Alp's cycling : Disc or rim brakes.....in August

davgtrek

Hi All
I'm lucky enough to be heading to the Alps for a few days this August. Hope to do 3 days cycling. usual suspects, Alp Dhuez, Glandon & Crois de Fer.( one each day ) I'm gonna rent a bike. AS with climbing there will be a lot of descending each day ( up to 60km ) as I'm going to branch off and use the elevation gained on the big climbs to meander down some other roads home.

So do I rent Disc brakes or Standard Rim ?
I've never used discs on road ( have plenty of experience of them on MTB's )

I know the massive advantages in the wet and the one finger braking advantages for hand cramp on descents but is the heat in Alps an issue ?
My braking style is fairly OK ( plenty of front used and front / back alternating etc. and I enjoy descending ) so any thoughts ??

thanks

smacl

Do you prefer the smell of burning rubber or boiling oil? :pac:

davgtrek

Is say serious gear builds up with both.
Maybe I'll stick with the tried and rested.

smacl wrote: »

Do you prefer the smell of burning rubber or boiling oil? :pac:

Lumen

I'd take rim brakes every time.

The key to efficient (from a braking perspective) descending is using air resistance.

If you're forced to go slow by traffic (motor or cyclist) then you have to dump all your energy through the brakes.

Kaisr Sose

I cycled in the Tirol last year and had no issues slowing with rim brakes-even on a wet descent from the top of the Timmlesjoch. In the wet you have to be more careful though as the roads can be very slippy (goes without saying really).
I have never used disc brakes so I can't comment on them.

2016

Go with rim brakes, they're fine on standard alloy wheels as long as you're not continuously feathering the brakes.

The Croix de Fer and Glandon descents are fine, Alpe D'Huez is where you have to be careful as you have to come to an almost complete stop at each hairpin and with traffic you will be forced to brake a lot more on the straights. People do pop tyres even on alloy rims on that descent, but you should be fine with good braking practice.

davgtrek

Ok great stuff. I'm branching off on another road 6 or 7 hairpins down from top of Dhuez so hopefully will get away from some traffic and all that stopping you mention.

I think I'll go with normal rim brakes.

thanks all

Daroxtar

Would it be a good idea to run slightly lower pressure in my tyres when doing a long, steep, technical descent to counteract the heat induced pressure increase? I'll be tackling a few hairy roads on holidays and I don't fancy blowing a tube on a 15% descent with big drops over the guard rail.

terrydel

The pros survived perfectly well for years with rim brakes ,going a lot faster than you will be on these descents, so you should be fine.

Koobcam

Go with the discs, they work the same in the wet as the dry and it rains a lot in the alps. Whatever you do though stay away from full carbon rims, unless you are a really good descender who knows when and how to brake

Lumen

terrydel wrote: »

The pros survived perfectly well for years with rim brakes ,going a lot faster than you will be on these descent

On open roads, at maximum speed.

I'm not making the case for discs btw. In my limited experience they fail before rim brakes.

Koobcam

Lumen wrote: »

On open roads, at maximum speed.

I'm not making the case for discs btw. In my limited experience they fail before rim brakes.

They both work fine, discs are way better in wet

2016

terrydel wrote: »

The pros survived perfectly well for years with rim brakes ,going a lot faster than you will be on these descents, so you should be fine.

Going a lot faster because they were NOT braking anywhere near as much as an amateur, which is why it's not a useful comparison.

Wishbone Ash

terrydel wrote: »

The pros survived perfectly well for years with rim brakes ,going a lot faster than you will be on these descents, so you should be fine.

I have a vague memory of Stephen Roche popping a tyre due to an overheated rim on a descent in his heyday. Not sure if it was a tub or clincher.

There were multiple punctures on a neutralised descent in the Tour of Oman a few years ago - riders forced to brake much more than normal behind the lead car (combined with 40 degree+ temperatures).

Kaisr Sose

Koobcam wrote: »

They both work fine, discs are way better in wet

I had no problem with rim brakes on a very wet and cold descent from the Timmlesjoch (2500m).

As Terrydel says, people have been on rim brakes for years and it has been fine. The problem I have with people saying discs are way better etc is that it can lead people to changing their braking style and brake later /become more risk adverse due to perceived better braking, only to crash due to carry too much speed!

Wishbone Ash

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

I had no problem with rim brakes on a very wet and cold descent from the Timmlesjoch (2500m)....!

Probably because it was wet and cold - less chance of over-heating.

If I recall correctly, the descent from the Timmelsjoch Pass is not too technical and requires much less braking than other descents.

(Bloody cold though - I thought I was going to freeze to death on the way down and was shivering uncontrollably. Learned my lesson after than and now take arm warmers and a rain cape when heading to high ground).

terrydel

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

I had no problem with rim brakes on a very wet and cold descent from the Timmlesjoch (2500m).

As Terrydel says, people have been on rim brakes for years and it has been fine. The problem I have with people saying discs are way better etc is that it can lead people to changing their braking style and brake later /become more risk adverse due to perceived better braking, only to crash due to carry too much speed!

I may have made my point poorly, but what I was basically trying to say is that rim brakes are perfectly good enough and its not a question that really needs to be asked. Whatever he goes with will do the job, and theres absolutely no need to be fearful of using rim brakes.

davgtrek

Thanks all for the responses. Great feedback.
Since I don't have any exp of discs on road I'll stick with the rim brakes.
Any lads with any tips on tackling D'Huez and Croix de fer. Is August brutal over there or does the higher altitude take the real hot sting out of it ?

Wishbone Ash

davgtrek wrote: »

... or does the higher altitude take the real hot sting out of it ?

The temperature drops significantly as you ascend and there can be a difference of 20 degrees between the base and summit. The temperature drop is not that noticeable when you are still climbing (even when you begin to see unmelted snow in high summer). However it is very noticeable if you stop for a while at the top and particularly on the descent. On a very long descent, there is the beautiful sensation of the gradual rise in temperature as you plummet downwards.

Tonyandthewhale

Have used rim brakes and aluminium rims on my touring bike and roadbike for years never had any issues on descents in the Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathian, Blakan, Rhodope and Anatolian mountains. Heading for the Atlas mountains in a few weeks expect it to be pretty hot and there should be one or two reasonably big descents but I'll be more worried about my own technique and keeping my wits about me than the equipment giving out (not that I won't be keeping an eye on it).

Having said that I've nothing against disc brakes, use them on my mountain bike but no personal experience of using them on the road.

Wishbone Ash

I've experienced rims heating to a point where it's impossible to touch them for more than a micro second but have never had and tyre related problems.

OP - just be aware when renting that the brakes will more than likely be the opposite way around.

davgtrek

Thanks Wishbone. I've gotten used to brakes on different sides as my mtb's are different to road and even hardtail.
The temps are the key for a happy day I reckon. Will bring the armwarmers and jacket for the descents and the 30minutes of selfies at the top !!

Wishbone Ash

davgtrek wrote: »

...The temps are the key for a happy day I reckon. Will bring the armwarmers and jacket for the descents and the 30minutes of selfies at the top !!

I should have clarified that my post above relates to very high mountains climbs e.g. 2,500/2,600/2,700m. Alpe d'Huez would be much lower.

davgtrek

Well I ended up going with regular rim brakes and they were perfect.
I planned my routes without very long descents so I branched off and kept the elevation gain where possible.

The Col de la Croix de Fer was a Magical day.
Video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44a8KJ7kOSE

Alp D'Huez was easier than expected ( I spinned up it enjoying the views )
Croix de Fer was another step up in difficulty and a good challenge.

It's an amazing place. The metres climbed in a regular day in saddle is off the charts in comparison to Ireland.

First day ( D'Huez & Chamrousse ( 2 HC climbs ) was 100km & 4150metres !! Crazy stuff