tepextate wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:58 am
Sorry to bump this thread, but I'm seeing the same deals now and am debating whether or not to bite the bullet and get a NOS 2019 R5 Disc (with a Dura-Ace Di2 groupo) at 40% off MSRP.
Haha no worries on the bump. I've been staring at that R5 disc LTD frame set over @ Excel Sports in the last available size for almost half a year now. I'm still being patient for a rim frame set to appear before me, and I know exactly how I would build it. But chances are slim given it's a limited edition. Vicarious living:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=161640
I see that matte-black R5 disc deal going for $6.5k.
tepextate wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:58 am
The feedback on the dead feel and uncomfortable stiffness of the Disc variant are giving me pause. However, I'm coming from the triathlon world and am not sure if I'm going to be nearly as sensitive to these issues, as I simply haven't ridden enough road bikes to know what's good vs. bad! For those of you who don't like the riding experience of the Disc variant, is that relative to other bikes in its retail price point, or just on an absolute basis?
I'll give a contrarian perspective that will downplay what I said last month.
Feel is subjective, so what I felt isn't going to match what you would feel. This personalized subjectivity would apply to any bike beyond just this R5.
Thus, my rim vs disc feel comparison should not be applied to your decision. Especially because you don't have a point of comparison yet. In your situation, other qualities will jump out far more prominently such as how quick and stable the handling of a road bike is in comparison to your tri bike. You would likely start by just enjoying that, long before nitpicking the nuances of feel.
If you are new to road, my recommendation is to get any road bike that will simply get you riding and spend the next several thousand miles calibrating your own experiences.
tepextate wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:58 am
For those of you who don't like the riding experience of the Disc variant, is that relative to other bikes in its retail price point, or just on an absolute basis?
Very difficult to answer objectively. We're talking about subjective ride-feel again.
Too many variables factor into feel: tires, tire PSI, fork stiffness, wheel build, seat post, contact points (bar tape / saddle / shoes), individual rider sensitivity, your mood, your biases and beliefs.
The human brain makes us feel what we want to believe. Full disclosure, I'm politically moderate on the rim vs disc scale with a bias towards rim. Maybe I'm looking for it.
When I tested the R5 rim vs disc setup at my LBS, each was taken on two hour loops that had several rollers and a 5mi/8% climb and descent built into the route. The disc harshness came out during the descent.
Straying into a tangent, but I've been talking to a lot of people and frame builders about this experience. What I've gathered is disc forks and its thicker thru-axle, by design must be made stiffer than its rim counterpart to handle the braking load from the disc caliper and rotor. I was either feeling that, or I was feeling what was in my head. Who knows.
I wish Imaking20 didn't delete all his SL6 tarmac rim build posts, because he also did the rim>disc>rim full-circle and mentioned the same lively feel when he arrived back to rim. Maybe we're just sensitive in the same way, or just have similar political preferences.
My theory is that the 25mm > 28mm tire width and larger rim width movement is partially to address stiff disc forks and stays. I didn't see a need to go beyond 25mm on road bikes until I started sinking my teeth into disc frame sets.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
tepextate wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:58 am
Figure worst-case scenario, with a discount this high, I can rip off the Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, wheels, etc., and move it over to a new frame, right? Are there any parts on this bike that are incompatible with newer bikes? I know it comes with their RAT thru-axle system, but guessing that doesn't impact the ability to re-use any of the non-frame parts.
Yes, a viable option. By the way the Di2 disc ergonomics of the shifter hoods are very close to the rim ergo and it's great. Don't worry about that thru-axle. Your next frame set will come with its own thru-axles that work for it, and if not you can purchase them separately. If you change your wheels there might be a difference between 6-bolt vs center lock rotors but it's not a big deal. Rotors are a replaceable part like hosing and cables which you normally change when you strip well-worn group sets.