It's only a matter of time. It's funny to see a Madone with disc brakes after the Trek video on disc brakes.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

So much for Trek saying they wouldn't go disc *sigh*

I guess Trek is trying to reduce their SKU count for rims too :/

This thread will turn anti-disc brake in a couple hours.

I am laughing quite a bit at this photo.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Why so long? I mean, I can see how discs make sense from a parts commonality perspective: same hoses, go from three hubs to two (could have been one if they went with asymmetrical 142 rears like what Cannondale did with the Scalpel... but 148 is still a good standard), one one type of rim instead of two... that all adds up. Plus, if you want to sell carbon clinchers and you're worried about product failure/liability, disc is really the way to go. CCs with disc brakes can be made with cheaper resin with the nice side effect of being more impact resistant.

I'm not saying I agree with disc brakes (TomA really nails it with his "bigger rotor" analogy) but I understand why manufacturers are moving that direction.

I agree with Tom's analogy but it's one of those things where each system has pros and cons.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I would agree with Tom's analogy, except disk brake pads are able to be made from different material than rim brake pads because the braking surface is no longer structural. Completely changes the material interactions involved. Therefore the analogy is flawed.

Saw that and posted it last week on a Canyon thread here. I for one am looking forward to the Madone w/ disc since it's on my list for a new bike (looking at the Canyon Ultimate and Cervelo R5D as well). The disc "weight penalty" is a non factor for some of us old school kids that still refuse to use carbon clinchers and still are using alloy rims for their MUCH better braking (I'm using Shimano C24's, C35 & Sram S60's). Disc would allow me to move to a lighter full carbon rim so the added weight of disc end up a wash for me at least.....and I get still better braking to boot.

I think you're confusing cause and effect. Disc rotor and pad materials NEED to be different because they're using a significantly smaller diameter braking surface, and therefore REQUIRE harder materials and higher clamping forces to get the same braking torques. This is also why pad to disc clearances need to be so tight (i.e. requires high leverage/low travel actuation).

One can easily make rims out of steel and run aircraft sintered brake pads...in fact, an MIT professor at one time developed a self-adjusting rim brake using just that same technology for use on the common steel rims used on most consumer bikes of the time ('70s). The prototypes worked well and offered significantly better braking in the wet as compared to the typical leather-based pads used on steel rims at the time. However, that option didn't take hold because at the same time inexpensive aluminum rims became available and the industry realized that aluminum rims coupled with elastomeric pads made for a better overall system (lighter, cheaper, AND better braking).

The analogy does hold...if you know your history and understand better the engineering ;-)

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http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

One thing that gets missed in the disc brake discussion, IMO, is the replaceability of rotors. I've had to throw away wheels because the braking surface finally wore down to the point that it was too thin and kept flaking off metal into the brake pads. Replaceable rotors make this a non-issue.

How long did that happen that you wore down a braking surface on a wheel? 5+ years?

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

thats because for 99.99999% that will never be an issue.. and what you have spent on replaceable rotors will be more then what those aluminum rims cost anyways.

I agree.

The pursuit of lighter and lighter rims means that brake tracks have become significantly thinner over the years. You only need to look at a cross-section profile of some rims to see how little material there actually is there and somewhat ironically, the more you spend on a wheelset, the less time it's likely to last.

I've worn through plenty of rims on my road bike and it was certainly a consideration when I switched to discs.

You do know that a replacement rotor costs like $90, right? If you're riding crappy $90 wheels, then I'd agree it's a non-issue.

Hey, getting a bit off track eh!?!?

Has anyone actually ridden a Madone and did NOT like it? I'd like to hear why.

If you're riding wheels with rims costing more than $90 in conditions that cause you to wear them out...you might want to reconsider your equipment choices ;-)

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http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

$90 rotors??? I just bought a highly rated pair for my training wheels for $18. Please use real facts not fake facts when trying to make your point.

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

I'm happy for you that you were able to find cheaper rotors. Here are the rotors I was referring to - which are direct replacements for the rotors on my new bike.

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/...t900-road-disc-rotor

Life's too short to ride crappy wheels. ;-)

Aw, screw that noise, get them for $70 here.

https://www.westernbikeworks.com/...900-disc-brake-rotor

My only minor critique of the Madone is that I wish the H1 geometry was standard. Otherwise it’s an absolutely phenomenal bike. I don’t own a Madone but I seem to test ride one about every six months at my LBS. Every time it’s because I think I can some how hack it into a tri bike. Alas, too short and too much stack for me :(

Finishing a decent rotor completely takes almost 2-3 years(it is the case of mtb). No need to worry about that.

What about the case of carbon rim? Like enves or zipps. Aren't these high grade rims certainly more expensive than rotors? I think disc option is more cost efficient.

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Stay home, stay healthy.

90 bucks rotor? Hahaha.

There are thousands of under-10$-rotors out there. 90$ rotor? Do you mean Dura ace specific rotor packed with "ice tech"? It is meaningless fraud :(

Even mtb riders who exploit there rotor on steep mountains are fine with cheap ashima rotors (8$)

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Stay home, stay healthy.

I liked it for the quick test ride I took. What I didn't like was the H1 was a more expensive option and the price point overall for Trek is too high in my mind. $7,500 for a Madone that's not their highest spec'd carbon, Ultegra Di2, and a compact crank is way too high for me.

I ended up getting a Aeroad 8.0 with Ultegra 8000 and a SRAM eTap upgrade kit. Can put the 8000 on a crit bike and rock eTap on the Aeroad for $2,500 less then the Madone.