Front Disc Changeover

Pufftmw

Anyone swapped their standard front setup to disc? Worth it? I mean performance not cost.

Happen to need a new front wheel as the current one is nearly worn out, so thinking of maybe getting a Shimano RX31 disc & RS685 kit, plus of course a new fork etc.

Would keep the rear as rim as most of the braking happens at the front, especially in the wet.

I also know that the RS685 is 11 speed, I'm doing that change as well. Just thought I could change the front at the same time. Any extra weight on the disc setup will be offset by dropping from triple to double.

veronese68

For use in all weather I'd say it's a no brainer.

dhope

Yep, Condor is now fixed with disc. More stoppy than the previous one. I like it.
Could get an Avid BB7 SL as you wouldn't need to change the levers then I think. At least I didn't have to mess about with the levers.

redvee

After some initial negative thoughts on the braking as the pads/rotor bedded in I'm glad I made the move to disc on the front. Wanted to move to disc for some time and the front rim was wearing thin so bought a pair of DC37 forks and BB5 calliper and cable set. Initial cost was £180 for kit mentioned but then I had to buy a set of proper mudguards as RoadRacers don't fit the forks. I re-used the old headset and paid a local mechanic £10 to swap the crown race over and cut the forks down and did the rest of the work myself.

ugo.santalucia

Only downside if disc forks aren't cheap...
I've had a front TRP HyRD hydraulic caliper for a few weeks now and it's all the brake you will ever want and need... the full hydraulic line will cost you more and might give you further expense in the future... cable is cheaper to run.

Kieran_Burns

I honestly wouldn't go back to rim brakes now I've got used to my BB7s on the Felt (upgraded from BB5s... which I've still got lying around somewhere) If I ever get a new road bike I'll look for one with discs first, they're just so predictable and great in the wet.

veronese68

I had BB7s and they were really good, much better than rim brakes in all but perfect conditions. I changed to a Parabox hydraulic converter thing a while ago. Braking is probably no better in terms of outright power, but feel is better and there is no adjustment needed. In terms of maintenance they are so easy, wet and dirty rims make no difference. Be careful not to get any contaminants on to the disc is the only thing to look out for, that's why they get so evangelical about not using spray lubes in the MTB section.
I still have the BB7s I really should take some pictures and stick them on the classifieds.

anonymousblackfg

I've gone from BB7 to TRP spyres, a better option and less faff in tuning due to both pads moving.

I went bullet proof on the wheel witha deore hub with a 32 hole aerotrack rim, a touch heavy but solid.

Pufftmw

Good! Not an asinine question then

Thanks for all your replies. I'd seen the DC37 fork, so good to know someone thinks its alright.

Time to get buying

dhope

Pufftmw wrote:

Good! Not an asinine question then

Thanks for all your replies. I'd seen the DC37 fork, so good to know someone thinks its alright.

Time to get buying

I've got DC37's on mine too btw. Clearance looked comically massive compared to the stock Condor fork but not so silly with mudguards back on

Pufftmw

Hmm, not thought about front mudguards...

Ordered all the bits now

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Just spotted cro-mo Pompetamine IS-disc forks for 40 squids (price corrected in basket)...

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOOOP12/on ... amine-fork

The Rookie

You can get much lighter Mossos for that price, in fact at 700g they are as light as most Carbon.....I have one on mine.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Had a random idea at work today...

I believe my Saracen frame is dead (but need confirming) due to a crack ~66% around the seat post above where it meets the top tube.

Basically, money is very tight, so could I fit the Recon Race fork to my Tricross Singlecross to try having a disc brake at the front?

The Tricross needs a new front wheel after my accident ~14 months ago, which was caused by a lack of braking, when I was cycling full pelt around a blind corner when I met a stationary lorry in wet weather. I've read that fitting a 700c disc wheel to my 26" fork might be possible (using existing 26" disc wheel would cause bad angles by the sound , even if the fork was kept locked at full extension).

Not light, perhaps a bit frankenbike, but feasible?

The Rookie

You need to check the A2C of the fork compared to the current one on the Tricross so you don't mess up the geometry, yes you can usually (like 99% of the time) fit 700C road tyred wheels in place of a 26" MTB, The MTB wheel is 26" diameter which includes 2x2" of tyre, by comparison a 29"/700C wheel is 2.5" bigger in diameter, so with 25mm tyres is only a 1/4" larger radius than the nominal MTB wheel, in reality most MTB forks (and frames) will take a much bigger tyre than a 2" (2.25" at least) and the restriction is usually on width not radius anyway.