Floating Rotor??? What is one?

ThanksBye

I have heard people talk about Floating Rotors when talking about disk brakes, what is a floating rotor please?

supersonic

A two piece rotor - a steel outer section which is riveted to a aluminium inner (spider), which bolts to the hub. The rivets allow float and movement between the two, which stops the rotor from warping under extreme heat due to different epansion rates of the metals. The design also saves weight, but the average rider wont really notice any benefits.

abbots_mike

Isn't there also something to do with the fact that aluminium conducts heat far more effectively than steel, thus drawing heat away from the braking surface

Anonymous

No, mike.

grantway

Well written Supersonic.

Mainly used for people who do Downhill or All Mountain or
when riding constant steep decents.

ride_whenever

One thing to add, they aren't all steel/alu, there are Ti/carbon ones which are supremely pimp!

Anonymous

Floating rotors aren't useful if your bike is lighter than air. You need non floating rotrs, to anchor your steed to the ground.

BlackSpur

*groan*....

Anonymous

BlackSpur wrote:

*groan*....

What? I'm doing a public service. Some people take reducing bike weight a dangerous extreme you know.

BlackSpur

I was looking 'round the weight weenies site the other day and there are some seriously skinny bikes on there!

Anonymous

I don't understand those wight weenies, surely a mountain bike is something that should be capable of taking a hell of a lot of abuse, and just as importantly, making you feel like it can take a load of abuse.
Every time I've ridden a superlight machine, I've just been scared of breaking it.

icedmind

floating rotors as what you know is made by normally alu/steel
the advantage is its better at ventilate the head caused by braking
also its way lighter than normal rotor with the same braking power that the rotor can give(braking surface area)
of coz with hope you can match the hub colour, make them look sexy etc.
the only disadvantage is they are softer than normal rotor bcoz the alu bit (just can easily bend after you accidiently lay your disc against sth. )
hope and shimano makes awesome floating rotors i would go for them instead of normal rotors(make sure your disc caliper can take them)
also they re not brittle

nicklouse

icedmind wrote:

floating rotors as what you know is made by normally alu/steel
the advantage is its better at ventilate the head caused by braking
also its way lighter than normal rotor with the same braking power that the rotor can give(braking surface area)

not always true.

and they also in some cases are not as good at dissipating heat.