Was I WRONG About Rim Brakes?

Disc brakes have taken over the bicycle world but were we wrong to adopt and embrace them? I've been riding an a rim braked CAAD12 for the past few months after years on disc brakes, has it made me want to change my mind?

Supported by Saddleback

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[DennisNowland]

Rim brakes aluminim rims and tyres with inner tube's will do for me.

[ShawnStradamus]

“If you brake, you lose.” - Mario Cippolini

I started racing at club level in the mid-Atlantic, US 40 years ago. I have done hundreds of races in all weather conditions and have never experienced any of the braking issues that people talk about. I currently have a ~dozen rim brake bikes, 5 with carbon braking surface, and have never encountered any of the problems that are so often described. I have never worn out the brake track on a set of rims. I can modulate speed in the wet or dry, with the primary limiter being tire contact patch friction.

I recognize that others may have a different experience and may honestly prefer disc brake road bikes…but it is ironic to me that DA concludes that the improved braking performance of his disc brakes is worth the weight penalty, but then he comes back with a video a month later on weight weenie hacks to reduce the weight of his disc brake bike!

[danmetz]

As a PhD engineer and vehicle dynamics consultant, it is obvious from fundamental statics considerations that any brake that can lock the wheel is powerful enough. Once the wheel is locked, the tire/road coefficient of friction is what limits deceleration rate and acts as the limiting mechanical fuse. If your rim or disc brakes were 100, 000 times more powerful than they actually are, but the ones you have can lock the wheel, that extra 100, 000 times in braking power is completely irrelevant. The carbon rim business is a consideration, but there are aluminum rims that are almost as light as carbon rims (some are even LIGHTER than most carbon rims), so moment of inertia isn't a factor. As for the aerodynamic advantages of some carbon rims, you can find that in a wind tunnel but unless you are a Tour de France rider, you probably won't notice much difference, except of course in a crosswind, where they're a big pain! But other things ARE factors in choosing a rim vs. disc brake: cost, adjustability of the brakes, serviceability, etc. Brake "feel" is subjective and an individual thing, so there are no engineering issues on that point at all. Yes discs are better in wet weather and in dissipating heat during long descents, and of course there is the wow factor and show-off level at club rides. As I live in flatland Illinois, I'll stick with my Dura Ace rim brakes.

[andyamos]

I visited Berlin last week and was impressed by every bike under the sun being used, from old racing bike classics of the 60s and 70s to new exotic titanium lifestyle models. ultimately, as long as bikes can brake safely, anything goes.

[brianhagan]

The downfall of the rim brake came after the advent of light weight carbon rims, where rim brakes performed poorer in wet conditions, and because rim brakes wear out expensive rims. replacing expensive carbon rims after a couple of years was expensive for most people. That being said I still use rim brake and aluminum rims. I find they work fine for where I live and how I ride. I may change my mind after I move to the Dolomites.

[GravelGorauGwynedd]

Disk brakes are a way for the bike industry to sell more bikes by attempting to convince us that bikes are now worth £12k because of modern technology. I ride a 2015 carbon Synapse with rim brakes which cost my about £1300 at the time. Bike industry are making fools out if people with no common sense

[lgarcia]

I think the biggest disadvantage is when you have carbon wheels. The heat rim breaks generate on aluminum in a descend doesn’t damage the wheel. Carbon wheels are different; they are susceptible to heat and can delaminate with excessive heat. In those cases the disc break is a much better option. But for aluminum wheels I see no need for discs

[smdnl]

In 2019 I bought my first road bike (a caad12 actually!) so every other bike after that had also been disc equipped so I didnt know any different (also made the switch to electronic shifting pretty early on)

Until this year when I picked up my first 'full mechanical' road bike, and i absolutely love it. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than the feeling a well set up fully mechanical bike. Braking on the carbon rims with black prince pads is plenty enough for a recreational rider, cloncking through the gears, I love it.

No discs catching, or sceaching - no centring pads and truing rotors. Plus, for me personally the brake feel is way superior to that of a disc set up.

Its hard to explain, without sounding like Jermy Clarkson or something - but I think that there is more of a 'at one with the bike' kind of thing going on with a full mechanical set up when compared to the latest and greatest in technology.

All that said, my rim brake bike will only ever be used on the dry days, and to me thats where disc brakes have the major advantage. No matter that the weather, they will still perform. No worrying about inferior braking in the wet, or picking up road debris that is going to wear away your rims. Living in the UK my disc bike will no doubt get used more than its counter part - but there is definitely something about my rim braked bike, wether is a novelty factor or not I do not entirely know, but it definitely puts more of a smile on my face.

[diobruttoporco]

I ride a 2016 carbon road bike with rim brakes, aluminum wheels, mechanichal shifting, external cable routing, threaded bottom bracket cups. It cost me less than 1500 euros, weighs less than 7 kg with pedals and cages, rides fine, stops fine, maintenance is low, easy and cheap. You are free to spend big bucks on a modern heavy disc brake road bike with integrated proprietary headset, internal cable routing, pressfit bottome bracket and all the other new gimmicks...

[matt_acton-varian]

As someone who hasn't tuned my feel on any braking system(I don't read brake feel much, and tend to be quite firm on braking pressure), and as someone who only has secondhand bikes, I have adapted my riding around rim brakes as that's what was available to me. I use alloy rims in all weathers, and carbon for best days or racing. I have also found the grip limit of tyres under braking, and the thought of having more braking power (as in locking wheels up even easier bringing a greater risk of crashing) is scary. I know that disc brakes give the opportunity for wider tyres which offer more grip to offset that but for a lightweight rider 32mm tyres is overkill for most of the roads I ride. One of my bikes is also a fixed gear, and I am not confident running a single brake. Even if they did make disc SS bikes I change my gearing a few times a year depending on purpose. I couldn't imagine the hassle of repositioning a disc brake caliper on the rear. Repositioning rim brake pads is easy (probably just because I am used to it).

[markn]

Good assessment of rim vs. disc brakes. It is interesting how the tide has changed over the last 3-4 years though. Back then everyone was saying that the bike industry was forcing the bicycle customer towards buying disc brake equipped bikes as opposed to now people saying that consumers made the choice to like disc brakes better and the industry responded. I believe it's the former. One point of contention that was not discussed is the speed of wheel changes. No one can deny that quick release hubs allow for quicker wheel changes than thru-axel hubs. Also, has the problem with disc brake rub and the resulting annoying, ever-present sound been resolved?

[JP]

Rim brakes get the job done for where I ride and the way I ride. Don't need or want the extra weight, noise, complexity and maintenance headaches of disc brakes.

[heavyset]

Try Swiss Stop carbon pads. They work just as good as regular pads on aluminum wheels.

[jamesbrickwood]

I wish the massive price discrepancy between the two break types was mentioned.

It’s crazy just how much more bike you got on rim brake roadies compared to disc break roadies. For the same price you got a higher spec, much lighter and MUCH easier to service with rim break bikes.

$6.5k AUD only gets you a Shimano 105 Trek 😂 and weight over 8kg

[dhanso]

In my use I'd be very frustrated with discs. I almost always put my bikes in a car and drive to start riding. I spend winter months in the SW USA deserts, riding and camping where the nearest shops are hours away, so I do all my own maintenance. When tubulars got less popular I bought a few sets of carbon wheels. I finally wore one Reynolds to the kevlar after almost 10 years and average 2 times up and down Montezuma Grade, an 8% grade in 8 miles, plus all other climbs I can find. I ride tubulars because I descend at speed and having a blowout on a cliffside corner with a clincher or tubeless is potentially fatal if the tire comes off, which those often do.
So putting a disc bike in a small hatchback, taking through axles out, and dealing with concealed hydraulics just is too many complications.
I do rarely ride in rain and I have some alloy wheels for those possible rides.
I'm sorry to see the industry price us out with proprietary everything bikes that have few brand or even model year parts that interchange. I'm sorry to see their marketing has sold a lot of "improvements" that are OK and significant only if you ride team bikes and have following mechanical staff. Appropriate for pros, maybe..but I recall a fairly recent top pro choosing and winning with old tech..
And, for my $18k I guess I'd rather have a new Ducati 😊

[vincefava]

Been riding my rim C60 since 2017 with the Campy carbon rims....no issues.

[PaulTheCyclist.]

I have just gone over to disc on my new road bike, and it may be an unpopular option but in the dry, I have not found them any better than my Wilier with rim brakes on carbon wheels. where discs come into their own it's in the wet, I don't think anyone would disagree with that. But with most things in the bike industry, the customer has no choice but to go with what the manufacturer decides for them, carbon frames, press-fit BB, disc brakes and I am sure next will be 1 by setups. And most of it will come down to manufacturing costs.

[peterharding]

I wouldn't expect anyone to change back to rim brakes from disc. My road bike is Colombus Spirit with Ultegra R8000 group and rim brakes with Hunt carbon wheels. Weighs around 8kg. The brakes work fine. They're not as good as discs in the wet, fair enough, but they are perfectly ok. I ride down very steep hills in Wales in the wet. I do run tubular tyres and tubular carbon rims are way more durable and secure than clincher ones. I wouldn’t change my set up and am unlikely to change road bike any time soon. If I did, who knows? I've got a disc emtb with 4 piston callipers. Really appreciate those on that. And an acoustic mtb with hydraulic discs - ditto. Horses for courses I guess.

[paulfountain]

Use campag carbon specific red pads available in Shimano fit. Game changers!

[kenyeuong]

Both of my bikes are rim, I love the responsiveness of the lighter rim brake. If the weather is wet I tend not to ride and hop on a trainer 8:07 or I swap my carbon rim to a alloy rims.