Brakes - Are disc brakes better? and why?

NickintheLakes

springtide9 wrote:

Just a FYI and sorry to drag this up again.. but found this interesting....

Formula Di2 road discs: Good enough for Nys
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/04/ ... nys_214347

Rotors on the Formula setup are 140mm front and rear, which they’ve found to be the ideal size in their own testing.

I tried 160mm, and to me it was a bit scary, to be honest,” said Vazzoli. “With the power, it is difficult to keep the front wheel from washing out.” When asked whether he or the rest of the Formula R&D department had encountered any overheating issues, the answer was an emphatic “No.”

“We tested extensively on the big climbs in the Alps and the Dolomites. 2,000 meters straight down, dragging the brake: No problems.

Crikey - they even said that the discs stopped better than any current rim calliper set-up. What a revelation - shame the MTB fraternity got there a good decade back.

What would be really interesting is to collate all the nay-sayers names into one post and sticky it. Then we could laugh as they eat their words in years to come.

Seriously though, a few top teams with discs in the next year or two and everyone will be acting like the second coming....I can see it now; the one or two calliper die-hards left still standing will get a right pounding just like the toe-clip users do now.

Rigged

Honestly, I'm amazed Rake has even made it onto a computer yet alone an internet forum! I mean, carrier pigeons got there eventually didn't they?

thescouselander

I went out and did a bit of mountain biking with a few mates a little while back. It was interesting to see that at least half the group ended up with their disc brakes dragging which required adjustment. I'm not sure of the exact cause but they told me this sort of thing wasn't uncommon.

Disc brakes might have their advantages but they seem to come with their own problems too.

springtide9

thescouselander wrote:

I went out and did a bit of mountain biking with a few mates a little while back. It was interesting to see that at least half the group ended up with their disc brakes dragging which required adjustment. I'm not sure of the exact cause but they told me this sort of thing wasn't uncommon.

Disc brakes might have their advantages but they seem to come with their own problems too.

Never had that in my life. Must be on the cheaper models as I'm not sure my disc brakes can be adjusted ???

Currently have Formula RX (and previously original Hope C2's). I've also never had to bleed any brakes - the only maintenance I've ever done with disc brakes is change the pads. I guess I should buy a bleed kit at some point... but I've not owned one in the last 10 years... so maybe I shouldn't bother until I need one!

andrewjoseph

thescouselander wrote:

...

Disc brakes might have their advantages but they seem to come with their own problems too.

This is my view too, however for me the advantages outweigh any disadvantages. this is what people who chose components for their bikes do all the time though. There are not many 'perfect solutions' with bikes.
Compromise shifter position so it is good in the crops and on the hoods, but not perfect for either.
heavy wheels with lots of spokes that don't go out of true easily and can be repaired quickly, or lightweight things that are almost disposable.
Comfortable ride on tyres or pinch flats.

the thing is with disk brakes, is that they are a realistic alternative to callipers, which have their own problems. wheel out of true and they rub, callipers twist during a ride and they rub, brake blocks move and rub the tyre, grit in the blocks ruins the rims etc.

thescouselander

springtide9 wrote:

thescouselander wrote:

I went out and did a bit of mountain biking with a few mates a little while back. It was interesting to see that at least half the group ended up with their disc brakes dragging which required adjustment. I'm not sure of the exact cause but they told me this sort of thing wasn't uncommon.

Disc brakes might have their advantages but they seem to come with their own problems too.

Never had that in my life. Must be on the cheaper models as I'm not sure my disc brakes can be adjusted ???

Currently have Formula RX (and previously original Hope C2's). I've also never had to bleed any brakes - the only maintenance I've ever done with disc brakes is change the pads. I guess I should buy a bleed kit at some point... but I've not owned one in the last 10 years... so maybe I shouldn't bother until I need one!

I'm not sure this has anything to do with cheap bikes - the ones in question were a couple of grand a piece. Anyway, binding brakes can be adjusted as follows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdZSdfBMBFQ

lesz42

current brake disc calliper is designed around the requirements of MTB ( tyre grip/heat/weight/rotor size)


i am sure all the company's designs will suit the needs of road bikes, size,weight and heat issues

most likely see the front calliper built/ensconced in the fork leg? and the rear one too, around/in the frame, discs at 140-ish mm at front and maybe even smaller on rear?

pads will be smaller even? with rotors providing the cooling to the callipers

sure fork and frame designs can be adjusted for disc brakes and the stress's they cause, weight wont go up, once you get to a certain level of groupset/frame

lower level groupsets/frame might have a slight increase in weight but that will be weened out over time

simon_masterson

I wouldn't be surprised if we all end up using them eventually, but then again some of the same people arguing this viewpoint also think that we will give up our derailleurs, and that hasn't happened yet.

I have to agree with those stating that the ratio of weight to function is hard to argue with. I've never owned a bike with discs, but it appears to me that there's more maintenance involved (which isn't hard). Equally, a derailleur is primitive but effective. Treat it vaguely sensibly and it will last for decades, and minimal day-to-day maintenance will produce good performance. No oil changes or anything like that.