big john

I descended Angeles Crest in the pouring rain on my Cannondale road bike and the pads were ground way down, stopping power was not good, and that black aluminum slurry got all lover everything.
There are some steep drops around here where I sometimes wish I had more brake power even when it's dry. I'm 200# and discs on a road bike might be worth it to me, although I only have them on the mtb so far.

Null66

I'm rather heavy (less so now) usually ride with a 20lb pack. There are a lot of hills where I ride.

If I paid the price to climb the hill, well I really want to enjoy the descent. But that means I need competent brakes to stop if something happens.

Cantis on my Fuji tourer would do it. Not even with Koolstops. Frame was bowing fork and seat stays...

Discs on my DT, every time... ~5300 on it, same pads...

fietsbob

a result of trying to meet the demands of gram counters with thinwall tubing, light frames, add a Bracing arch under the bolts on the ends of the brake bosses, is the cure.

Mr IGH

I started with discs on my mountain bike, then I added drum brakes to my commuter bike, now I'm hooked on getting rid of rim brakes. I just built up my new gravel grinder with mech disc and it's sooooo much better. My road bike is built with 0% carbon fiber, 9 speed cassette, triple crankset, steel frame from 1978 (full 531!). When I can buy a nice carbon fiber road bike with disc and Di2 for less than $2k (and take 28mm tyres) I'll have a new road bike. Being Retro-Grouch is well and good but not at the expense of moving forward.

Biker395 

Honestly, I'm not a fan of disc brakes. I got them 10 years ago on my mountain bike, and I found them to be a complete PITA. Difficult to adjust, difficult and expensive to install a rear rack on a disc-brake equipped bike, and once installed, the kluge made it a colossal PITA to change a tire. I also don't like that the brake pads are harder to change and there are all manner of incompatible designs.

I can see their value for:

1. Tandems. Oh yea.
2. Road or mountain bikes used in the rain/mud often.

Neither of which applies to me. So if they become the norm, I'll be dragged in kicking and screaming.

pursuance

395,
There have been a few advances in consumer road bikes in the last ten years.

Rim brakes will be around for a very long time so no need to fret but others will be offered a choice.
It's all good. Now for a ride.
Long ago my Mother offered two pieces of advice. Eat your vegetables... Go outside and ride your bike. OK!

jppe

I think disc brakes on a lightweight road bike would be the ultimate. It would provide the lowest weight for climbing allowing the use of carbon rims plus the security of being able to descend the steepest downhills in all types of weather. I've done some long descents in driving rain with rim brakes and it was just plain scary, and probably unsafe.

big john

I don't think a touring bike fell under the demands of the "gram counters".

BigAura

For pure all-around stopping-power discs are the way to go.

OR if you like the steam-punk aesthetic:

• Probably overkill for most riders.
• Overkill is what marketing-types love.
• So maybe you're right.

ModeratedUser150120149

Ahhh, memories; memories of the same discussions when cars and trucks went to hydraulic brakes vs. mechanical brakes. Actually, not that long ago. Then, when they started putting disc brakes on it was discussion time all over again. People were so shy of them often there were discs only on the front axles. Almost identical negative comments to those in this thread.

Now disc brakes are so ubiquitous it is hard to find a vehicle without them. They are better in every way than old style brakes.

I think in less time than anyone thinks disc brakes will be The Standard on all new bikes except special purpose machines. At the same time maybe, just maybe that will allow the companies to put decent tires on the bikes. Tubeless, well made tires that are at least the equivalent of cheap auto tires, decent brakes that make all strops boring are dreams that should become fact.

rydabent

While it may not be as important to the weekend warrior, disc brakes can pretty much assure you that you wont be on foot. There are many reports of cross country riders being on foot when their rim brakes have destroyed their rims. Even if one of your disc brakes fail, you still have the disc brake on the other wheel, that can keep you going.

The thing here is the fact that most cross country riders ride rain or shine. When riding in the rain the rims and brake pads pick up fine grit and accelerate rim wear even to failure. That wont happen with disc brakes. One last point too is a warped rim beause of a broken spoke or what ever dont effect disc brakes.

Alleycatdad

Nah. Clipless cost me skin....

SA

wphamilton

I would agree with all of that and rydabent's three advances, but I think you have to include powermeters and sealed bearings. That was about 40 years ago, right? (I can only speak from 7 years experience, and rather retro at that).

In my mind, there is definitely a place for better brakes on road bikes. I'm just not sure that disc brakes are the solution yet.

BluesDawg

Dave Cutter

I have yet to even try disc brakes on a bicycle.... but look forward to trying them. Sealed bearing are nice. But I am fine with the old bearing too. Since I don't compete or race.... I have no use for a powermeter.

fietsbob

Thank you for your Opinion .

I offer actual background , hands on..
I built my touring frame from relatively thick wall 4130 tubing and the fork blades and rear stays as a result dont torque at all,
letting the Cantilever posts splay from the force of the brakes pushing against the rim

And I was using the very Powerful Scott-Petrsen Self Energizing cantilever, which by design takes the rotating rim force to tighten the pads more.

The also Very Forceful Magura Hydro stop HS-33 hydraulic rim brakes Include a booster arch to resist post splaying on any bike ..

These are both 45 pound+ loaded Touring Bikes..

Even in Touring bikes Mass market consumers The 1st question is "what does it Weigh"? reply in grams, Kg or Pounds is a choice of units of Measure .

RR3

1. Lubricants are much better
2. Clincher tire technology challenging tubular performance
3. Wheels are much faster and more reliable
4. Apparel is much more comfortable and aero
5. Bikes are much lighter (ti and carbon). 22# used to be a good road bike, now it is 15#
6. Gearing ranges allows one set of wheels (5 speed FW vs 11s cassettes)
7. Sealed bearings.....remember tearing down pedal bearings every few weeks riding in the rain?
8 I suppose nothing is better than a 66-42.

To me, these were all large advances....

Biker395 

You left out what I think is the biggest major advance: Lighting. HUGE advances in high output LEDs and rechargeable battery technology.

wphamilton

I've only tried the mechanical disc brakes that came on the Bikes Direct mtb I bought for my teenager last year. Presumably low end entry level, but I really like those brakes. After some "messing with" it's pretty obvious how to adjust the pads right and align them so I don't really get that objection.

I have no use for a powermeter either. I just thought it merits being in the list.

OldsCOOL

The last MTB I had put me over the bars with one squeeze of the front brakes while sucking in a fly on a downhill. Disc brakes? Pfffft.

Biker395 

There is (or at least was?) also an issue with front wheels with disc brakes pulling themselves out of the dropouts if the skewers weren't tightened sufficiently.

I guess the difference for me here is that 99+% of the riding I do is in good weather, and I haven't broken a spoke in years. So for me, disc brakes are an complex (relative to rim brakes) answer to a non-existent problem. I appreciate that it's a wholly different issue with tandems or anyone who rides in the rain or wet surfaces very much.

Dave Cutter

If we count accessories..... LED lighting is by far the greatest advancement for bicycles in the last few decades. I remember riding my bicycle home after playing little league baseball "under the lights" (still a big deal in the 50's in rural America). The bicycles light was a dim yellow by the time I got home (and the ride wasn't that far) even with brand new batteries.

Biker395 

You bet. The light output was pitiful, batteries were expensive and didn't last very long. It was a major problem on longer endurance rides or commuting.

Now, there are skads of rechargeable lights that last a good long time and put out a heck of a lot of light. And for very little money.

OldsCOOL

Agreed. I feel the same way. That Mtb I spoke of was a 2000 Pacific Quasar I bought for 100.00 at Toys-were-Us for a camp bike. Those canti brakes on alloy 26" rims were scary effective. If I did huge mountain descents maybe things would be a different sort of important, I sure dont need disc brakes on any of my bikes even with my blitzy 50mph descents.

OldsCOOL

Those were fun days. I had a Hawthorne cruiser with the twin headlights on the tank that took 4 D batts. What a thrill.