Skip to main content

Disc v rim brakes



A well worn argument on cycling forums all over the internet. The discussions quickly seem to descend into insults, which all seems a bit unnecessary when all we're talking about is a bike braking system. For now, I'm sticking to my rim brakes, here's why:

Garage full of wheels
Like most cyclists I've got a few sets of wheels hanging around and unsurprisingly they're all rim brake. Also, I think we'll see lots of nice high-end rim brake wheels coming up on eBay in the next year or two as others make the switch.

Have we reached a standard yet?
Well the answer may well be yes as the industry settles on thru axles in 100x12 front and 100x142 rear, but perhaps give it a year or two? There are plenty of road disc brake frames using quick releases out there that are now looking obsolete after only a couple of years.

Weight and price
I've deliberately put weight and price together. Yes, if you're riding the Tour you can get a disc brake bike built close to the weight limit, but for mere mortals it'll cost you. For the same price a typical rim brake bike is maybe 500g lighter than the disc equivalent. Considering some of the crazy money you can spend to drop a few grammes from your bike, that's a chunk of weight.

Noise
One that matters to me whilst others may not care. My rim brakes are set up to be almost silent, whereas discs will tend to squel. They have got better though.

Ease of maintenance
Disc enthusiasts will say the system is fit and forget, but I travel a lot with my bike dismantled, and am forever fettling it and taking it to bits, so simple cables and rim brakes are a plus.

Aesthetics
One that probably depends on what cycling generation you belong to, but I prefer the look of rim brakes. I would admit though that discs can look at home on a really modern carbon road bike.

Who cares about wet weather anyway?
So if I was commuting or racing and had to ride in the rain it would be different, but I ride when I feel like it, and if it's raining I'll generally give it a miss.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nitto S83 v Thomson Elite seatpost

If you're looking for a high quality alloy seatpost then two that stand out are the Nitto S83 and the Thomson Elite. I own both, so how do they compare? Looks The S83 is a smooth, classic looking seatpost which is similar to road seatposts of a few decades ago. The Thomson has more of an industrial look, particularly with its textured machined surface.  Versions Thomson have loads of different versions available: in just about every combination of length and diameter you could want. The S83 is more limited, but if you like something a bit different you won't see so many of them out there on other bikes. Weight Thomson is a clear winner here. Depending on the exact version you get it's around 200 grams, which is pretty good for an alloy post. The Nitto is around 100 grams heavier. Saddle clamp The Thomson uses a tried and tested two bolt design which uses surprisingly small diameter bolts, but grips securely. The S83 uses large diameter bolts and is probab...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nitto S83 Seatpost Review

So, first things first: if you judge a seatpost by maximum lightness for minimum money then you might as well stop reading now, this isn't for you. However, if you're looking for a quality seatpost and weight is a secondary issue then read on. The S83 is a beautifully crafted piece of engineering that has a quality finish. It's a nice alternative to all the black carbon out there and looks particularly good on a steel or titanium bike. Most of the ones you'll find have got a silver finish, although black ones are available, you might need to search a bit on the internet and perhaps order directly from Japan. One issue that frustrates me with some seatposts is the poor quality of the saddle clamps, which can be flexy, with poor quality easily rounded bolts, often in the name of reducing weight. No such issues with the S83, which has large, high quality bolts that grip the saddle firmly. Both of the bolts are accessed from below making adjustment straig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rapha Brevet Flyweight Wind Jacket Review

Rapha aren’t kidding when they call this jacket flyweight, it’s seriously light, but more importantly it packs down into its own tiny built-in pouch, so it’s easy to carry in a jersey pocket. Despite this lightness this is not a flimsy jacket, the thin fabric is surprisingly robust and the seams have stood up well to continued pulling on and off. A jacket like this could easily be annoyingly flappy, but that’s not the case here as the fit is great: close but not restrictive. The jacket is very short at the front which looks a bit strange when you stand up but works really well on the bike. The jacket is good at what it’s designed for: it will shrug off a light shower, keep you from getting cold on a long descent and will prevent you getting shivery at the coffee stop. However, it’s not a substitute for a proper rain jacket as the water will come through after a while and it’s also not that warm. I’ve always found one of the strengths of Rapha products to be their breathability...
Post a Comment
Read more