Aero+ Caliper Brakes VS Non Aero + Disc Brake Road Bikes

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Which Do you Prefer? Same Weights/Shifting/Geo

Aero Frame + Caliper Brakes
32
74%
Non-Aero Frame + Disc Brakes
11
26%
 
Total votes: 43

Jmdesignz2
Posts: 272
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:27 am

by Jmdesignz2

OK- so my friend says Aero in road bikes is dead and not important. Road bikes with disc brakes are replacing them.

Assuming both bikes have Shimano mechanical shifting and the same geo, he thinks an Aero Aluminum road bike with caliper brakes is dumb compared to a non-aero Aluminum road bike with hydraulic disc brakes. Oh yes - same weight too.

What do you guys think?
Last edited by Jmdesignz2 on Wed Oct 14, 2015 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

mimason
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Location: Florida

by mimason

What about aero and disc or non aero and calipers?

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Jmdesignz2
Posts: 272
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:27 am

by Jmdesignz2

mimason wrote:What about aero and disc or non aero and calipers?


His argument is Disc brake road + Non Aero trumps Aero road + caliper. I disagree.

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Calnago
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by Calnago

Well, aero and disc is an oxymoron and the manufacturers are going to have a heck of a time spinning that one. But they will try.
And Disc brakes on nice high end road bikes are not something I'm itching to get anytime soon.
That leaves @mimason's suggestion.... the regular nice road bike with caliper rim brakes, for the win!
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Jmdesignz2
Posts: 272
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:27 am

by Jmdesignz2

found this:

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-and-gear ... aero-speed

the difference is 8 sec over 26 miles and only at 10 degree yaw angle from the non-drive side. "Head on- there was no quantifiable difference"
From the driveside, the spinning wheels shielded the disc brakes

I think disc brakes can be designed to be more aero - especially on road bikes. I think We could see the caliper/piston as a module inserted into the fork blade / frame. Also smaller and airier rotors for road bikes? But that's off topic :)

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Calnago
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by Calnago

Jmdesignz2 wrote:found this:

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-and-gear ... aero-speed

the difference is 8 sec over 26 miles and only at 10 degree yaw angle from the non-drive side. "Head on- there was no quantifiable difference"
From the driveside, the spinning wheels shielded the disc brakes...)

[emoji1] Like I said, they will try.
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drchull
Posts: 376
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:38 pm

by drchull

The industry will always try to sell you the next great thing even though it may not even be good. I am not convinced about disc brakes on racing bikes. I see a place on road bikes, touring bikes and gravel/cyclocross bikes but for racing bikes it is just a nightmare after they finally got cassettes essentially normalized.

Aero trumps weight and both trump braking. Racers were willing to ride (or even pay a premium for) Delta brakes because they looked cool and were stamped with a lovely Campy signature but damn things barely slowed you much less stopped you.

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BeeSeeBee
Posts: 490
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Location: Bay Area, CA

by BeeSeeBee

That Specialized test was bad/lazy. Why would they assume the drag would be symetrical and only test one side? Why would they run mechanical vs. Di2, which really cleaned up the front end cabling.

Probably a better test: http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/ ... kes_355621
Image

A road and a tri frame both capable of running either disc or rim: http://road.cc/content/feature/83327-di ... -more-aero
Image
Note: this is with "aero" behind the fork TRP brakes, so the delta between disc vs standard caliper may not be huge, but between discs vs. aero calipers is likely larger.

Your friend's qualifier of "same weight" doesn't make sense considering there's ~500-600g penalty between rim and disc brakes.

Me? I'd choose rim brakes, and if I wanted better braking, I'd run wheels with aluminum brake tracks (which I do), for no aero penalty and only a minor weight penalty compared to carbon clinchers.

Marin
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Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

Non-Aero frame with caliper brakes trumps all.

Make it light, not overly stiff, and let it have decent tire clearance.


MichaelB
Posts: 993
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:31 am

by MichaelB

I'd rather have brakes that work properly in all conditions. May not be the same priority for others, but I'm not fast enough or powerful enough for 'aero' to really make a difference.

Discs for me, whatever the frame is.

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by spdntrxi

kgt wrote:+1

+2...to bad my Parlee does not have good tire clearance


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