When does the bottom fall out to sell rim brake bikes?

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sawyer
Posts: 4485
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:45 pm
Location: Natovi Landing

by sawyer

TobinHatesYou wrote:
sawyer wrote:
53x12 wrote:
TobinHatesYou wrote:Discs will probably be on almost all flat-stage pro bikes in 2 years.



We heard that 3 years ago. Still waiting.


Indeed, there isn't a whole of braking done on flat stages ... so why pay an aero penalty for something you don't need?


Smooth rim profiles actually improve aerodynamics, so the aero penalty of discs rotors only comes when strong winds are coming in at large yaw angles. Also braking is incredibly important in the peloton even on flat stages in tight corners where the accordion effect occurs...and of course when fighting wet conditions.

And of course the wild card is this would allow a safe switch to tubeless clincher wheels.



Nope - discs are net negative aerodynamic in most cycling conditions. It's not a huge effect admittedly, but you'd need some benefits to outweigh this.

Substantially more braking power than rim brakes is not required on flat stages.

Clincher wheels will on average cost you more time if you flat than tubs. From a racing perspective they only make any sense in time trials, which are far shorter, thereby reducing the chances of a flat, and of course a support car is right there. Even then I notice that GC guys aren't generally using clinchers for TTs ... OTOH if your race is the TT (Tony Martin) then it makes sense

Anyway, while we can debate this, the main proof point remains that teams whose livelihoods, indeed existence, depends on success have chosen not to do what you're suggesting.
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themidge
Posts: 1528
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:19 pm
Location: underneath sweet Scottish rain

by themidge

MoPho wrote:
themidge wrote:So, why do i need disks so badly again?



Who said you NEED them? :noidea:
You don't need aero or lightweight either :wink:
.

my post may have contained sarcasm

hanakuso1
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:44 pm

by hanakuso1

I think disc brakes will take over the mid to high end market in 5 years or so. Probably in 10 years it will be completely taken over. Mostly because marketing will fool us. For the people that want rim brakes, they'll eventually be stuck with not enough options to buy the new cool wheels. By then the tech and/or marketing will improve for disc brakes more and more.

Rim brakes will stick around for low end road bikes just like drums brakes are still around for cars.

sawyer
Posts: 4485
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:45 pm
Location: Natovi Landing

by sawyer

hanakuso1 wrote:I think disc brakes will take over the mid to high end market in 5 years or so. Probably in 10 years it will be completely taken over. Mostly because marketing will fool us. For the people that want rim brakes, they'll eventually be stuck with not enough options to buy the new cool wheels. By then the tech and/or marketing will improve for disc brakes more and more.

Rim brakes will stick around for low end road bikes just like drums brakes are still around for cars.


Thing is if the tech improves enough most of us will be all for it ... I'm not interested right now because of the weight and aero penalty ... the superior braking is a (minor) plus ...
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Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

Monkeyfudger
Posts: 318
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:26 pm

by Monkeyfudger

I'm very meh about disc brakes on the road bike despite owning one, (Genesis Equilibrium with Spyres)

I really really hope it doesn't end up being a case that we're dictated to by the UCI/National Federations about what we can ride and are left with a choice.

Hydraulic brakes are untouchable in terms of performance...when they work, my years of mountain bikes tells me they need constant fetling and bleeding compared to calipers to run sweet. I also love having the ability of storing my road bikes upside down/nose in the air etc, something you just can't do on a MTB as the next time you go to ride it the brakes won't bloody work.

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