Rim brakes in 2019. Would you?
Discussion
I'm in the market for a new road bike. My current road bike has Shimano 105 calipers. I find them adequate, if a bit wooden. My current MTB has Shimano BT400 hydraulics. I'm actually a bit disappointed with them.
I don't race. I'm quite fair weather (when using the road bike), and ride at a moderate pace. Do I need to future proof my next choice my ensuring it has bolt through axles and disc brakes? Or, will rim brakes never die? Am I falling for the marketing? Will all the new 2020/2021 bikes be all disc?
I've been looking at Condor Italia RC and Bowman Palace:R frames, and a rim brake'd Domane frame - and a Scott Solace. All rim brakes. Are these bikes still a wise choice today?
I don't race. I'm quite fair weather (when using the road bike), and ride at a moderate pace. Do I need to future proof my next choice my ensuring it has bolt through axles and disc brakes? Or, will rim brakes never die? Am I falling for the marketing? Will all the new 2020/2021 bikes be all disc?
I've been looking at Condor Italia RC and Bowman Palace:R frames, and a rim brake'd Domane frame - and a Scott Solace. All rim brakes. Are these bikes still a wise choice today?
Are your current brakes single or dual pivot? I swapped from single to dual and found it made quite a difference to the power.
I'm very light, and found rim brakes have plenty of power and modulation for me, but I can imagine that heavier people might prefer discs, especially in wet weather.
I'm very light, and found rim brakes have plenty of power and modulation for me, but I can imagine that heavier people might prefer discs, especially in wet weather.
Rim brakes will gradually decline but you're not going to have a problem getting parts and spares any time soon. For the type of riding you describe there's not really any significant weaknesses with rim brakes. But there's also no problem with disc brakes. Each to their own but I would always go for hydraulic discs.
Rim brakes are fine with aluminium brake tracks. I have Magura HS11 hydraulic rim brakes on my folder, that thing stops in a hurry.
Carbon wheels with carbon braking surfaces and rim brakes are utter s
te.
Disc brakes make perfect sense for an all-year-round commuter bike, for a fair weather road bike, less so.
Carbon wheels with carbon braking surfaces and rim brakes are utter s
te.Disc brakes make perfect sense for an all-year-round commuter bike, for a fair weather road bike, less so.
Got Ultegra dual pivot brake system on my road bike and they’re excellent, wouldn’t have an issue buying a new bike with equivalent spec rim brakes. IMO brakes aren’t as important on a road bike as an mtb and I try not to ride in the rain anyway, that’s what turbo trainers are for ;-)
Thornaby said:
Disc brakes are brilliant. Rim brakes are fine most of the time but not as good as disc. Rim brakes on carbon rims are poor, over heat when it’s hot and just don’t grip when it’s wet.
Yep, jump between a rim and disc brake bike and you realise just how much better disc brakes are.Rim brakes are tolerable but a new bike would have to be a huge bargain for me to consider one with rim brakes.
jesusbuiltmycar said:
With your new bike will you ever upgrade to carbon wheels? It is my understanding that rim brakes are carbon are not a great mix, especially in the wet.
Even with alloy wheels the braking surface will gradually wear out.
From my experience carbon rims wear way more slowly than alloy - the tiny flakes of metal that come off alloy rims and embed in the pads are what seem to kill alloy rims off. Even after riding in bad weather pads on carbon wheels seem to stay a lot cleaner than those on alloy wheels.Even with alloy wheels the braking surface will gradually wear out.
I've had my carbon rims for 10 months and ~2700 miles and other than the braking surface being a bit "shinier" than it was when they were new there is no sign of wear at all.
On top of that the pads are only about ~50% worn too, so I think I will get over 5,000 miles from as set
I once had a car suddenly stop in front of me, going downhill, and without a doubt disc brakes stopped me saying hello through his rear window.
For the other 99.9% of the time, I find my other rim braked bike perfectly fine, but I think the above steers me towards staying with discs in future..
For the other 99.9% of the time, I find my other rim braked bike perfectly fine, but I think the above steers me towards staying with discs in future..
Based on your riding description, rim brakes would be sufficient and lighter with easier maintenance. I run 4 bikes two with rim brakes and two with discs.
Rim brakes with alloy rims & decent pads eg Swisstop are still great, but carbon wheels stay well clear of rim brakes.
Overall discs do give more consistent braking performance esp wet where required eg mountain biking/ winter, although i won't be swapping my rims brakes to follow a trend (or full bike), they work great, easy to maintain & light.
Discs aren't all plain sailing, I did a 100k ride in appalling weather recently using my titanium frame with Sram Force hydraulic disc brakes & as it was wet they steadily became very juddery & noisy & less effective compared to my riding partners on rim brakes, which although took some wear worked fine.
I will be changing organic pads to semi-metallic but not impressed overall when they are meant to work well in wet. My mountain bike brakes (Hope E4) work perfectly in all conditions but require more frequent maintenance.
Rim brakes with alloy rims & decent pads eg Swisstop are still great, but carbon wheels stay well clear of rim brakes.
Overall discs do give more consistent braking performance esp wet where required eg mountain biking/ winter, although i won't be swapping my rims brakes to follow a trend (or full bike), they work great, easy to maintain & light.
Discs aren't all plain sailing, I did a 100k ride in appalling weather recently using my titanium frame with Sram Force hydraulic disc brakes & as it was wet they steadily became very juddery & noisy & less effective compared to my riding partners on rim brakes, which although took some wear worked fine.
I will be changing organic pads to semi-metallic but not impressed overall when they are meant to work well in wet. My mountain bike brakes (Hope E4) work perfectly in all conditions but require more frequent maintenance.
I only own rim-braked road bikes, but I can easily lock the front wheel on any of them using two fingers at most. So my conclusion is that I can avoid the additional weight and complexity of discs without any real concern about perfomance.
I'm not interested in carbon rims. I can afford to get new alu. rims on my winter bike every few years. Summer bikes, the rims hardly wear at all anyway.
One side of the argument:
Rim brakes have never been better than they are now. Since people have managed for years without discs, you can still manage now. If you're only going to go out in the dry, why make it more complicated?
The other side:
The development work in the MTB world has paid off, road discs are excellent despite being a relatively new thing. For anything other than dry weather and roads, they're streets ahead of rim brakes. They will become the norm so if you think you might sell the bike, it'll be more easier to sell a disc brake bike.
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Both valid points. Me? Discs. Yesterday.
Rim brakes have never been better than they are now. Since people have managed for years without discs, you can still manage now. If you're only going to go out in the dry, why make it more complicated?
The other side:
The development work in the MTB world has paid off, road discs are excellent despite being a relatively new thing. For anything other than dry weather and roads, they're streets ahead of rim brakes. They will become the norm so if you think you might sell the bike, it'll be more easier to sell a disc brake bike.
---
Both valid points. Me? Discs. Yesterday.
On a road bike yes. My personal opinion is that the road tyre doesnt have the surface area to make the most of a disc brake. Sure the disc gives you better modulation of power but the tires are easily overpowered and tires will wear out quicker the more power you can get down at a quicker speed/sliding you do !
FWIW, my mavic cosmic carbons rims lasted about 1800 miles before they went back to mavic for a free rebuild under warranty, they supposedly had the best braking surface, but it wears out quick and yo have to use a softer compound, yellow pad, which is expensive.
FWIW, my mavic cosmic carbons rims lasted about 1800 miles before they went back to mavic for a free rebuild under warranty, they supposedly had the best braking surface, but it wears out quick and yo have to use a softer compound, yellow pad, which is expensive.
i have 5 bikes (i think), 3 with rim and two with disc.
if I was buying a roadbike tomorrow, Id still go with rims, as they are still good enough to lock the front wheel, don't weigh as much and arent as ugly
One of the rim brake bikes has gone carbon wheels and rims, and Ive never had any problem with them stopping either
But maybe I'm a luddite, as I hate tubeless on road bikes as for a fat bloke like me they just dont seem to work.
if I was buying a roadbike tomorrow, Id still go with rims, as they are still good enough to lock the front wheel, don't weigh as much and arent as ugly
One of the rim brake bikes has gone carbon wheels and rims, and Ive never had any problem with them stopping either
But maybe I'm a luddite, as I hate tubeless on road bikes as for a fat bloke like me they just dont seem to work.
PorkRind said:
keirik said:
But maybe I'm a luddite, as I hate tubeless on road bikes as for a fat bloke like me they just dont seem to work.
worked wonderfully on the front wheel but would never seal on the rear, and then you fight to get the tyre off, get covered with gloop, have to try and remove the valvle, etc etc. just found it easier and cleaner to use tubes in the end
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