Rim brake road bikes becoming rare

Weepsie

Conversely , cleaning disc brakes bikes requires a bit more care and if a rim brake gets contaminated on the road it's easy to sort. Less so on a disc imo

Alanbt

ill be clinging onto rim brakes for the foreseeable.

couple of disc brake bike a few years ago and just found them more of a pain than rim brakes. Likely due to first time on hydraulics, but often had issues with noise etc. Rim brakes just so simple to maintain.

Have picked up a few groupsets to see me through for a while yet.

But another reason is aesthetics. I just find most modern disc brake bikes ugly. And for me a not insignificant part of the appeal of bikes is how they look. Rim brake bikes just look nicer imo

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119092950#Comment_119092950

Sorry but disc brakes do not "add complexity and often reduce reliability". MTBers have been using them for years and years, not to mention motorbikes and cars. They are extremely easy to maintain and in terms of performance I'd take them any day over rim brakes. If you don't like them, that's fine but some of the unfounded garbage that has been posted about them in the last few years by roadies is frankly embarrassing. The whole safety thing about razor sharp discs was comical when discs are completely blunt and the same cyclists were blissfully riding with bladed aero spokes etc.

Ask any mountainbiker would they go back to rim brakes and they'd laugh at you. Shimano disc brakes are absolutely bombproof in terms of reliability and performance. Rim brakes do a job adequately and there's nobody being forced to change but the disc brake hysteria of the last few years is ridiculous.

Disc brakes have more stopping power, better modulation and work as good in the wet as in the dry.

MojoMaker

...and are largely unnecessary on the road.

So we're all aligned I think?

Chips Lovell

I don't really understand why people get cross or sound offended if someone thinks disc brakes are unnecessary.

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119103053#Comment_119103053

I've been using disc brakes on my mountain bikes for over a decade and I'm well aware of their performance and advantages.

Bleeding brakes, fitting hydraulic hoses is significantly harder than tensioning a brake cable, so yes it is more complex and difficult for an average ROAD cyclist.

What some SNIP posted about getting cut by a disc is relevant to my post how.

I don't know why I would ask a MTB rider, this thread is very specific to road cyclist and the increase in weight and cost from an unnecessary technology for most road riders.

People btw are being "forced" by planned obsolescence by the bike industry, such that rim braked bike market is very much reduced.

Most road cyclist would benefit from improving their braking technique rather than switching technology; that improved skillset will stand to them irrespective of the braking mechanism.

My current gravel bike has discs but other than not having to clean rims I managed to never lose control on my old cx Ridley canti bike on really lumpy off road rides; circa 1000m climbing in a 40km spin with lots of 15-20% gradients. Having to re rim after 3k km was a pain but at €30 a rim cheaper than changing bikes and all the waste that goes with that.

With just road riding I've gotten 40k km from my hplus sons so the rim wear argument doesn't hold much water with me. Lots of that 40k would have been clocked up spins in wet weather in the 200km to 450km range; i.e. I wasn't anal about rim cleanliness.

If a road cyclist needs disc brakes to stop because of their undeniable advantages he should probably go back to cycling school 🙂

Peterx

"If a road cyclist needs disc brakes to stop because of their undeniable advantages he should probably go back to cycling school 🙂"

That's me :)

The winter before lockdown (fado fado) was extremely wet, i had poor braking commuting (on XTR V-Brakes perfectly fitted) all the time as the rims were always wet and frequently filthy. I picked up a Boardman with hydraulic discs and am a much happier commuter.

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119103899#Comment_119103899

Sorry, I'm not getting angry that someone thinks they are unnecessary, I get frustrated when I see some of the nonsense arguments posted against them. There was a big uproar over a movistar rider who claimed he got a gash in his leg from a rotor, it turned out the disc didn't go near his leg. Also a team sky rider Owain Douall who claimed Marcel Kittel's rotor put a gash in his shoe which turned out to be more horsesh*t, he hit a barrier at 60kmh and didn't even realise he had cut his shoe until he crossed the finish line but he was still certain it was Kittel's fault. The hysteria from that formed a major part of the backlash against disc brakes but now they all use them and don't give it a second thought.

I have no issue with someone deciding that rim brakes are adequate for them and I do sympathise that the bike industry enforces planned obsolescence (believe me, it's a million times worse in MTB) but some of the strawman arguments that they add complexity, are more dangerous, don't offer any performance benefits are nonsense. It's just a fear of the unknown. I would say that if you can't follow a youtube video explaining how to bleed a brake then bike maintenance isn't for you. It's a very simple process and changing pads is far easier than changing pads on a rim brake.

MojoMaker

Backlash? That sounds like hysteria alright.

They add weight & cost, spoil the visual lines, and are mostly unnecessary for pure road use. That's all we're saying!

Go for your life in mountain biking - they make sense there.

loyatemu

I have Shimano 105 rim brakes with SwissStop pads - they're still sketchy in the wet. My next road bike will have discs.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119090580#Comment_119090580

Yeah, brake blokes are key. I notice a much bigger performance difference as between crap blocks v. swisstop yellow than as between rim and disc.

From experience, the average leisure cyclist's descending skills are pretty poor too. Braking and line choice etc. But 'disc brakes' is sold as a ready-made solution.

I'm happy to have them on my CX and MTB bikes, but love the simplicity, reliability, and aesthetics of rim on road.

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119106932#Comment_119106932

Quote from the rider - he likened them to “giant machetes,” adding, “I’ve been lucky: I didn’t get my leg chopped off, it’s just some muscle and skin. But can you imagine that disc cutting a jugular or a femoral vein? I would prefer not to.” - hysteria.

The funny thing was it was his left leg got cut and he claimed he rubbed his leg on his opponent's rotor while they were riding which was odd given that the rotor is on the left hand side of the bike so this couldn't possibly have happened unless he unclipped and slung his leg over his opponents back wheel.

bazermc

My bike has rim breaks. Does that mean I’m officially old school now?

byrnem31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119109245#Comment_119109245

You are going to have an accident as they are obsolete and wont work any more.

oinkely

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119109271#Comment_119109271

Jaysus, I'm rightly feiced so - rim brakes, alu frame, 9 speed durace. A triple whammy of obsolescence!

Have no experience of discs on road bikes - but have never found any real issue with rim brakes on road. One very wet morning going to work on a rim brake mtb with xtr v brakes i did have a little trouble heading down through bray town. Pulled over and added a few turns to the cable barrel adjuster and was grand again. To be fair i did look briefly at changing for a disc brake bike but figured the spend wasn't worth it, and most likely the divorce from an extra bike would be far more traumatic so moderated my riding on really wet days to take into account the vagaries of rim brakes.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119090580#Comment_119090580

I've bought a set of SwissStop Flashpro BXP (neither green nor yellow flash are still made, yellow king seems to primarily be for carbon).

If they end up being significantly better than what they have on them, I'll send you a thank you PM!

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112903#Comment_119112903

I have a set of those that I still haven't fitted, thanks for the reminder 😀

DaveyDave

They're blue now I think? I think the older green ones were the ones that worked well in the wet. Now I think it's just alloy pads, don't remember a distinction for wet braking. Big upgrade over 105 pads in my opinion.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119111135#Comment_119111135

yours only goes to 9?

Weepsie

There's a spinal tap sequal happening.

ED E

Dork disk still on in the OP. Should be a permaban.

FlatToTheSquareRight

Started cycling during lockdown myself, never ridden rim but seeing the prices of second hand bikes I'm tempted to switch. I've been racing a 105-spec disc brake bike and for a similar used value bike I'd be looking at a bike 1-1.5kg lighter. How much difference in braking performance will I notice, given that I'll use it exclusively in the dry though on carbon pads/rims?

ARX

I have the inverse question - I've never ridden a disc road bike and I'm wondering what the advantage would be in the dry (I generally don't go out in the rain other than commuting or shopping). People talk about better modulation and wet performance etc, but in the dry do you get shorter stopping distances, or what is the benefit over a well-maintained rim brake bike?

I'm (ahem) somewhat north of 80kg and can hit 60 km/h going down Killiney Hill and I've never had any problems braking at the end or if I have a stopped car in front of me. What would discs do for me in that situation? If someone ran out in front of me from Killiney Hill Park, would disc brakes make a big difference there?

fat bloke

They would definitely be better, I mean if they weren't then what the hell would the entire endeavour have been about at all. That's their undeniable upside. But the downsides imo of increase in weight, expense, maintenance complexity and, for the want of a better word, apparent finickiness lead me to want to stick with rim brakes.

As well as the fact that, like yourself, I don't have an issue with the braking performance of my run braked bike. If disc brakes are excellent at braking then I would say rim brakes are very good. Very good ifms good enough for me.

Then there's the aesthetic aspect to it.

Look, to each his own is what I say, buy what you like and all that. What really irks me is being forced to buy a disc braked bike through the industry's strong-arming obscelescence of rim bikes/frames/wheels.

Weepsie

There's always been obselence in the industry though. It's not just with rim brakes/disc brakes

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

While I'm not a big fan of disc brakes and am a rim brake purist, I'd agree with Weepsie about obsolescence in the industry. People probably said the same thing about handlebar shifting, clipless pedals, non-quill stems etc when they first came about. Added cost, complexity, weight, and maintenance for objectively small performance benefits, and I would never go back to any of those things now. Saying that I won't be changing to discs until I'm forced to and will be holding onto rim brakes until Shimano pry them from my cold lifeless hands.

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122407#Comment_119122407

Well, it's the "better" part I'm trying to understand. Are they "better" in that they do the same as a rim brake but with one finger rather than a whole hand, or are they "better" in that they bring you to a stop a metre before the car that pulled out rather than two metres after it?

Anyway, I just ordered a rim brake Canyon Endurace so I'll be flying the RB flag for a while (by my overdeveloped forearms ye shall know me). 400 quid cheaper and 740g lighter than the same bike with discs. I was actually going to get the carbon disc model, but that's not available until next year.

Mr. Cats

Main advantages of discs I find (in order):

• Better braking on wet roads (esp vs carbon & rim combo)
• Can fit wider tyres
• No wear on rims

Main advantages of rim (in order):

• No bloody noise (I really hate how finicky road disc set up is to avoid rub and/or squealing)
• Lighter
• Simpler

I think the above pro’s and con’s have a different ‘value’ to everyone and if you’re running aluminium rims or carbon rims the relative advantages/disadvantages weigh differently.

I love the extra stopping power of discs and all day comfort of wider tyres on that set up. I also love the lightness and simplicity of rim brake bike which just feels faster.

Would be great if industry kept both options alive but I think rim brakes are on the way out. If shimano can sort the disc noise issues (which I think is to too low clearance between pads and also potentially frames holes not being exactly square) then I would be happy to go all in with them. I expect that the weight issues will be sorted on another couple of years.

monkeyslayer

Iv got both, definitely feel like my hands work much harder on the rim breaks, the difference between them is huge, but ultimately they both work just with different ways of riding them. I've had a few moments now where I'm bopping along and iv forgotten what bike I'm on and iv had barely enough time to brake in time. The rim breaks are tuned wicked tight as a result.

CantGetNoSleep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119123365#Comment_119123365

As someone with both (and several different disc bikes at this stage) - I'd fully agree with this as a summary. I've got a 5k bike with disc brakes and when it works everything is great but I've had to adjust the front brake far too many times to stop it rubbing. I'm considering trying a new caliper even.

On the other hand I've a bike I bought second hand nearly new with rim brakes for about 850 which is lighter and on a dry day, just as good in almost every way (aside from only taking 25mm tires)

ARX

Thanks for all the replies. Based on those, I'm happy enough that I went for the rim brake version of the Endurace. Perhaps it'll be my last rim brake bike ...

byrnem31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134149#Comment_119134149

Well done.

magicbastarder

the biggest issue i had with disc brakes was specific to a set of BBB branded pads which got contaminated way too easily, and then which i couldn't decontaminate; in the wet they were effectively useless. they weren't even squealing, they were so bad, and the bike felt dangerous to cycle. didn't have that issue with any other pads.

xxyyzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134733#Comment_119134733

Yeah it's often game over if the pads get contaminated however if you hold them with a pliers over a blue gas flame for about 20 seconds it will burn off any contaminants and then give them a quick sand in a circular motion they can be as good as new.

byrnem31

I just hate disc now the longer ive reverted back to rim. I look in awe at the 105 logo on my rim brakes on the canyon. Simple, tidy, neat and stunning looking. They dont squeal or make noise and are aesthetically better looking than two saucer plates in the centre of my wheels.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119135355#Comment_119135355

that was my point. i couldn't rescue those particular ones, have cleaned other brake pads before with no issues.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122537#Comment_119122537

Even within rim brakes, with the move from 126mm standard spacing to 130mm!

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119135798#Comment_119135798

You can stretch and squeeze steel frames, despite what youtube will tell you about a protracted process, I forced it, and it fit (and worked). Bring back steel bikes, say no to carbon.

Mercian Pro

Was briefly tempted recently to look at switching to a gravel or road bike with disks mainly so I could fit wider tyres for very occasional off-road sorties. After a bit of research (and common sense) I decided on new wheels instead that would be of benefit on 98% of my spins. A clubmate was selling a little used pair of Ksyrium Pro Exaliths and they were exactly what I was looking for - lighter and stiffer than my Ksyrium Elites, much improved breaking especially in the wet and a slight whistling sound that could annoy you but I like! I recently put them to the test going up and down some fantastic roads in the Julian Alps (Slovenian/Italian border) and they were superb.

It ocurred to me that there must be a lot of high-quality "good wheels" hanging in sheds after people have switched to disk bikes and sold on their non-disk bikes with stock wheels. Getting your hands on them might be a problem but there should be some finding their way onto Adverts at some stage.

DaveyDave

One benefit to discs is not having an ugly braking surface on rim brakes. I ordered a SwissStop cleaning pad which loons like some sort of sandpaper eraser block which will apparently make it look like new. We'll see...

magicbastarder

a kitchen scouring pad (not a brillo pad) and a little bit of jif would probably do just as good a job.

ILIKEFOOD

I recently bought a new set of Mavic Carbon SL 40s - rim brake for my 2014 bike.. I have serious buyers remorse now as I'm thinking that it will be awhile now until I can justify a bike upgrade.. like I should have just put the money towards a new DB bike.. Doh! That said the wheels are class..

byrnem31

Out this morning on the 105 rims in the wet. Not a bother and they stopped me fine and did not screech like a banshee. You cant beat a good rim job.

Weepsie

Out this morning on SRAM force and last night in the wet discs. Also didn't scream. Setup is important.

I hear plenty of squealing rim brakes too. I had one bike that no matter how well adjusted it squeeled like a pig. I like to think I crashed it on purpose

My Ultegra discs are another matter.

Paul_Mc1988

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139133#Comment_119139133

Was going down leixlip hill last week in the rain riding with Swiss stop carbon pads and carbon rims... nearly died.... had not rode in the rain in two years and forgot how much of a delay there is in the wet.

For aluminium brake surface any brake type will do.... for carbon I'd go with disk for sure.

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140393#Comment_119140393

Is it just that in the wet there's a delay and then the braking is ok, or is it the case that there's a delay and then the braking is poor?

Alltricks sent me a pair of carbon pads by mistake, so I feel obliged to get a carbon wheelset so they won't go to waste.

Paul_Mc1988

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140441#Comment_119140441

There's a delay then the braking is good... not as good as it is in the dry. But the delay could catch you out....

Say its pissing out and your in tight group and doing 35kph and someone in front hits the brakes.... you may be in a sticky situation.

secman

I'm always a little wary riding behind disc brake bikes even in dry as I know they will stop quicker... 4 bikes are all rim, 2 winter's on alu wheelset and 2 summers on carbons wheelset. All mechanical too....Total ludite here 😃

gn3dr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119123002#Comment_119123002

If you can lock up the rear wheel with rim brakes and throw yourself out over the bars with the front, then disc brakes are not going to improve braking performance outside of the amount of force needed at the lever to do both those things. But that is not improving braking performance, it's just reducing the effort needed to pull the lever. There is a point at which the tyre contact on the road is the factor that makes the difference. If both types of brakes lock up a wheel then there is no effective braking difference between them. I think there is even an argument that you will have better braking control and modulation with rim brakes.

magicbastarder

if there is, you're the first person i've ever heard make that claim, to be fair.