No, I do not want to have an argument about which is better. I in no way feel any need to criticize those who have different brake preferences than I do.
What I do want to do with this post is show some innovative ideas that Scott just announced that makes the Scott Foil with rim brakes and their version with disc brakes equal aerodynamically and this is an important direct apples to apples comparison of the aerodynamics of rim and disc brakes on the same bike. What I like most about the article below is the details about how the designs are different.
https://cyclingtips.com/2017/08/scott-announces-2018-foil-disc-new-addict-road-range/
One of the arguments against disc brakes (among others) has been that they have an "aero penalty". I personally believe that rim brakes when they first were used before making modifications also had an aero penalty, but rim brakes have evolved so that today we have rim brakes that are much more aero. The same is true with disc brakes, but since they are newer on bikes where aero matters (i.e. not mtb or cx bikes), the aerodynamic design of disc brakes is newer and evolving compared to the more mature rim brake aerodynamic design. I think in the end, there will be a greater difference between disc and rim brakes designed to be aero compared to disc and rim brakes not designed to be aero than you will see between disc and rim brakes. I really wish that cyclists and triathletes would see the similarity between disc and rim brakes rather than their differences.
2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3
What I do want to do with this post is show some innovative ideas that Scott just announced that makes the Scott Foil with rim brakes and their version with disc brakes equal aerodynamically and this is an important direct apples to apples comparison of the aerodynamics of rim and disc brakes on the same bike. What I like most about the article below is the details about how the designs are different.
https://cyclingtips.com/2017/08/scott-announces-2018-foil-disc-new-addict-road-range/
One of the arguments against disc brakes (among others) has been that they have an "aero penalty". I personally believe that rim brakes when they first were used before making modifications also had an aero penalty, but rim brakes have evolved so that today we have rim brakes that are much more aero. The same is true with disc brakes, but since they are newer on bikes where aero matters (i.e. not mtb or cx bikes), the aerodynamic design of disc brakes is newer and evolving compared to the more mature rim brake aerodynamic design. I think in the end, there will be a greater difference between disc and rim brakes designed to be aero compared to disc and rim brakes not designed to be aero than you will see between disc and rim brakes. I really wish that cyclists and triathletes would see the similarity between disc and rim brakes rather than their differences.
2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3