Disk or Canti?

To throw another spanner in the works, I've just remembered a race last year where everyone with canti brakes was having problems with clogging, whereas those of us with discs weren't. Must have been something special about the mud on that particular day, because it didn't seem to be sticking to front mechs in the normal way. So if you are racing, your decision should also take into account whether you have a pit crew.

PuttyKnees wrote:

I found no correlation between disks and cantis in terms of mud clearance. I have disks, whereas my daughter has cantis on broadly the same frame. Both clog similarly, just mine is heavier. What I have noticed though is that modern carbon frames with their wider profile to achieve stiffness are no match for older styles with a thin profile.

Anyway, back to disks - what's the situation with the TRPs now? Have they got them to work and are they available? I heard some horror stories last year.

This was the Sidcup event in the London league last December. It's the only time I've seen it, but there seemed to be a magic combination of mud/debris that was wrapping itself round peoples' rear straddle cables. If you didn't have a rear straddle cable I guess it either got knocked off by the frame or carried all the way past the front mech.

I gather the TRP Spyres are pretty good post-recall; no direct experience though, as I've gone hydraulic. I had a set of pre-recall Spyres, and found them to be very good once I switched to sintered pads.

I switched to Parabox, but only because I came across some ex-demo sets at a very silly price. Performance-wise, it's no better than the Spyres with fresh cables (and doesn't need to be), I'd be very happy to race with either. There again, if I wasn't using carbon rims I'd also be happy to race with well set up cantis.

Weight-wise, the Spyres come out surprisingly close to cantis, especially if you use lightweight rotors (I have KCNC Razors).

Monty Dog wrote:

Sven Nys still not running discs.

Same for Cross Vegas, which was bone dry. apart from the beer.

The continental pros will use them judiciously, for wet courses for sure. For muddy courses? perhaps if its clogging a lot. LVdH is exclusively discs, Sven chooses tactically, the others are all still cantis

Have a look a some pro setups from Ian Field, Sven and Telenet Fidea here: http://www.cyclocrossrider.com/