disc brakes

[TigerMom]

I've been perusing the web, looking at what's new for 2015. It seems like there are more and more bikes with disc brakes. Do we really need them? It seems like I've been doing fine without them and now they seem like a "must have". (I'm very skeptical when it comes to marketing ) Are they easy to maintain and adjust? Do they add much weight to the bike? Please share any pros and cons. Thanks!

When the disc brakes for road bikes trickle down to the Shimano 105 range, the price of road bikes with disc brakes will not be as expensive as it is now. I look forward to the road bike disc brakes because then the carbon wheelsets won't wear down like they supposedly do now (racers use carbon wheelsets in races but practice on aluminum wheelsets because the caliper brakes supposedly clamp down on the carbon rims in carbon wheelsets and thin them down too much plus the grip is supposedly not as good when you go down steep inclines). But, the hydraulic brakes do squeek more on road bikes, at least they seem to squeek a lot on my friend's road bike's disc brakes. My mountain bike disc brakes don't squeek much at all compared to his road bike's. Weird.

[ny biker]

The only time I've had a problem stopping with regular brakes on a road bike was when my brakes needed to be adjusted. I don't see a need for heavier brakes that might injure me.

[shootingstar]

I never associated disc brakes with much more noticeable weight. But then I don't ride skinny tires and dropped down handlebars.

I never have.

I have them on my folding bike. My bike is light, actually the lightest out of 4 bikes. So... We've done some multi-day touring bike trips with loaded panniers on them. I understand they are less maintenance --terms of frequency.

[ridebikeme]

TigerMOM: When you were talking about disc brakes and carbon wheels/rims, did you mean canti or linear brakes? Disc brakes do not clamp down on the rim; they clamp down on the rotor.

I do not have a road bike with disc brakes, but do have a mtn and FATBIKE with them. I will say that they are definitely better when things are wet, but like many of you, we certainly could go without them. Like TigerMOM mentioned, there is an advantage with carbon wheels.

[TigerMom]

TigerMOM: When you were talking about disc brakes and carbon wheels/rims, did you mean canti or linear brakes? Disc brakes do not clamp down on the rim; they clamp down on the rotor.

I do not have a road bike with disc brakes, but do have a mtn and FATBIKE with them. I will say that they are definitely better when things are wet, but like many of you, we certainly could go without them. Like TigerMOM mentioned, there is an advantage with carbon wheels.

Oops. I meant to write Caliper brakes. I just edited my post response

[ny biker]

I never associated disc brakes with much more noticeable weight. But then I don't ride skinny tires and dropped down handlebars.

I never have.

I have them on my folding bike. My bike is light, actually the lightest out of 4 bikes. So... We've done some multi-day touring bike trips with loaded panniers on them. I understand they are less maintenance --terms of frequency.

My current brakes don't really need much maintenance.

[rebeccaC]

You get better more precise modulation and more stopping power and that's a good safety issue. As the technology moves forward there will be wheel and frame designs to further disc brake use. Giant has a 2015 road model with discs that weights less than the 2014 rim brake model through redesigning the frame. If not in 2015 then by 2016 the UCI should allow them in professional road racing which may be the one of the reasons we have seen more r&d in frame design and aerodynamics for disc brakes and now production.

I try not to be so traditional that it keeps me from accepting new designs. I haven’t given much thought to a next bike let alone disc brakes. Very little rain here and my serious descents are in mountain areas so if my braking becomes a problem I’ll stop and enjoy the view until they are ready for more…..and that hasn’t happened often. I will certainly put more thought into it when I'm ready for a new road bike. Now on a commuter in a hilly wet city……i'd be there

[IBrakeforPastry]

You get better more precise modulation and more stopping power and that's a good safety issue. As the technology moves forward there will be wheel and frame designs to further disc brake use. Giant has a 2015 road model with discs that weights less than the 2014 rim brake model through redesigning the frame. If not in 2015 then by 2016 the UCI should allow them in professional road racing which may be the one of the reasons we have seen more r&d in frame design and aerodynamics for disc brakes and now production.

Since you mentioned Giant:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/...2/18779/76137/

This is what I was looking at, just in case I can't get the drop bars to work for me and I need to go back to the straight bars. I'm certainly interested in new designs and technology, but I'm also a practical person and tend to just get what I need (or want), not just what someone tells me is "the next best thing". So that's why I appreciate all the replies.

[rebeccaC]

giant is one of the more disc oriented companies right now. yeah, we all need to make our own decisions on components

[OakLeaf]

that might injure me.

How many times, in a crash, have you got an arm or leg into your spokes? Right. I can see where pro 'crossers might be wary, but it's a pretty unlikely place for body parts to wind up for most riders.

Basically you'll see the biggest advantage when you're stopping a lot of weight (heavy and/or heavily loaded bikes, tandems, heavier riders) and in the wet. That makes sense about carbon wheels too, though all my weight weenie buddies use rim brakes with their carbon wheels.

If you typically have to be alert not to lock up your rim brakes, then it's unlikely you'll see much or any advantage from discs. If you can grab a big handful of nothing happens ... or if you grab a big handful and it slows you gradually ... that's when discs could've helped.


Hydraulic brakes on semi-floating discs are self adjusting. Bleeding the lines is a bit of a pain, but as compared to adjusting canti rim brakes, probably about equal.

[shootingstar]

One of my partner's bikes is a Surly touring bike (by the time he had certain components installed it was over $3,000) has disc brakes. He made sure he got disc brakes. He complained to me that he was tired of dealing with worn brake pads, or issue of dirty rims, etc.

Oh yea, Vancouver does get enough rain and there are hills and mountains around. But no, that doesn't mean cyclists in Vancouver tend to get disc brakes. Most likely experienced cyclists with more than 1 bike, eventually get a bike with disc brakes if they do year round cycling all over Vancouver for many years onward and if they can afford it.

[Owlie]

Discs add weight, though they get lighter every year. I don't think the safety issue (injury from the rotor itself) is a big deal for most people. I have mechanical disc brakes on my CX bike (bought as an inclement weather bike, really), and getting them adjusted was a pain in the neck (I had to do it myself), but it shouldn't be an issue if you have the shop do it. (Also, get a step up from base level, More adjustability. It helps loads when they bash your bike in transit and the rotor gets warped.) There was some adjustment involved on the rider side too, since when I squeeze the brake levers, it STOPS NOW.

That said, I'd be fine with hydraulic disc brakes on a next road bike.

[OakLeaf]

, since when I squeeze the brake levers, it STOPS NOW.

To paraphrase the old commercial, brakes stop your wheels; tires stop your bike. I think most non-racers don't typically give a lot of thought to tire compounds and tread patterns, but I think the more you improve braking performance, the more attention you have to give to your choice of tires and tire pressures. If improved wheel-stopping power just means an earlier skid, then you've actually hurt your bike-stopping power.

[smilingcat]

no you really don't want to lock up your wheel (skid).

Caliper and canti-lever brakes properly adjusted should stop you. They have plenty of power for you to do an endo, fly over the handle. Down side is the effect of wet brake pad, wet rim, grim on the rim.

I'm not too terribly concerned with added weight of disc. full water bottles, (I've known to carry four 16+oz bottles in really hot weather), extra layers on extremely cold weather will add far more weight than the added weight of disc. Only place where the weight is of real concern is if your race is a mountain stage with finish at the pass. Most races are crits so I wouldn't worry about it.

Crashes on a bike even in a pile up, I have never gotten my body parts in someone's wheels. Come to think of it, I don't think I've been in a midst of a pile-up.

To me, choice of disc, cantilever, caliper is like choice of bike color or brand of bike frame and components. What really matters is physical and mental comfort.

[TrekDianna]

Here in rainy Oregon, my commuter bike has discs and one of my winter mountain bike. I love the way they work when it's wet.