Time to upgrade to carbon and disc brakes ?

Road44

Hello there,

I need advise on buying a new bike!

I started cycling last year. I bought my first bike used with not much mileage on it. A specialized Allez Elite 2009. 105 groupset with a alloy frame and a carbon fork. Pretty decent for a first bike.

After my first summer season ( I'm from Canada so I only ride in summer ), I rode a bit more than 2000km. So it confirmed that I really liked cycling and now, I want to take my new favorite sport more

Unfortunately I think I catched the cycling disease... I already want to upgrade. I already wondered about starting with buying new wheels, but honestly I am not willing to spend 750$+ on a bike that I paid 800$ and that I know is a bit outdated.

So I started to look for a completely new bike. Since it appears that disc brakes are here to stay, it seems logical to me to invest in the technology that will be in bikes for the future. Also, I expect to keep it for at least 4 years so I don't want to regret my choice after 2 years..

The best price/quality bike that I've found is the new 2017 Giant TCR advanced 2 disc. Advanced carbon, Hydraulic brakes and most recent 105 groupset. 2400$ CAD. See full specs here : https://www.giant-bicycles.com/fr-ca/bi ... disc/291... (link is external)

It would be relatively a big investment for me so I am hesitating a lot if I should go ahead and buy it. I am wondering if a new bike like this will have a huge difference on my biking experience.

At first, it seams obvious... a 2009 aluminum bike VS a 2017 carbon disc bike. But at the end of the day, both Bike have the same category of groupset and surprisingly the giant has only a pound or so less...

Many questions...

Is it really worth to upgrade ? Where will be the major difference? Is it too soon to invest in a disc brakes bike ? Do you have a better suggestion for me?

Thank you

haydenm

If you can afford a new bike then go for it, disc brakes shouldn't be the main reason for changing but it'll be a nice bike nonetheless.

fenix

I'd not be buying disc brakes just yet - look at all the questions on here about how to get them to work properly.
Your Giant is a very good bike - I think you can get it without discs though ? Get that one.

keef66

It's nice to buy shiny new stuff, but don't go kidding yourself that it will suddenly transform your riding. Certainly not $2400 worth of improvement anyway. If you're looking for justification to spend the money, it would only really make sense if your current bike is the wrong size or everything is worn out. You certainly shouldn't do it just to get disc brakes unless you're cycling in the Rockies.

But if you can afford it and want a new bike, go for it.

I had an alloy frame / carbon fork / 105 groupset bike I rode year round (we rarely get a proper winter in southern Britain)

Then I got the chance to buy a very good, very light carbon frameset. I transferred all the kit across from the old bike, so it was a direct comparison.

The resulting carbon bike was a bit lighter, and it was a tiny bit better at soaking up road buzz, but that's it.

In the end I bought enough bits to build 2 bikes, so I have the alu bike with second hand 9 speed Tiagra / mudguards as a dedicated winter / wet weather bike, and the 105 on the carbon bike for summer / dry weather. I still enjoy riding both.

Rb5_turbo

Do it, you only regret things you don't do everything else you learn to live with (good or bad).

If you can keep two bikes then add mudguards to the Alloy one so you have a bike suitable for wet rides, saves you a soaking etc.

Then have your best bike for the sun, the Giant is an excellent bike you will enjoy it.

In my house I get a new bike and then seek forgiveness, asking first gets me nowhere

pblakeney

I'd say slightly too early and you will pay the price for being an early adopter.
Don't let that stop you though if that's what you want.

cooldad

I would buy a mountain bike so you can ride all year round.

w00dster

I don't see disc brakes as being early adopters now. There are different standards, but solutions are in place for those.
I have hydraulic discs on the poor weather bike and my summer bike has rim brakes. I have had zero issues with setting up the brakes on the disc bike, in fact they haven't been touched since last year. But then again I've also had no issues with rim brakes either.
If the OP is only going to ride in summer then I personally wouldn't bother with disc brakes, but only because they're not really needed, disc bikes tend to be a fair bit heavier, wheel upgrades tend to be fewer choice, heavier and more expensive.
If however the OP is going to only have one bike to ride all year then I'd go with the extra braking performance of disc brakes. If a summer / good weather bike only, I'd still upgrade but with a decent rim brake bike.
There's a nice new hydraulic disc bike in the LBS which I'm really tempted by. I'd have to sell the current summer bike though.....And that means no racing as well, I change my mind at least 5 times a day! Its heavy but it really is a thing of beauty - just mean I'd go from a 6.5kg Emonda SLR to a 8.5kg best bike.

keef66

"If the OP is only going to ride in summer then I personally wouldn't bother with disc brakes"

If the OP is descending in the mountains in the summer and is caught in the rain he might well appreciate disc brakes.
If all his cycling is on the flat bits, and Canada has plenty of that too, not so much...

meanredspider

In a couple of months, I'll have had a purpose-designed, built and marketed disc-braked road bike for 6 years! How early do you need to be to be an "early adopter" - 20 years enough?

There are a few questions on the forum but, digging into them, it's just that roadies don't fettle their bikes themselves much (especially compared to MTBers) and are simply not used to discs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the tech.

I'm sure there'll be comments about TA vs QR too - which is also a smokescreen. Go with QR if you can (it's just easier) but I have both and don't care. Look at the number of BB standards or mech hangers - so what?

Buy what you like and don't be misinformed

pblakeney

meanredspider wrote:

In a couple of months, I'll have had a purpose-designed, built and marketed disc-braked road bike for 6 years! How early do you need to be to be an "early adopter" - 20 years enough?

I am fully aware that they have been available for some time. However, they are still not the norm and therefore slightly early as I suggested. The market will be flooded once the UCI approves them.

meanredspider

PBlakeney wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

In a couple of months, I'll have had a purpose-designed, built and marketed disc-braked road bike for 6 years! How early do you need to be to be an "early adopter" - 20 years enough?

I am fully aware that they have been available for some time. However, they are still not the norm and therefore slightly early as I suggested. The market will be flooded once the UCI approves them.

Kittel has already won the Qatar/Dubai Tour or whatever on them. I'm personally not convinced that the Pro tour has anything much to do with availability - you can already buy loads of disc bikes from cheap to insanely expensive - that's about the only thing that's changed in the 6 years since I bought the Volagi. I had the Boardman CX Team before that which, judging by its immense popularity as a commuter, really counts as a "road bike". As more people buy a new road bike, they will just become more and more common. It's already a long time since someone asked me if the Volagi is a CX bike.

Road44

keef66 wrote:

It's nice to buy shiny new stuff, but don't go kidding yourself that it will suddenly transform your riding. Certainly not $2400 worth of improvement anyway. If you're looking for justification to spend the money, it would only really make sense if your current bike is the wrong size or everything is worn out. You certainly shouldn't do it just to get disc brakes unless you're cycling in the Rockies.

But if you can afford it and want a new bike, go for it.

I had an alloy frame / carbon fork / 105 groupset bike I rode year round (we rarely get a proper winter in southern Britain)

Then I got the chance to buy a very good, very light carbon frameset. I transferred all the kit across from the old bike, so it was a direct comparison.

The resulting carbon bike was a bit lighter, and it was a tiny bit better at soaking up road buzz, but that's it.

In the end I bought enough bits to build 2 bikes, so I have the alu bike with second hand 9 speed Tiagra / mudguards as a dedicated winter / wet weather bike, and the 105 on the carbon bike for summer / dry weather. I still enjoy riding both.

So maybe it could be a great idea to simply upgrade my old groupset 105 5700 to the newest 105 are even ultegra. But again, I'm affraid to put a lot of money for a bike that I paid 800$CAD. Also, I don't think I would be able to resell it at a much better price with année groupset.

Road44

keef66 wrote:

"If the OP is only going to ride in summer then I personally wouldn't bother with disc brakes"

If the OP is descending in the mountains in the summer and is caught in the rain he might well appreciate disc brakes.
If all his cycling is on the flat bits, and Canada has plenty of that too, not so much...

80% of my ride are on the flat I guess

pblakeney

meanredspider wrote:

..As more people buy a new road bike, they will just become more and more common. It's already a long time since someone asked me if the Volagi is a CX bike.

I agree.
I am just suggesting that we are not quite there. Yet. Maybe this summer.

maddog 2

Two mates have the TCR disc - they love it. It's certainly the disc bike to have IMO, without spending silly money.

You'd have to be mad to buy a rim-braked bike these days (unless you intend to race it)

pblakeney

Cross referencing threads FYI.
viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=13076629&start=20

ZMC888

Road44 wrote:

Hello there,

I need advise on buying a new bike!

I started cycling last year. I bought my first bike used with not much mileage on it. A specialized Allez Elite 2009. 105 groupset with a alloy frame and a carbon fork. Pretty decent for a first bike.

After my first summer season ( I'm from Canada so I only ride in summer ), I rode a bit more than 2000km. So it confirmed that I really liked cycling and now, I want to take my new favorite sport more

Unfortunately I think I catched the cycling disease... I already want to upgrade. I already wondered about starting with buying new wheels, but honestly I am not willing to spend 750$+ on a bike that I paid 800$ and that I know is a bit outdated.

So I started to look for a completely new bike. Since it appears that disc brakes are here to stay, it seems logical to me to invest in the technology that will be in bikes for the future. Also, I expect to keep it for at least 4 years so I don't want to regret my choice after 2 years..

The best price/quality bike that I've found is the new 2017 Giant TCR advanced 2 disc. Advanced carbon, Hydraulic brakes and most recent 105 groupset. 2400$ CAD. See full specs here : https://www.giant-bicycles.com/fr-ca/bi ... disc/291... (link is external)

It would be relatively a big investment for me so I am hesitating a lot if I should go ahead and buy it. I am wondering if a new bike like this will have a huge difference on my biking experience.

At first, it seams obvious... a 2009 aluminum bike VS a 2017 carbon disc bike. But at the end of the day, both Bike have the same category of groupset and surprisingly the giant has only a pound or so less...

Many questions...

Is it really worth to upgrade ? Where will be the major difference? Is it too soon to invest in a disc brakes bike ? Do you have a better suggestion for me?

Thank you

Your idea is sound, but there are so many other ways to think about this than just carbon and disk.

Firstly the brakes. Disk brakes are great, but they add extra weight. You have a pretty good chance of getting a carbon bike down to 7kg without disks, but those disks add extra weight. That weight is worth it if you regularly ride in the rain or live in an area with very long descents and tend to drag your brakes.

With a good wheel that has an alloy brake track in the dry a 105 or above rim bake has near 140mm hydraulic disk stopping power. Then there is the simplicity and reliability of rim brakes. They are so easy to set up and they sit so far from the the rim that brake rub is very unlikely unless you have very thin seat stays. Disk brakes are also very reliable but can often rub a bit as the tolerances are so close. The last thing you want on a road bike is disk rub, which isn't so much of a problem with mountain bikes.

In short the brakes are a bit swings and roundabouts, depends on your geography, riding style etc.

Carbon bikes are light and can be comfortable, but they are quite fragile if treated clumsily. Some people say you shouldn't even think about a carbon fibre bike unless you weigh under 75kg, and would be better served with aluminium or titanium alloy frames.

Road44

Finally opted for a full carbon bike with rim brake and better components !

Thanks for your advices !

I love it 8) :