[Closed] Road bike... Rim brakes vs discs.

You can replace wheels but you can't easily add discs to a non disc frame.
Got discs, love them, easy on rougher mountain road here.

only got my 1st ever road bike this year... it has discs, i'm used to discs, i'm happy with discs, discs are the one for me...

Ah good, a rim vs disc thread, there hasnt been one for a couple of weeks.

Having been a roadie for years, I was never bothered by disks, however having borrowed a friends Giant road bike with them, in my opinion they are good. Add this experience to not wearing out my expensive rims just disks, my next bike will definately have disks...

Disc Debate Quokka is interested in this thread.

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What’s high and low end?

I’d have a Dura Ace rim brake equipped bike over a Sora cable disc one. In fact I’d have any rim brake equipped bike over anything with cable discs.

Hydraulic discs are excellent though, I’d probably compromise on spec to have hydraulic discs if you’re going to be riding down mountains.

As above I would compromise for hydraulic discs but not cable discs. I bought a new road bike 2 weeks ago with hydraulic discs and the brakes are great.

If I had a nice bike bike without discs I wouldnt bother upgrading just for discs, if I was getting a new bike it would have discs.

I'm not really fussed either way but if someone handed me two identical bikes that weighed the same etc...

Disks would be difficult to turn down.

Depends.
I like discs and I like rim brakes. If I could only have one, I’d probably go with discs unless they were RS 505;shimano as the levers are bloody aweful and don’t fit my hands.

785S are great, as are sram force levers.

I'm just buying my second road* bike, it'll have discs, I'd forgotten how annoying wearing rims out is.

Probably actually a CX bike, as road bikes with discs seem to have forgotten that I might actually want to fit mudguards

If I wanted carbon rims now or in the future I would go for discs...

I've been looking at a possible n+1 and I'm still looking at rim brakes, in fact discs are probably a slight no, no. if I go for a single purpose nice road bike (cervelo, etc) for what I need a road bike for rim brakes are simple, easy to set up and fix, quiet in the wet, provide sufficient braking and rim wear hasn't really ever been an issue. I've also been long at another decent cx bike and fitting it with road tyres if I went this way I'd definitely go hydraulic discs

Would you rather higher end wheels with rim brakes or lower end wheels with discs?

How much higher end and how much lower end?

I would take a rim brake bike with £1,000 wheels over a disc braked bike with £100 wheels on it but guessing the differences are not as great as that so I would go with disc (especially if using in wet / on gritty roads)

After a recent trip to Gran Canaria I have changed opinion on discs. I managed to pop a tyre off a rim descending. First and only time it has happened, but one that can be avoided - so why not.

When I replace the summer bike it will definitely have discs on it; I am hoping they will have made the shifters the same size as Di2 shifters by then too, because hydraulic shifters are big & ugly at moment.

For a bike that's only ever going to be ridden in the dry, current best rim brake technology is superb. My hooligan bike has DA with the soft blue pads and the braking surface has that black plasma treatment and they are stunningly effective as long as you keep everything clean by removing brake dust regularly.

For a bike that's going to be used in wet conditions, discs every time, no contest.

Got my first hydraulic disc road bike this year, was/is a revelation, albeit I got my first hydraulic disc mountain bike in 2008.

Given my RTA from Xmas 2013 was a rim brake fail that resulted in me trying to turn my maxilla/teeth/hand into a jigsaw, I might be slightly bias. 😉

The rim brakes on my road bike with Exalith rims, matching pads and Yokozuma cables are amazing, significantly stronger and with better feel than the TRP Spyres on my cross bike, but if I were buying a new road bike I'd go for hydraulic discs for.... no rim wear, wet weather reliability, peace of mind on alpine descents.

I wouldn't choose a crappy road bike with dics over a really nice one without, but I'd compromise a little on spec on the basis that I could always upgrade the wheels later.

I must say I eschewed my very nice rim-braked bike to take my (still pretty good) disc-braked Bike to the Alps. I wasn’t sure it was the right choice, but the first descent proved it was, they were bloody awesome!

If I had a nice bike bike without discs I wouldnt bother upgrading just for discs, if I was getting a new bike it would have discs.

V interested in this

Verging towards discs but aware that I am terrible about contaminating them on my MTB!

If I had a nice bike bike without discs I wouldnt bother upgrading just for discs, if I was getting a new bike it would have discs.

This too.

And decent cable discs (i.e. BB&s/Spyres) with decent compressionless cables are great, and give a wider choice of levers.

As always it all depends on how much and how you want to spend you money.

I'd rather spend my money on my mountain bikes, so I don't have a high end road bike. I have a Planet X London Road with Sora cable discs which are way better than the Sora rim brakes I had on my previous Btwin Triban 5. They have been used on road rides in the pyrenees, including actual moutnains, and where fine.

I also have a single speed MTB with Clarks cable discs and tektro levers and they have great stopping power.

Those saying cable discs aren't worth the bother are wrong. But other peoples priorities are different to mine and they are entitled to spend their money on whatever they like.

I had this very dilemma - Choice between an 105 bike with discs and Aksiums, and an Ultegra bike with rim brakes, Kysrium Elites, and over 1.5kg lighter.

I went with the 105 one, haven't regretted it for a minute, especially when commuting in the peeing rain at 6am and still being able to haul up fast first time. I just prefer the predictability and consistency, plus the power when on the hoods is brilliant, especially as my hands numb up fast in anything remotely cold.

If you're not likely to be riding in crappy weather, i'd go with the better specced rim brake bike. A well set up pair of quality rim brakes provide more braking force than you can actually use anyway (for a light rider on narrow tyres at least - may be different for a heavier rider on wider tyres).

Discs every time for me.

I went with Ultegra/Di2 hydro's on my latest bike over slightly lighter rim braked options. I wasn't convinced there would be a noticeable difference in braking in the dry (wet of course being a no-brainer) but in fact the disc braked bike is noticeably better.

It's a bit of a given these days that for new road bikes you'd go disc. Exceptions being if you want to race, have some investment in wheels, or just don't like the aesthetics.

I have both and breaking on disc is better but, for me with the sort of riding I do, it's not a life changing experience and certainly not worth the cost of upgrade. Maybe if I commuted in traffic in all weathers I might feel different.

I'd not worry too much about quality of wheels either as they're usually crap on new bikes anyway and one of the first things you look to upgrade.

Would you rather higher end wheels with rim brakes

All day long, especially as you say you'll be avoiding the worst weather.

For me it's all a question of priorities, what and where you ride...

I'm more of a fair weather road rider, and all my road riding is in the UK on not especially big terrain. I want a bike that's light, fast, responsive and makes me feel like a pro when I'm riding it even if I'm not one. With that in mind, I'm still on rim brakes (although have dabbled with discs).

If you ride in adverse conditions, on big hills, or you simply don't mind a bit of a weight gain (or spending a lot more money) for the reliable braking power of discs then they're a no brainer...

EDIT: For me, the wheels make far more difference to my overall riding experience than the brakes ever could. But I suspect that has a lot to do with most of my riding being trying to keep up with faster guys on flat or rolling terrain over 30-40 mile blasts when it's not raining.

(or spending a lot more money)

Looking at the Giant TCR Advanced 1, premium seems to be around 200 quid for an equivalent disc braked bike (1799 vs 1999).

For me, the wheels make far more difference to my overall riding experience than the brakes ever could.

+1 for this, but the wheels with most new bikes are crap anyway, it's just the disc one you get may be a little bit more crap than the rim one.

the disc one you get may be a little bit more crap than the rim one.

OP is inferring that he's not upgrading the wheels.

I think we need to see the bikes under consideration if we're gonna progress this discussion in a meaningful direction.

I have a scott ally road bike with non series calipers and swissstop pads. I recently bought an orro with ultegra series discs purely because the wheels looked nicer without the silver brake track on rim (all black rims on disc wheels on an all black bike) Braking in the dry is no different. Havent ridden new bike in the wet yet. I could have got rim durace for similar money and bike would have been lighter but thought discs will be more future proof.

I have a fast road bike and I'm not fussed that it has rim brakes.
I have an all-rounder bike and I wanted discs on that for clearance for bigger tyres / mudguards and also for better braking in all conditions and if the bike was laden.
Horses for courses.

If I was buying a new fast road bike I would consider discs but expect that it would cost me too much compared to rim brakes for similar spec.

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... now if only I had the £6500 asking price

Think I'd probably go for one of these...

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Only a shade over 7k. Though would be happy enough with a TCR or the new Tarmac.

This, for me, in a different colour, with Dura Ace:

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This, for me

If you can get rim v disc for the same weight than I cant see why you wouldn't go disc, however are we at that stage yet on 'normal' priced bikes.

In the summer I never feel wanting for stronger than rim brakes, now its wet, I can sort of see it, but then again on a road bike on the roads around our way I think you would run out of grip before getting the advantage of the disc power.

Love my disc brake roadie. However I ride it 40 miles a day 5 days a week so it works for me. Mine are cable, and they're OK, if I wasn't using them so much they'd be fine but the adjustment frequency is a massive pain so I'd prefer hydros

If I was just riding for fun in nice weather, I wouldn't be bothered.

I find rim brakes on my racer are adequate in the dry but in the wet they're borderline dangerous. That's on standard aluminium rims (Mavic aksium) Witt updated pads.

If I could afford / justify buying a new racer I'd go disc without doubt. If there was the same bike with high end rim brake wheels or say mid range discs wheels I'd go disc without a moments hesitation.

I think it depends on your usage though - I commute about 17 miles a day on the racer in all weathers with the occasional sunny summer ride. That's very occasional though - if the weather is nice in the summer and I've got time then I'd much rather be out on the mtb.

Probably actually a CX bike, as road bikes with discs seem to have forgotten that I might actually want to fit mudguards

If you don't mind building up from a frameset, then the [url= http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Racelight/4S-DISC ]Kinesis Racelight 4S Disc[/url] may be worth a look.

It has the option to fit either rim of disc brakes, can handle mudguards with up to 32mm tyres, gas mostly internal routing ( and the blue one looks gorgeous)

Other mudguard ready bikes may be available, but I'm biased 😉

Probably actually a CX bike, as road bikes with discs seem to have forgotten that I might actually want to fit mudguards

I don't think it's any different to rim brake bikes, if you want to mount guards then get one designed to accommodate guards (typically not a race bike!) There's plenty out there.

For a summer bike I wouldn't look at discs, it doesn't matter how well the might work I just don't like the look of them. Besided I've done 8,200 mls on my summer bike and Its still on the original brake pads !! They work just fine in the dry.
If I could only have one bike for all year use it would definitely have discs. I was coming down a soaking wet lane once on my rim braked winter bike and couldn't stop at a T junction. 😯 lucky nothing was coming but it shook me up.

Much more fun descending long, fast, steep switchbacks when you don`t have to worry about your rims overheating. Ok if you only riding UK, but if your venturing abroad onto longer, steeper descents where you know the rims will be at melting point before your 3rd of way down ...

I`m a convert to them now.

but if your venturing abroad onto longer, steeper descents where you know the rims will be at melting point before your 3rd of way down ...

I don’t know about that I’ve always like the extra grip you get from a hot sticky tyre.

Pro’s manage just fine descending without rims/tyres exploding. If your tyres are exploding you are putting too much air in !

Pros manage because the roads are closed ;-).

Happy with my Ultegra and Dura Ace dual pivots. By contrast, the Avid cantis are nowhere near as good, especially in the wet. I often wonder if this is why people have such poor experience. That and an expectation that braking from the hoods is the correct technique. It isn't. Brake from the drops and you'll find its a world of difference. Can't reach the drops? Adjust your bike properly. You don't brake on an mtb without wrapping your thumb around the bar, surely?

That said, I think that ultralight carbon rims and disc brakes are the only natural bedfellows. Just not seen them that often.

And nobody I ride with regularly has them because BC don't allow them in races.

A lot of people just assume that the advantage of disc over rim brakes is only power. However, the real advantage for me is the feel or modulation. Dry or wet roads the braking feel is virtually the same with very little if any lag in the wet. You can judge your braking a lot better and it's not a question of hauling on them to stop quicker. For me they are a lot more consistant and therefore safer irrespective of the road conditions.

but then again on a road bike on the roads around our way I think you would run out of grip before getting the advantage of the disc power.

You think wrong, even on the flat, in bone dry conditions discs are markedly better.

I've got two bikes with rims brakes, one with Dura Ace and one with Ultegra, they're both very, very good, I'm not saying anything to the contrary, but discs are better. I still love my summer bike with rim brakes, but it did make me a bit sad to take my 'second' bike to the Alps because the brakes were better, even if I was very glad I did.

I've got both - Giant Defy with 105 level rim brake, Pacenti Rims and Greenstop pads and an Arkose with '105' level Hydros.

The Giant is fine on dry roads, but pretty scary in the wet.
The brakes on the Arkose are tempremental (had some issues with callipers leaking, which led to total rear brake failure at one point) but when they're working properly, they're very good, loads of power/modulation and can be locked up at any speed on any surface if I really want.

When the time comes to replace the Giant, it'll be with a hydro-Disc 'summer' bike.

Sorry too hijack op,I'm about too click buy on some disc road wheels,what's consensus 6 bolt/centre lock?

Pro’s manage just fine descending without rims/tyres exploding. If your tyres are exploding you are putting too much air in !

Pros manage fine because they're often not doing stupidly technical, narrow road, steep road stuff. On my holidays in France, Spain, Italy etc I've used roads that the pros would never go near - chuck in a few steep switchbacks, some gravel, an oncoming car and I've had some super hot rims before.

The Etape du Tour a couple of years ago, descending Columbiere, there were people blowing tyres all around me. Initially I thought it must be tacks in the road but it was just incredibly hot.

Discs every time.

Pros are often running tubs, as well, so no problems with carbon rims. If you use carbon clinchers, which I guess are quite popular on higher end bikes, then taking the brake surface off the rim seems like one of the best arguments for disks.

Don't forget pros use tubs as well not clinchers. The biggest problem they face is sometimes the heat build-up with rim brakes melts the adhesive and the tub unseats. There have been many crashes on descents over the years due to this.

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I'd have one of these to be honest.

There's a lot going on there, beautiful frame but something's not quite right on the build.

I think maybe it needs a black chainset?

steve_b77... is lovely, but the price 😕

I think maybe it needs a black chainset?

That and black hubs too.

Didn't know they'd stopped doing the Pilgrim. New one on the way looks pretty good though more "adventure" than pure road.

I like the shiny chainset, it goes well with the bare stainless at the BB area.

I agree on the hubs, I reckon silver ones would look a whole lot nicer

My best road bike used to have the single pivot Chorus rear brake which was great until it rained, then it became quite scary. Since replaced with Chorus DP brakes front and back. I most recently rode this in Italy in June at the GF Eddy Merckx and on roads in and around Lake Garda beforehand and it was perfectly fine and worked very well. Last month I rode my Bokeh with eTap HRD in TuscanyRoad'17 (mutli-day packed) and the disc brakes on that bike were great too - they have a good level of feel and also because I ride that bike with 38mm Compass tyres the grip was astounding - even on a tight hairpin descending off the Passo del vestito when I found a car about to occupy the space I was about to go into...

That Bowman needs to lose the skinwalls and have plain hubs/headset, far too much Happening. Then it’d look great.

chakaping - Member
There's a lot going on there, beautiful frame but something's not quite right on the build.

I think maybe it needs a black chainset?

EXACTLY my thoughts, too.

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This would be my choice.

Just got a road bike with discs, its pretty odd as I find myself taking that early pull to clean the rims before the real braking starts and just slowing down too soon! Guess it'll improve. The brakes are Spyre cable thingies, not much if any more raw power but so much more feel and realibilty as the above example shows.

FunkyDunc - Member

Pro’s manage just fine descending without rims/tyres exploding. If your tyres are exploding you are putting too much air in !

I admit, I very likely had too much air pressure in the tyre that popped off. It was about 80-90psi at the time, - but as others have said, the pros wont be using their brakes as much as us mere mortals who have to be aware of traffic coming up the other direction as we descend. Anybody who has ridden on Gran Canaria will know that a lot of the descents are very long, very steep, with often very sharp hairpins; descending the VoTT and the GC210 for example.

I still can't get over the feeling that having discs on your road bike make you look like a complete chopper though....

I've got a Colnago C60 with DA and Reynolds Aero 46 wheels and a choice of Mavic Exalith rims too which I love dearly.

After decending the Mont du Chat (Ritchie Portes tour ending crash) in the summer, I'd sell the lot for a hydro disc option as that was frankly scary on rim brakes. I've done a lot of big mountain decending over the years on the road, and that was bad, with overheated carbon rims.

Only one of my five road bikes has rim brakes. It mountenous where I live and a wheel delamination scares the shit of of me if I’m honest. There are plenty of down hills where you’re between 30-40 mph into a tight corners for up to an hour at a time.

In this environment a disc bike is far far better in every way.

For a blast on the flat, my rim brakes cervelo is awesome and still probably my favourite bike.
Ultimately it comes down to buying the right tool for the job.
We all live in different places and have various degrees of riding ability so buy whatever you feel suits your environment and skill level.

vdubber67 - Member
I still can't get over the feeling that having discs on your road bike make you look like a complete chopper though....

Aye, but if you ride your bike instead of look at it.... 🙂

We all live in different places and have various degrees of riding ability so buy whatever you feel suits your environment and skill level.

Aye, but if you ride your bike instead of look at it.... 🙂

Discs will be on my next winter build, if only to avoid rim wear.

Summer bike gets raced so won't be switching to discs until it's allowed and I've got enough of a budget.

I still can't get over the feeling that having discs on your road bike make you look like a complete chopper though....

It is a more common sight but there is still a whiff of this about a road bike with discs 🙂

Speaking to the LBS by far the majority of their road bike sales now have discs.

I still can't get over the feeling that having discs on your road bike make you look like a complete chopper though....

to 99% of the population a grown man in lycra on a bike looks like a 'complete chopper' so run whatever brakes you are happy with...

"The difference is... I make this look good".

It's the latest thing in road bikes to sell more road bikes. The UCI/BC position isn't relevant to most riders anyway.

One day I may succumb. Just not for a while. But it would be on a best bike for mountains not a winter bike that stops fine (I'm not very heavy) in the wet.

^ this.

The other day I commented to my wife about how sad a tasseled leather clad Harley rider looked having his mid life crises.

She said FFS, you ride around in skin tight red camouflage Lycra.

Fair Pont well made 🙂

Hydro discs are worth it for 'normal' riding. But they do have a few negatives, heavier wheels and brake rub, which is not an issue for normal riders but could be if you were racing. (Anyway you hardly brake in most lower level UK road races anyway.)

Avoid cable operated calipers they simply aren't worth it IME.

Aside: All the bike posted on this thread are minging, that Bowman particularly so, although that's nothing to do with discs on them.

It mountenous where I live....There are plenty of down hills where you’re between 30-40 mph into a tight corners for up to an hour at a time.

Where do you live? hour long downhills sound like amazing fun!

Probably not a case of 'normal' use for most people though, a case of pick your bike for your riding.

I have disc and rim brake road bikes, still think for most use I'm happy with the rim brakes, the times when I want/need the discs are only in really shitty weather and generally that's not [i]that [/i]often, even in the UK.

If it's a one bike for everything choice then I think I'd probably go disc, but while I have the option of multiple I tend to go with the rim braked bike 90% of the time and keep the discs for a crap weather bike.

Dragon- you'd better post a picture of your bike so we can critique it. I quite like the Bowman, just not with the odd coloured hubs and headset.

But they do have a few negatives, heavier wheels and brake rub

Rim and disc wheels can be heavy or light. Brake rub is non existent unless there is an issue that needs fixing.
I’m pleasantly surprised with the lack of rub with my road discs.

There are plenty of down hills where you’re between 30-40 mph into a tight corners for up to an hour at a time.

Unless you are dragging them, then that shouldn't be an issue. Sit up, break, off brake corner, sprint and repeat. Brake should have plenty of time to cool between bends, even if they come fairly quickly.

Blazin-saddles I don't have a pic of mine to hand but here is the website shot of mine. I actually wasn't keen on the colour when I got it, but i;s grown on me. (Yeah I know it's not strictly a road bike, but it is used as my all year road bike, my summer roadie has calipers.)

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