Di2 or disc brakes?

Titiandv

Considering getting a 2019 Cervelo s3. Undecided between 2 options:
1. ultegra di2, rim brake with Magic cosmic elite
2. Ultegra (mechanical), disc brake shimano 8070 hydraulic with disc Mavic cosmic elite cl
Option 1 costs 600 usd more than option 2
Thoughts?

cookeeemonster

Ride in rain = disc brake else DI2

Matthewfalle

CookeeeMonster wrote:

Ride in rain = disc brake else DI2

this

how much would rim brakes and mechanical Red or D/A be?

yiannism

Disc brake all the way. With 600 euros you can upgrade on Di2 in the future, but if you buy rim brake you stuck with it. Actually disc brakes is the only reason that i have some thoughts to replace my other than that beloved Inifinito CV.

keef66

Titiandv wrote:

Considering getting a 2019 Cervelo s3. Undecided between 2 options:
1. ultegra di2, rim brake with Magic cosmic elite
2. Ultegra (mechanical), disc brake shimano 8070 hydraulic with disc Mavic cosmic elite cl
Option 1 costs 600 usd more than option 2
Thoughts?

I'd definitely choose the one with the magic wheels

Matthewfalle

YiannisM wrote:

Disc brake all the way. With 600 euros you can upgrade on Di2 in the future, but if you buy rim brake you stuck with it. Actually disc brakes is the only reason that i have some thoughts to replace my other than that beloved Inifinito CV.

but what if he doesn't ride in the rain?

ugo.santalucia

Di2 is mature and initial problems people reported with failing connections and dodgy software updates seem to have faded. Disc brakes are useful in a limited number of instances, but they are hardly something exciting.

Neither of them is a real "upgrade", they are both vanity purchases, but if I had to choose one, I'd probably go for Di2

Titiandv

Matthewfalle wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

Ride in rain = disc brake else DI2

this

how much would rim brakes and mechanical Red or D/A be?

Unfortunately they don’t offer that option. Would have to go for another bike.

backo

Di2 all day long...it will put a bigger smile on your face.

The only time I can justify disc brakes is when riding a bike that is filthy with grud, namely on a Friday of commuting all week during the winter. Used to scare the hell out of me braking on filthy rims and nothing happening for a couple of seconds. Other than commuting day in day out this aint a problem unless you dont wash your bike or.......... have disc brakes!

Titiandv

Matthewfalle wrote:

YiannisM wrote:

Disc brake all the way. With 600 euros you can upgrade on Di2 in the future, but if you buy rim brake you stuck with it. Actually disc brakes is the only reason that i have some thoughts to replace my other than that beloved Inifinito CV.

but what if he doesn't ride in the rain?

Disc brakes for riding in the rain sounds like a good idea but I NEVER ride in the rain. Mexico has lots of mountains so that would be the only real use of the disc brakes (riding down of them).

I think It would be easier to switch from rim to disc in the future than from mechanical to di2.

kingstonian

Titiandv wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

YiannisM wrote:

Disc brake all the way. With 600 euros you can upgrade on Di2 in the future, but if you buy rim brake you stuck with it. Actually disc brakes is the only reason that i have some thoughts to replace my other than that beloved Inifinito CV.

but what if he doesn't ride in the rain?

Disc brakes for riding in the rain sounds like a good idea but I NEVER ride in the rain. Mexico has lots of mountains so that would be the only real use of the disc brakes (riding down of them).

I think It would be easier to switch from rim to disc in the future than from mechanical to di2.

You can't switch from rim to disc on the same frame - the bike is built to be one or the other. You could theoretically switch the front fork of a rim brake bike for a fork with a disc mounting, but you couldn't also change the back wheel to disc braking.

I'd go with disc brake and a high end mechanical gearset.

jspash

Consider this; if you go with discs you will "never" have to buy another set of wheels for the life of bike. (in theory. real life doesn't always apply)

cougie

I've always had rim brakes. Ive worn out one rim in 35 years of cycling. Discs won't be a big wheel saving for me.

kingrollo

DI2 Easily

keef66

My oldest rim braked wheel is coming up for 12 years old and I can still see all the wear indicators. Think the (now deteriorating) condition of the cup n cone hubs will dictate when I eventually bin them, not rim wear.

In my defence most of my riding is on quiet, gently undulating country roads, I brake fairly infrequently and I don't weigh very much.

If I was stop-start commuting in all weathers, weighed 18 stone or had any frequent, long descents, then rim wear and hence disc brakes might concern me.

ugo.santalucia

if you never ride in the wet, disc brakes are just a waste of money. Modern rim callipers are very good in the dry, pretty much on par with disc brakes.

Matthewfalle

Titiandv wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

Ride in rain = disc brake else DI2

this

how much would rim brakes and mechanical Red or D/A be?

Unfortunately they don’t offer that option. Would have to go for another bike.

what bike are you looking at?

keef66

The thread started out with "Considering getting a 2019 Cervelo s3. "

Matthewfalle

keef66 wrote:

The thread started out with "Considering getting a 2019 Cervelo s3. "

ah - that old chestnut, eh...

Matthewfalle

di2 then. no discs. best of two pointlessnesses.

joe_totale-2

How about getting the Ultegra mechanical one and saving a load of cash which could be spent or more magic wheels?

bianchimoon

I have an S3 with Di2 and rim brakes, and a MTB with Disc brakes... I don't regret either decision!

clubsport

Joe Totale wrote:

How about getting the Ultegra mechanical one and saving a load of cash which could be spent or more magic wheels?

Exactly what I did, not once have I thought, I wish this changed gear or stopped quicker, but now rolls better as I upgraded the wheels.

Matthewfalle

clubsport wrote:

Joe Totale wrote:

How about getting the Ultegra mechanical one and saving a load of cash which could be spent or more magic wheels?

Exactly what I did, not once have I thought, I wish this changed gear or stopped quicker, but now rolls better as I upgraded the wheels.

is there a mechanical ultegra/rim brake option?

then yes, this 100%

veryslowtwitch

Di2/rim is lovely but I would go discs and 8070.

I had same dilemma with Cervelo but after hiring an R3 with Ultegra hydraulic discs and mechanical shifting I immediately bought one.

The mechanical Ultegra shifting is whisper lite, super precise and the disc braking is fabulous. I got first ride on a brand new 2019 model so maybe it won't feel so good after a year but then I'll change to Di2:-)

If you enjoy programming stuff then get Di2. I have Di2 on another bike and love it too but just want to ride and not program this bike.

Cervelo RAT system is faster than QR for front wheel and I like the auto centring of thru axles which are an advantage of discs.

Choice might come down to whether you are racing, need support, parts availablity etc.

veryslowtwitch

I used the R3 in Tenerife, so nice with fingertip braking for long descents, another thing to consider. No more white knuckles, far more relaxing than rim DA which is the only rim brake I use, maybe others are better.

pilot_pete

veryslowtwitch wrote:

If you enjoy programming stuff then get Di2. I have Di2 on another bike and love it too but just want to ride and not program this bike.

Sorry, “if you enjoy programming stuff then get di2”? Are you for real? If you enjoy programming get a computer and a course in computer programming. Once you have set up di2 - which requires no programming, merely selecting a few choices from various options - you don’t have to touch it again, save for the odd firmware update which is just like updating to the latest version of an app.

If you buy di2 expecting to do constant ‘programming’ then you are going to be sorely disappointed. :roll:

PP

yiannism

Matthewfalle wrote:

YiannisM wrote:

Disc brake all the way. With 600 euros you can upgrade on Di2 in the future, but if you buy rim brake you stuck with it. Actually disc brakes is the only reason that i have some thoughts to replace my other than that beloved Inifinito CV.

but what if he doesn't ride in the rain?

The industry is heading to the disc brakes, some companies on their endurance line they dont even have an option for rim brakes. The practical part its just one of the factors, the business is an other. Simple a disc brake bike will hold its value better, plus you can fit wider tires for more comfort too.

By the way if you go for the mechanical groupset then the only real deference between ultegra and 105 other than the price is less than 200g

thegreatdivide

YiannisM wrote:

The industry is heading to the disc brakes, some companies on their endurance line they dont even have an option for rim brakes. The practical part its just one of the factors, the business is an other. Simple a disc brake bike will hold its value better, plus you can fit wider tires for more comfort too.

Get a grip.

ugo.santalucia

YiannisM wrote:

The industry is heading to the disc brakes, some companies on their endurance line they dont even have an option for rim brakes. The practical part its just one of the factors, the business is an other. Simple a disc brake bike will hold its value better

The only bikes that hold any value on the market are Brompton... a 3 year old Brompton can sell for up to 75% of the RRP... anything else has a pathetic resale value, unless you wait for 30 years, you keep it pristine and you hope it becomes a "classic" like a Colnago C40... chances are it won't

Buying a bike with resale value in mind is a bit of a waste of time... that said, I've never seen figures suggesting what you say is true... if you have them, then point us in that direction.

yiannism

ugo.santalucia wrote:

YiannisM wrote:

The industry is heading to the disc brakes, some companies on their endurance line they dont even have an option for rim brakes. The practical part its just one of the factors, the business is an other. Simple a disc brake bike will hold its value better

The only bikes that hold any value on the market are Brompton... a 3 year old Brompton can sell for up to 75% of the RRP... anything else has a pathetic resale value, unless you wait for 30 years, you keep it pristine and you hope it becomes a "classic" like a Colnago C40... chances are it won't

Buying a bike with resale value in mind is a bit of a waste of time... that said, I've never seen figures suggesting what you say is true... if you have them, then point us in that direction.

Its common sense man. Its pretty clear where the industry is going, in a few years the rim brake will fade away. Most of the bikes will be disc brake, so when you decide to sell it guess what. Most people will looking for disc, or a bergain rim. It will push the price even lower. The same happened with the MTB's too.