The Great Disc Brake Conspiracy? | The GCN Show Ep. 173

The war on disc brakes really hots up, who's banned them, and why?! We also wrap up the biggest cycling stories from the last week.

British Cycling has had a week to forget with a succession of scandals including the allegations of sexism and disablism levelled at Technical Director Shane Sutton, but elsewhere the Tour du Yorkshire was incredibly well supported and won by ever popular frenchman Thomas Voeckler.

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[brianmoore]

All the controversy over disc brakes while motorcycles running competitors over is ignored.

[theWolfXLIV]

I seriously doubt that injury from Roubaix was caused by a rotor. More like a chainring.

[shawnbeckman]

You guys should feature the red hook Brooklyn crash next week. It was absolutely terrible, worst crash I've seen in a long time.

[AshCosgrove]

Caption: "Chris Froome reading Quintana's bumper sticker that says, 'If you can read this you're too close to first place.'"

[reginaldscot]

Disc brakes killed me!... I got better.

[MTBIKEXC]

I've been MTB riding for years and never injured by discs in any crash but have taken a chainring to the calf a few times.

[_pan]

question for GCN guys, I need your advice. Last week I was trying to replace rear brake cable when an ex girlfriend came up behind and put her hands over my eyes.
I knew who it was from the smell of her perfume and we got to chatting. Things didn't end too well with us with me spending more time and attention to the bikes and she was trying her best with baking food and cakes for me. She always packed me a few home made energy bars and made sure my gear was all clean and fresh ready for my early morning starts. she even cleaned the bike on occasion when I was too knackered. She says she missed me and was prepared to do anything to move back in, even take up cycling with me.
So...whats the best type of tool for cutting the brake cable..pliers or sidecutters?

[MrNannynooch]

I just realized how much I like this show, you guys are becoming like a Top Gear for Bicycles.

[spinnetti]

Its no different that when Cars went from drum to disc brakes - its the usual fear of change and feeling either that the stuff you have is now outdated, or invalidating the choices you made when getting calipers... typical human behavior.. I'm getting a new road bike soon, and will get discs for sure.

[Orgakoyd]

Chris Froome trying to look at other people's stems through their thighs...

[TheDarkerAges]

As summer slowly approaches, GCN give away bobble hats... Fair enough.

[smokeduv]

And why not just a simple cover around the disc? Made from carbon fibre and with ventilation it won't be a big problem on aero or weight or heat

[RixterNow]

#torqueback can you guys do an episode about your GCN global HQ and film studio(s)? Is it just Dan's basement or something more glamorous? I think viewers would like to see behind the scenes

[tomv]

During the grand tours I'd love you to talk in a bit more detail about the stages, the profile, team-tactics, breakaways, history of the stages, etc. Either in preview or in hindsight would be great. Thx, keep up the good work.

[yoshyoka]

I really don't understand all the fuss about disk brakes when a simple carbon cover would solve the issue for both factions.

[JoseAGomezM]

For what its worth I have a nasty scar on my left ankle that was caused by a disk break while mountain biking. It was right after a big downhill section so the disk was hot as can be, had a dumb slip on a wet punchy climb and my ankle hit my rear - hot - disk, slicing skin like a hot knife on butter ;) Should have gone back immediately to get it stitched up but adrenaline insisted on not caring and keep on riding. It wasn't terrible but bad enough to become one of those lifelong biking battle scars and kept me a couple of weeks off the bike. On the other hand, I also once had a crash with a car on my road bike because of wet, useless, rim brakes. It wasn't serious as the breaks did slowed me down just enough, but it could have been much worse. I think is smart to balance out the risks and benefits with a lot of data.

[danial_s]

After years of just staring at each other, our lovebirds Chris Froome and Stem get straight to third base.

[trialsted]

I'm going to the Alps with 22 people in July and we have all been using disc brakes on mountain bikes for over 10 years.

Not one of us has ever injured ourselves on disc brakes beyond pranking each other pressing a hot disc on a leg.

I also rode motorbike trials for many years and never heard of someone injuring themselves on a brake there either.

I have hurt myself in every other way on a mountain bike though.

[jerryshere]

I've had some pretty nasty gashes from my rear canti in cyclocross. Maybe we should just ban brakes.

[cfurgal]

Froome: Rapha cycling kit: $800, Pinarello Dogma F8: $12k, Private climbing lessons with Caleb Ewan: meh...marginal value, at best.