LeDuke wrote:
No one is forcing anyone to have disc brakes. It's simply an option now.
I don't know how this is hard to understand.
Although, I'd bet Joseba Beloki wishes he had had disc brakes.
Not quite true. Many frame options from many brands are disc only now. You want the rim brake version? Sure it's available if you are happy with the low end aluminum version, or if it is carbon the fork will have an alloy steerer.
Beloki would have likely locked up a disc brake also. That's what you get for grabbing too much rear brake in that situation.
And what's with people thinking it's possible to descend faster with discs? With rim brakes you can lock up your wheels anytime which suggests maximum late braking is always possible and limited only by the traction of the tire not the performance of the brakes. Not really that different in the wet either. The problem is always tire traction, not brake force.
I have a decent disc set up - a cross bike fitted with road tires. I like how it avoids trashing rims during winter training. What I don't like is the wider rear end. The impact on chain line means with certain drive trains when in the small ring, the chain will hit the teeth of the big ring when in the 11, 12, or 13 tooth sprockets. Same hardware on normal road frame and it is only a problem in the 11.