Road bike with disc brakes?

broona
broona Posts: 414
edited February 2014 in Road buying advice
As a mountain biker at heart, I'm not a big fan of rim brakes, or at least any of the ones I've used recently, so I'm tempted by a racing bike with disc brakes, anyone have any experience of them?

Love the look of the Charge Plug 5, seems reasonably well specced for the price, and a little different from the norm to boot, any opinions please - http://www.chargebikes.com/bicycle-collection/plug-5
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Comments

  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Coming from the same background I found properly setup 105 brakes work well for me. They are sharp enough to lock the wheels up rapidly but with enough modulation / feel so you don't. Disc brakes would be an improvement but thinner tyres and no suspension mean less traction for braking compared to a MTB.
  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    Or for half of that price you could get this http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBP ... _road_bike

    I don't know the weight of the Charge but Tange steel is the same weight as chromoly/Reymolds 525/Maxwall so should be similar to the Kaff2.

    I have a Kaff2 with Sram Rival (£850) and it stops brilliantly wet or dry with the very same Avid BB7's

    NP
  • FatTed
    FatTed Posts: 1,205
    If you must
    Colnago C59 Disc
    http://www.colnago.com/c59-disc/
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    FatTed wrote:
    If you must
    Colnago C59 Disc
    http://www.colnago.com/c59-disc/

    Hmm, Colnago's site doesn't show the red/grey/white colour scheme anymore. My fave modern bike!
    colnago_67328.jpg
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,722
    night_porter wrote:
    Or for half of that price you could get this http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBP ... _road_bike

    I don't know the weight of the Charge but Tange steel is the same weight as chromoly/Reymolds 525/Maxwall so should be similar to the Kaff2.

    I have a Kaff2 with Sram Rival (£850) and it stops brilliantly wet or dry with the very same Avid BB7's

    NP
    The picture in the link to the charge is wrong. The picture clearly has cable brakes, but the spec lists hydraulic brakes. Hydraulics should feel better than cable brakes, although I've never tried them on a road bike. Agree about BB7s being excellent whatever the weather, mine are a vast improvement on the cantis my previous bike had.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Forget about the Colnago, which is silly... the Genesis Equilibrium 2014 disc is likely to be a milestone... nice and affordable
    left the forum March 2023
  • nufc_fan
    nufc_fan Posts: 70
    The equilibrium disc looks great. Will it be too heavy for the average roadie?

    I do 2 quick 20miles per week with a few sportives in the summer and longer rides. Would it hamper performance? Is the comfort at expense of speed? Especially on long climbs?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    nufc_fan wrote:
    The equilibrium disc looks great. Will it be too heavy for the average roadie?

    I do 2 quick 20miles per week with a few sportives in the summer and longer rides. Would it hamper performance? Is the comfort at expense of speed? Especially on long climbs?

    I think it will come at under 10 Kg, but not by much. If you are looking for a lean and mean machine, then it is not for you... if you are happy with sacrificing 10 minutes in a sportive, then probably it is.
    I am surprised it doesn't come with a carbon fork, which it should...
    left the forum March 2023
  • trek_dan
    trek_dan Posts: 1,366
    Is a Planet X XLS not in budget?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    trek_dan wrote:
    Is a Planet X XLS not in budget?

    It's a cross frame... I love cross frames, but they're not everyone's cup of tea... you're higher up on the road, as there is more BB clearance... also the riding position is a bit different, although not less racey than some road frames branded as "sportive"
    left the forum March 2023
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    BMC do some nice disc road bikes (GF01 and GF02 disc). Looks aren't to everyone's taste though.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Kinesis Tripster I'd say - check out the Fatbirds websites (they sell bikes, honest). Genesis looks nice too.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    robbo2011 wrote:
    BMC do some nice disc road bikes (GF01 and GF02 disc). Looks aren't to everyone's taste though.

    Yes, but these are bankers bikes... kind of stuff that comes built at 10 K
    left the forum March 2023
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    edited September 2013
    No, last years GF02 disc was CHF2000 over here, equivalent to £1360. Miles better frames that the Genesis bikes too.

    I own a Genesis btw.

    Here's the 2014 model, I imagine it is a similar price. Marmite looks and colour.

    http://www.bmc-racing.com/ch-en/bikes/r ... c/105.html
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    robbo2011 wrote:
    No, last years GF02 disc was CHF2000 over here, equivalent to £1360. Miles better frames that the Genesis bikes too.

    I own a Genesis btw.

    It's a cross bike...
    left the forum March 2023
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Thanks for all the replies (apart from the £10k Colnago, lol!)

    Looking to spend up to £1500'ish, so the Planet X XLS is well within budget and looks to be about the best specced for the price. I've never ridden a cyclocross bike before, how would the geometry compare to something like my previous Giant Defy?

    The Genesis Equilibrium and BMC GF02 look decent too, but the Kinesis Tripster on Fatbirds is £1300 for frame and fork only, ouch! Is this the same bike - http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/decade/tripster
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    How about this?

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 8#features
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    Sorry, back to the original post, I was looking at the one down (plug 4) and like the plug 5, it's in the road bike section of Evans (and others) website yet it looks very, very much like a cyclocross - cable runs along the top tube, 28c tyres, disc brakes and so on.

    Looks great but yet to see any reviews appear
  • springtide9
    springtide9 Posts: 1,731
    edited September 2013
    I have the XLS that is built up as a winter bike - and it works really well.

    There doesn't seem a huge amount of difference in BB height between this and my N2A. I believe the Dirty Disco has a slacker frame with more ground clearance etc. If anything, it almost feels lower than the race bike.

    The XLS has a very similar to seat to bar drop as my PX N2A - so not exactly a commuter frame. Many people have commented on the aggressive drop - even for a road bike (and with spacers), although I do have longish legs.

    The most noticeable differences between the N2A and the XLS in terms of geometry are (a) shorter top tube on the XLS (approx 10mm in a Large) & (b) slacker fork rake.

    The frame is pretty stuff, but also seems to offer a far amount of damping. I think part of the dampening is related to running 28mm tyres, but also part down to the slacker angle on the forks.

    Couple this with the great BB7 brakes, it was enjoyable to ride tearing down steep/badly surfaced/potholed/random gravel/wet hill. On the road bike, it's very much a "steady as she goes " - just waiting to slide out.

    In terms of difference in speed when riding, there is hardly any difference at all. One thing that I would recommend mind you are better wheels than the standard set, as although bullet proof, are pretty heavy. You might have guessed - I highly recommend it.

    The XLS is so enjoyable to ride that my N2A is now full time on the turbo and will only be using the XLS until the spring (apart from obviously the odd ride). The only other thing to mention is the gearing. The default gearing is a 2x10 with 36/46 on the front and 11-28 on the rear. If you are used to riding a compact with 34/50 and 11-26 then you'll find the 36/28 similar gearing, but obviously 46/11 on the top end isn't as tall. But the chainrings are standard 110 BCD so can be replaced (will probably get a 50 for the front at some point)
    Simon
  • nufc_fan
    nufc_fan Posts: 70
    Check out the new synapse 105. Aluminium frame but disc breaks. Nice looking as well
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    springtide9 wrote:
    ...

    Thanks for the in depth post, sounds like it could be just what I'm after. :D
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    nufc_fan wrote:
    Check out the new synapse 105. Aluminium frame but disc breaks. Nice looking as well

    It's definitely the right colours, lol, better than my last red and white Defy, lol! :twisted:

    The only problem I'd have with it is the brakes, as I'd never heard of them, a quick Google suggests that putting your feet down might stop you better! :shock:
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    I'm pretty sure one of the 2014 Roubaix SL4s with disc brakes will be around £1500.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    Looks great but yet to see any reviews appear

    Or you can be the first to leave one... how wrong can it go? It's not that you're buying a Penny Farthing... bicycles are pretty much all the same, despite 10,000,000 forums and reviews saying the opposite
    left the forum March 2023
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    Yes, I don't suppose you'd go wrong with any of the bikes mentioned. Just buy the one you like the look of most!
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    it's starting to happen....

    more disc bikes coming through, and more to come now Shimano have their hydro STIs:

    BMC have shown a carbon granfondo disc
    Orbea also have a carbon one ready for 2014 (Avant)
    Enigma have a tidy ti frame (Evoke)
    Ridley have shown one too (Fenix)
    add that to the current options (Spesh Roubaix, Hongfu 66disc, Parlee, Colnago, Eastway, Volagi et al) plus a load of aluminium options
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    broona wrote:
    Thanks for all the replies (apart from the £10k Colnago, lol!)

    Looking to spend up to £1500'ish, so the Planet X XLS is well within budget and looks to be about the best specced for the price. I've never ridden a cyclocross bike before, how would the geometry compare to something like my previous Giant Defy?

    The Genesis Equilibrium and BMC GF02 look decent too, but the Kinesis Tripster on Fatbirds is £1300 for frame and fork only, ouch! Is this the same bike - http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/decade/tripster

    Re Fatbirds - yes its the same bike, they were selling the complete Tripster 105 bike with a decent set of wheels for less than that frame price you mention, so I guess thats wrong. Perhaps that price is for the frame fork & build kit but they are listed separately? It does seem a bit unclear - might be worth calling.

    Also look at this: http://shop.upgradebikes.co.uk/Catalogu ... -Pro6-Bike

    If you like cross bikes than the Orange RX9 may also interest you.

    The Planet X is killer value though - only thing is I don't think it takes full mudguards, making it less flexible as a winter trainer.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    maddog 2 wrote:
    it's starting to happen....

    more disc bikes coming through, and more to come now Shimano have their hydro STIs:

    BMC have shown a carbon granfondo disc
    Orbea also have a carbon one ready for 2014 (Avant)
    Enigma have a tidy ti frame (Evoke)
    Ridley have shown one too (Fenix)
    add that to the current options (Spesh Roubaix, Hongfu 66disc, Parlee, Colnago, Eastway, Volagi et al) plus a load of aluminium options

    Although I believe the UCI have now said they won't ratify disc brakes for another 2 years at least. Which will probably slow transition down.
  • sniff-the-breeze
    sniff-the-breeze Posts: 28
    Coincidence....
    I was going to post on this very topic this morning!
    I am extemely lucky to have one of those 'silly' C-59 discs!
    Having riden my first 'wet' sportive on it last weekend, i then rode my conventional dura-ace equiped CX-1 last night in the rain!
    Frankly, by comparison, it was hopeless!

    I don't know how many times i have read.... i don't need discs on a road bike, calipers work fine.

    Well, by comparison they don't They are shocking!

    So the point of the post is simple. If you are in the market, then try a disc equiped road bike, at least for your winter/wet bike.
    And if you can't afford the C59 or don't want mechanical discs, then be patient and wait a few months. They are most definately a big improvement!

    Sniff.
  • ClaudeH
    ClaudeH Posts: 78
    I do like the idea of disc brakes on a road bike, particularly as it seems to allow for the benefits of carbon wheels without the downsides (braking, rim wear, etc). My one reservation is that there currently appears to be quite a weight penalty. This is probably not a big deal in the lower end of the market but if you are looking top-end it does grate a bit. I suppose once they are more widely available the focus will then go to reducing weight for disk-specific wheels, forks and the brakes themselves.

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