new road bike time: aero, disc? Di2?

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Delorre
Posts: 967
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 12:09 pm

by Delorre

I'm a 5 year di2 convert and won't look back, even if i missed a nice sportive last year due to a 'dead' battery when I pulled the bike out of the boot. Still don't know what happended, but didn't happen again...Set and forget, really!! It also makes for a cleaner cable routing, especially with latest bar end junction box, and more so if the frame designer took more than 5' to think abouot cable routing. And if you think 'disc', it's even more a no brainer : the di2 disc leavers are far more lighter (and more compact in some cases), but here also, the cable routing is so more clean with di2. Take a look at an Emonda disc with mechanical DA or Ultegra and you will see what I mean :shock: Far better with di2.

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superdx
Posts: 524
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:27 pm

by superdx

Go with all 3, don't know if you're the type to buy new bikes frequently but if you buy a bike with everything it's unlikely you'll be swapping out parts and components in the next few years at least.

I didn't go with aero as I live in a really hilly area but discs and Di2 are game changers. I don't think I'd ever go back to rim brakes. Replacing a disc is inifitely cheaper than a worn out carbon braking surface (i.e. buying a whole new wheel). And Di2 just works, when you are at the end of your energy and you still got 2 hills to climb, you'd be surprised how much effort and concentration it can take to mechnically shift gears.

dmulligan
Posts: 314
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:16 pm

by dmulligan


superdx wrote:Replacing a disc is inifitely cheaper than a worn out carbon braking surface (i.e. buying a whole new wheel). And Di2 just works, when you are at the end of your energy and you still got 2 hills to climb, you'd be surprised how much effort and concentration it can take to mechnically shift gears.
I agree with what you said mostly Superdx. I even agree mostly with the part about discs vs carbon braking surfaces except carbon braking surfaces don't wear quickly at all, that's part of the reason they don't stop as well as alloy. The downside to that is you need to have brake pads that wear very quickly. Hydraulic disc pads are easier still to change than road pads because they are self centering and wear leveling. That comes with the need to occasionally bleed your brakes.

I too live in a hilly place, Calgary which is in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, and I regret not at at least trying the S3 when I bought my Cervelo R3. Modern aero bikes aren't much heavier and are allegedly as comfortable.

Back to the originals question though, the way I see it most of electronic shifting's downsides take less time than the time to maintain a mechanical group set. For a good mechanic that time comes out in the wash so it really comes down to personal preference and cost.

D

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hyvent
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2017 6:59 am

by hyvent

from what it looks like, i think you are headed towards the aero direction.
i think with your Oltre XR4 or Foil budget, you can shop around town for a different brand as well and try out other bikes if u can.
imo, if you have good flexibility and can ride in an aggressive position then aero bikes are wat you are lookin for in your terrain.
i have SRAM etap on my main bike and dont think i can go back to mechanical lol.

unless u like to ride in the wet alot or doing alot of descents disc brakes on an aero bike is pointless.

jlok
Posts: 2395
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:30 am

by jlok

Or if you could only have one bike, disc brake makes lot's of sense.

back then I would avoid riding in rain with my rim brake as I don't wanna hurt the brake track so much. wet sand paste picked up by the rims are very abrasive. with disc brake I can ride my carbon wheels wet and dry without worry.

not saying disc brake rules all, just that it's good for a certain set of conditions.

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Rikulau V9 DB Custom < BMC TM02 < Litespeed T1sl Disc < Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc 1 < Propel Adv < TCR Adv SL Disc < KTM Revelator Sky < CAAD 12 Disc < Domane S Disc < Alize < CAAD 10

RamirezB
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2018 6:40 am

by RamirezB

80sSuntour wrote:
Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:14 pm
hey all, I'm finally getting a new bike after putting good miles on my old one with Chorus 10s. I'm debating the merits between a good old fashioned road build with new ultegra or even dura ace, vs a disc bike with or without electronic shifting. I've never tried either. My local dealer does Bianchi and Scott, so I'm going with those brands. THe only Bianchi with disc is the Aria, but the xr3 is coming soon, but the bianchi is generally more money than scott, at least when talking about the bikes with countervail. don't think I need that since I'm a vet who somehow survived michelin 700x18c tires in the 80s. anyway, we have at most some rolling hills around here so no real advantage to either discs or light weight, so there is not a whole lot to drive my decision. I mostly do group rides and solo stuff, usually fairly short and fast (i.e. don't need all day comfort, prefer performance over endurance options). any thoughts? (and please don't suggest Canyon and other brands besides the 2 I mentioned, I'm sticking with my local dealer whom I like. he may even give me a tiny discount, free service the first year, etc. I do my own work, but they are good wrenches and won't mind helping learn new tech like di2 and hydro if I buy from them. so carbon aero vs light and all that good stuff is what I want to talk about. thanks

ps I'm in US so builds will be with Shimano. that's how they mostly come here and I'm not fighting manufacturing specs.
I have a Bianchi, Cannondale and Specialized bike, and I can say that in comfort, Bianchi is the best bike.

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