Several eyars ago I looked into retrofitting a disc brake to the front of a road bike. All became a bit hard, so I ended up dropping the idea (mainly because of integration with STI levers)
Recently I heard a snippet from Lance, that since it’s now relatively easy and common for bikes to be built below the UCI weight limit, it’s probably time to add a small amount of weight back into bikes by adding disc brakes.
I think this would be a great idea since they are sooooo much better than current brakes.
Anyone think this is a good idea? Since Lance put this forward, does this make it more likely to happen in the foreseeable future?
Very easy to do if you can find a builder that can make you a frame with disc tabs on it. Avid mechanical disc brakes will work with brake/shift levers. I am sure that you could build a very nice bike in at about 17-19 lbs with disc brakes but you would most likely have to go with a custom wheel as well to get to a weight like that.
yes, it is a great idea. a road bike with disc brakes rides great because you can put on huge road tires, stop on a dime in any weather, and be comfortable and get in a good challenging workout. and, when you ride the race bike, it feels like flying.
I remember when I switched my first mtn bike to disc brakes, and one of the early problems I had was the front wheel washing out due to locking up too easily. The discs were capable of overpowering the rubber’s ability to avoid a skid, even with very light pressure. Changing to a beefier tire fixed the problem.
That experience makes me think for a road bike the limiting factor wouldn’t be how much stopping force the brakes could apply, but the tires’ ability to avoid skidding. I already find it easy to lock up my wheels to induce a skid on my road and tt bikes if I want to (or have to, such as emergency stopping) with conventional rim brakes, so for me I don’t feel I would need the added stopping power in most applications.
The disc brakes would be nicer in the wet weather we get here in Seattle, however. There are some cross bikes out there with braze ons for disc brakes, so if you’re interested in building a road bike with discs you could start with one of those frames, and mount normal road tires on it.
My quest for disc brakes on a bike started when I was heading down a steep hill here in New Zealand. Just as I nosed over the top of a hill, it started raining like it only does in the Bible. When I first applied the brakes, I was doing 38kph. I pulled the brakes harder. I looked at my computer to see the result. 40kph. Harder still, 41kph, then 42kph as I looked for an escape path before the looming corner. I threw caution to the wind and tried to snap the brake cables. 43kph.
I clipped out of one pedal when the brakes finally started to grab. I clipped back into my pedal at about 30kph as I narrowly rounded the corner.
Rim brakes are good enough in the dry, but simply ornamental in the rain. Give me disc brakes any time. Disc brakes are a lot more consistent regardless of rain. Not perfect, but much better for sure.
If I could afford a wafer light bike that was under the UCI weight limit, I’d certainl heavy it up with disc brakes. Hell, I’d love it on the relatively heavy road bike I can afford!
Just last month I crashed into a car. A significant factor was the poor stopping power of my rim brakes on my wet rims. It cost me a destroyed bike, helmet, various lights and the use of 2 ribs for the past 5 weeks. With disc brakes, I would have started slowing down much sooner, and possibly saved my bike and my ribs. We will never know of course, but I would have much preferred disc brakes on my road bike a month ago.
I’m currently riding my hardtail MTB with slicks and disc brakes, to work each day. Stops on a dime, but half of that is because it is so slow to start with. hehehe
My quest for disc brakes on a bike started when I was heading down a steep hill here in New Zealand. Just as I nosed over the top of a hill, it started raining like it only does in the Bible. When I first applied the brakes, I was doing 38kph. I pulled the brakes harder. I looked at my computer to see the result. 40kph. Harder still, 41kph, then 42kph as I looked for an escape path before the looming corner. I threw caution to the wind and tried to snap the brake cables. 43kph.
I clipped out of one pedal when the brakes finally started to grab. I clipped back into my pedal at about 30kph as I narrowly rounded the corner.
Rim brakes are good enough in the dry, but simply ornamental in the rain. Give me disc brakes any time. Disc brakes are a lot more consistent regardless of rain. Not perfect, but much better for sure.
I’d wager that had you had disc brakes, you’d have gone down.
I’ve thought about this a lot and will do it soon. I recently saw a very nice Gunnar road bike with disc brakes at Harris Cyclery (former home of Sheldon Brown). I’m a bit concerned that a disc on the front wheel might have too much stopping power, thereby increasing my chances of going over the handle bars. I’m going to start with a disc in the rear only and see how that works.
I’ve a friend who switched to a Redline Conquest Disc (link) because he was commuting in sub-zero weather in Massachusetts for several winters (crazy). Rim brakes don’t work too well caked in ice and rubber hardens in extreme cold. The cross frame had the added benefit of allowing for studded tires or road tires as the season dictated.
I was shopping for a Lemond Poprad for a while. Sweet bike. Whiny man. It’s probably not an ideal geometry for crits, but for group rides, commuting, and training it would be a sweet bad-weather bike. (review link)
I’d wager that had you had disc brakes, you’d have gone down.
i’d wager that if you actually spend some solid time on a road bike with disc brakes, especially in wet weather, you would come to a completely different conclusion.
Don’t forget that unlike most of us, Lance and other tour riders do some monstrous descents in which rim brakes can become overheated and inadequate.
Rain is a more common issue for most of us, but true sustained braking power is an issue for those that do mountain descents.
Several eyars ago I looked into retrofitting a disc brake to the front of a road bike. All became a bit hard, so I ended up dropping the idea (mainly because of integration with STI levers)
Recently I heard a snippet from Lance, that since it’s now relatively easy and common for bikes to be built below the UCI weight limit, it’s probably time to add a small amount of weight back into bikes by adding disc brakes.
I think this would be a great idea since they are sooooo much better than current brakes.
Anyone think this is a good idea? Since Lance put this forward, does this make it more likely to happen in the foreseeable future?
Comments?
The great thing about rim brakes is you can make the wheels light and aerodynamic. How would you make a 16 spoke radially laced Zipp 404 hold up to braking loads at the hub. Once you did beef up the hub, fork, spokes and spoke bed on the rim, what did you improve? Braking. What did you hurt? Everything else.
Races are not won with brakes in the ProTour, however for 'cross and MTB, they are a key component to going fast.
Don’t forget that unlike most of us, Lance and other tour riders do some monstrous descents in which rim brakes can become overheated and inadequate.
The danger comes from the brakes heating the rim. If it a hot day and you’re braking heavily on a descent you could melt the glue (tubulars) causing the tire to roll off the rim while navigating a tight corner. That’s what happened to Joseba Beloki in the 2003 Tour (when Lance had to cut across the field).
I have heard that the brake pads themselves stop working effectively when the heat gets to that level.
I’m sure you are 100% right. I know that here in SoCal there are some long down hills in the Santa Monica Mountains that really heat things up. I’ve read that full carbon rims can really heat up.
Don’t forget that unlike most of us, Lance and other tour riders do some monstrous descents in which rim brakes can become overheated and inadequate.
The danger comes from the brakes heating the rim. If it a hot day and you’re braking heavily on a descent you could melt the glue (tubulars) causing the tire to roll off the rim while navigating a tight corner. That’s what happened to Joseba Beloki in the 2003 Tour (when Lance had to cut across the field).
I have heard of guys popping tubes inside clinchers due to overheated rims too
Don’t forget that unlike most of us, Lance and other tour riders do some monstrous descents in which rim brakes can become overheated and inadequate.
The danger comes from the brakes heating the rim. If it a hot day and you’re braking heavily on a descent you could melt the glue (tubulars) causing the tire to roll off the rim while navigating a tight corner. That’s what happened to Joseba Beloki in the 2003 Tour (when Lance had to cut across the field).
I have heard of guys popping tubes inside clinchers due to overheated rims too
No doubt. I hope they do figure out a way to make disc brakes feasible. These are the issues that run through my mind on long (7+ mile) descents.
