who commutes with disc brakes?

[redrhodie]

I can't specifically answer your questions, as it's not super-rainy here, just moderately so, and my commuter has cantis w/ all-weather Kool Stop pads. However, I lust after redrhodie's winter commuter, disc brakes, steel frame and all. If you haven't found those threads yet, I recommend searching for them.

Here it is:http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ow+winter+bike

I love my disc brakes. It's not particularly rainy here, but it is wet enough that I would have to plan my rides around the weather before I got this bike. Now, weather isn't a factor. I ride when I want to.

I don't see any negative to them at all. I haven't had a mechanical issue yet, but I have only had this bike since Dec. I don't notice the weight, but I'm not a weight weenie. I think my bike weighs around 26 lbs with the rack, and it doesn't feel sluggish, even compared to my much lighter road bikes. It is slower, for sure, but it doesn't feel slow.

The roads here are quite sandy, so my main issue with rim brakes has to do with grit getting into the pads when wet. I hate that.

[Eden]

The really nice thing about disk brakes is that you won't burn through rims..... I put a lot of rainy miles on my commuter/winter training bike (which has regular side pull brakes). I put cool stops on it in the winter and I don't have any problems stopping - but I have to replace my rims pretty regularly..... I wouldn't mind having disks instead. They'd also be handy in the winter - I could put poor man's "bike chains" on (zip ties) or maybe even real ones. They do add a little weight - but there are certainly some advantages to disks.

[Antaresia]

After thinking about it, ideally, I'd have two bikes; a beautiful fair whether commuter (a soma or salsa or something) and a beater winter bike with disc breaks. But where does that leave my beater mixte? I can't just get rid of it! Oh my...

[Velocivixen]

My DH has a Trek Hybrid that's a few years old and it has disc brakes, which he loves. We live in Oregon near Portland and it rains a lot, and he mostly commutes. He has no problems with them, although I can always tell when he's home because they squeal.

How about a Kona Honky Inc.? Steel bike, carbon fork and Avid BB7 disc brakes. Can mount fenders and a rack too.

[blackhillsbiker]

I have disc brakes on my commuter. I really appreciate them in the winter. Snow, ice, slush... still I am able to stop. I didn't buy the bike with the brakes in mind, but now that I have them, I don't think I'd want to commute without them.

Deb

[newfsmith]

Several years ago I built a winter bike with a rear disc brake and front V-brake. My commute did not have enough stops to keep my rims clear of ice when riding through slush. If the rims ice, no brake pad will work. Disc brakes are 13 inchs above the road, which still gets them 8-9 inches away from the yuck. They make it possible to have predictable braking in the snow-freezing rain mix we get so often in New England. If you don't have those sorts of conditions more than 3 times a winter and have other non-bike commute options for those days, rim brakes will be fine.

[maillotpois]

Red, Eden, and all- are your discs hydraulic or mechanical?

I'm test riding a Volagi this week - not for commuting but for ultra distance. They want me to ride it at the Levi Gran Fondo Saturday and I was happy to oblige. I haven't ridden it much yet, but so far I really like it and am seriously considering getting one as my climbing double century bike (DCs where I need easier gearing than my campy outfitted Peg will allow). They're going to be offering hydraulic next year, which is probably when I would get it, and I wondered what peoples' take was between the 2.

Oh good old "N+1"*.


*Where N = the number of bikes you have.