waxing chains, dealing with discs and tubeless tires, naw. Not one of those exercises will help me sleep better at night.
Ben
Last edited by 79pmooney; 04-19-20 at 03:27 PM. Reason: Edit to correct poor paste
04-19-20, 03:17 PM
#510
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Originally Posted by Johnk3
OMG, you must be right!!!
By the way, My wife and I flew on the Concorde with Air France from Paris to New York many years ago. The trip took about 2-1/2 hours; with the time zone difference, we arrived well before we left. It was a pretty fancy ride, they were pouring Dom Perignon champagne freely and serving beluga caviar and pate de foie gras before we took off. The plane was quite small, two seats on either side of a narrow aisle. They had a large speedometer on the front bulkhead that told you how fast you were going in terms of Mach. Most of the time the sky outside was not blue; it was black because we were so far above most of the earth's air. When I flew, the one way price was $4,000.00 per person. Someone else paid for it.
By the way, My wife and I flew on the Concorde with Air France from Paris to New York many years ago. The trip took about 2-1/2 hours; with the time zone difference, we arrived well before we left. It was a pretty fancy ride, they were pouring Dom Perignon champagne freely and serving beluga caviar and pate de foie gras before we took off. The plane was quite small, two seats on either side of a narrow aisle. They had a large speedometer on the front bulkhead that told you how fast you were going in terms of Mach. Most of the time the sky outside was not blue; it was black because we were so far above most of the earth's air. When I flew, the one way price was $4,000.00 per person. Someone else paid for it.
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04-20-20, 12:17 PM
#511
Senior Member
Just from the outside the Concorde always just looked small. You could always tell when one was taking off from JFK from the sound. The environmentalists all complained about it and they were right. Half of NYC knew when they took off.
04-20-20, 01:28 PM
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I quite agree. Here in the arid Southwest rim brakes are just fine & disc brakes tend to pick up dust & grit. But I do like the disc brakes on my gravel bike.
So...guess Ill go go with the flow & see what the industry feeds us.
So...guess Ill go go with the flow & see what the industry feeds us.
04-20-20, 01:35 PM
#513
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Originally Posted by Mesarider007
I quite agree. Here in the arid Southwest rim brakes are just fine & disc brakes tend to pick up dust & grit. But I do like the disc brakes on my gravel bike.
So...guess Ill go go with the flow & see what the industry feeds us.
So...guess Ill go go with the flow & see what the industry feeds us.
04-20-20, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Are you saying that hard metal and resin compounds pick up more grit and dust than soft rubber compounds?
04-20-20, 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Mesarider007
Hummm... I admit this does seem incongruous... Could it be the proximity of the disc brake(s) to the riding surface?
04-20-20, 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Always curious about those SMPs.. is there actually a way a rider utilizes/sits on that droopy part at the front? Otherwise.. why isn't it just a shortened saddle and save the weight?
The nose gives more to control the bike with your thigh when off the saddle,
but the main reason I think is so that the cut-out can run all the way front and still have something to connect the two sides.
