Disc Brakes for Pro Peloton

There's a little more to this than the wheel being slowed down using a different mechanism. After all, a rim brake can be considered a 'disc' brake with the rim as a large disc.

The real difference is not the brake mechanism itself, but the physical packaging (mounting) of a modern disc brake caliper and rotor, which means industrial designers and engineers at bike companies have many less constraints when designing frame sets and wheel sets. No caliper on the seat stays means the stays can be designed with compliance for rider comfort.

As we saw in mountain biking with the introduction of disc brakes, many companies simply adapted existing frames/forks and laced wheels with disc hubs. It was not uncommon to see bikes with both v-brake and disc brake mounts, these were heavier. It was also not uncommon to see a number of frames suffer failures from the stress the brake caliper placed on the stays. Frames were made heavier to resist the loads.

With time, companies started designing disc specific frame sets and wheel sets with no brake surface. This is where the secondary advantages surfaced of making stronger/lighter/stiffer products, the primary advantage being the improved control and safety of disc braking in bad conditions.

As discs become more widespread on road bikes, the frame sets and wheels will improve.

Many have just adapted existing frames, adding weight to strengthen and resist the stresses of the brake. Its expensive to tool up a new frame.

But, if you do it right you can make a lighter frame - Giant claim their Defy Advanced SL is the lightest road frame they've ever made.

Wheels can be weight competitive whilst being much stiffer under load as discs require cross lacing, but weight is reduced in the rim itself. With a caliper brake wheel the braking surface limits design, meaning a reduction in spoke count / rim section to reduce weight often leaving wheels feeling flexible when pushed hard.

You can also run bigger volume tires as there are no brake callipers to foul. I'm running 28c on my bike. Performance rubber in 32c is coming on some 2016 bikes.

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don't think there's any need for these kind of comments. Just because someone prefers disc brakes, doesn't mean they're 'easily scared', 'knobbers' or 'nazis'. Let's keep the discussions focused and civilized

You are, of course, correct.
I was trying to point out the sense of evangelism which creeps into these kind of discussions, but I did overstep the mark and I apologise.

Er, that's Prince retro-grouch actually...

Nah, I'm only poking fun; as above I can't see the point in getting so excited about slowing down, and certainly don't understand the zeal with which some are expounding the 'benefits'...

..worse than the Campag Zulus...

Whatever floats your boat but it's pretty hard to find mountain bikes with calipers these days, so that might tell us something. I can't wait for hydro discs to become cheaper for the wear and tear wheel savings alone, let alone the consistent braking in grim conditions (which sadly I get to ride in alot this time of year). My rims last less than a year commuting in London, so there's 300 quid saving straight up. They're coming anyway and let's face it, what the pro's ride is broadly irrelevant for the bulk of us.

So, a bit of variety from the common retro-grouch then?

Not sure who you're referring to as a nazi, but quite insulting to everyone nonetheless.

Definitely seeing the emergence of a new kind of cycling knobber; ladies and gentlemen, I give you the disc brake Nazi...

I'm maybe not getting across my frustrations; I'm not anti discs.
I'm just surprised that it's become such an emotive subject when the performance benefits are so minimal. Yes, you get a slightly more consistent operation when it's wet and it doesn't wear out rims, but I've worn out 4 rims in 30 years.
Great on mountain bikes, great for commuters, great for the easily scared, but no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
I'd have a disc crosser tomorrow, but I'm a bit meh about 'proper' road bikes and discs..

@cricket

Of course people managed before discs, but in mountain biking the introduction of disc brakes was important as it dramatically improved safety and control in wet conditions.

This photo from 1994 shows a prototype Sachs hydraulic fork my company Bombproof added using lateral thinking (2 sachs front mech clamp bands) and a custom mount, to a rockshox Judy dh fork, before RS made a disc compatible fork. It was truly a game changing moment when racing our bikes at wet / muddy DH events.

In road cycling being able to control the bike properly in the pissing rain means I can ride safely in terrible weather (just comes down to suitable clothing), and for winter commuting in heavy traffic its been fantastic. I borrowed a caliper brake aero bike since getting my disc bike, and in the wet it was just an unpleasant experience.

I was very cynical about discs on road bikes and poo-poohed the idea until I actually rode one, and was quick to admit my earlier thoughts (mainly based on aesthetics) were completely wrong.

Amazing how people ever managed before discs really, I mean that 3 Peaks cyclocross must have been impossible the 3 times I did it.

There does seem to be a 'Ooh I'm scared to ride without discs' theme emerging...

Seriously, even if all the hype about discs is true, they're only a slightly different way of slowing down, so why the excitement?

'I like to be able to stop, right now, in any condition, without arm cramp.'

Sounds as though you need to learn to set brakes up, or do a bit of work on your arms. Or both.

140mm discs on road is fine but I wouldn't want to go any smaller.

Disc brakes just feel nice. No dragging cables, no sound of rims being ground away with winter muck, smooth consistent feel all the time.

Having said that good calipers are fine, more so in the dry maybe though.

There's probably a few more neutral service vehicle issues with road races than when they appeared on the mountain bike scene, but apart from that the arguments about injuries in a crash due to hot discs or some people being able to stop way quicker than others just don't wash.

Some people have better brakes now, and some people have worse with the likes of carbon rims in the wet etc etc....

the discussion about disc brakes is pointless, it is happening accept it and move on.

Plenty whinged about the change to 6/7/8/9/10/11, plenty of whinging about 26/650/29, for most the changes are pretty pointless but they will happen.

Discs have benefits, but they also have drawbacks, and it doesn't matter because within 5 years any decent bike made will come with discs and within 10 getting decent calliper brakes will become a problem.

By then the debate will have changed to do we really need 14 sprockets or similar.

I like to be able to stop, right now, in any condition, without arm cramp.

You can use what you like, but if you're on calipers, please don't ride my back wheel.

I had rim brakes on my old mountain bike and I hated them, especially in the wet. I agree with previous comments that they're crude technology. The disc brakes on my current (Genesis) road bike are fantastic. When I was looking for a new bike I never even considered one with rim brakes. It wasn't easy finding the right bike,. Very few of the local bike shops had any on display. I even had one dealer tell me I didn't need disc brakes. Now that the technology is available and improving all the time, disc brakes are the future - in my opinion. It won't be long before all the pro riders are using them.

Dunno about the pro peleton - maybe, maybe not. They do different rides than me. I don't wear running spikes when I'm running either.

For me and my rides, hell yes. Currently on hydraulics, 3 bikes before that were mechanical discs. These days I swear by my brakes rather than at them. Especially when going down bendy hills on wet roads. Reliable, consistent, controllable stopping power.

Is it progress? For the pros, I'll let them decide, for the commuter and year round rider, they're an absolute godsend.

If disc brakes are the future, what is he smallest rotor size possible?
On cars massive rotors look amazing, see the camaro z28 brembo brakes at 394 mm. Big rotors on mountain bikes look okay.
Big rotors on road bikes look a bit off.