VeloNews predictions

[FAQinc]

Saw this yesterday but the thing that really stood out for me was hydraulic disc brakes for road bikes.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/01/ ... ere_154425

I personally like the idea as disc brakes have come a long way and seems like a step forward and opens up a lot of possibilities in road rim design

What are your thoughts?

[Oilman]

There is no use for disc brakes on a roadbike. The tires limit the braking, not the brakes.

[j0m]

To me it seems like a properly designed disc brake would make more sense than a rim brake. What would be the disadvantages of disc brakes? (I must confess that I didn't read the linked article. Maybe I should...)

[Ypsylon]

There is no use for disc brakes on a roadbike. The tires limit the braking, not the brakes.

But what is "the braking"?

I have a gut feeling that this is not always true. Especially in the wet disc brakes could provide better better stoping power. Modulation would most likely be superior as well. Also discs would be cheaper to replace than rims.

Not sure about the bracing angle for front hubs, but otherwise I just don't see any downsides, except maybe weight and compatibility at first.

[Fuchs]

i would not like disc brakes on roadbikes but they would make some sense

- better braking in the wet
- could make them more aero than normal brakes
- cheaper to replace
- you could change the rim design to an more aero shape plus that they could weigh less
- you could make a better shape for carbon clincher rims wich still weigh less than good alu clinchers and are reliable

[Fibre-Lyte]

For years I've always like the idea of a hydraulic disc equipped road bike. Makes an awful lot of sense especially in our wintry conditions or for CX bikes.

[FAQinc]

http://www.factor001.com/gallery/the-bike

These guys had a stab and apparently they are hydraulic but the levers look like a weird erection pardon my french also LEDs don't help.

[madcow]

I don't see any real drawback to discs on the road other than Andy mentioned which is reduced bracing angle. Obviously a big disc may be too easy to break traction on a narrow road tire, but a 110mm disc setup could be pretty cool and would allow rim manufacturers to go in all sorts of new directions with their rim designs.

Volagi is already making a disc equipped road bike, but they are using cabled discs. I think the doppelmoppel is now available so a combination of those two could be interesting, of course the doppelmoppel isn't the most elegant looking solution but for a toe in the water it's a good start.

[Mike K.]

This is a intriguing thread. I'm thinkin' Brembo.

[FAQinc]

When I saw some dopplemopple pics from Eurobike I thought it was a very tidy/clever solution my only concern was how will this effect lever/braking feedback, would be good to find a good ride report, also I remember reading somewhere that they are working on a smaller version. In the meantime though Ashima had this stem conversion for their road hydrailic magura imitations

http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/articl ... 2Fimage#12

wonder if it could be paired with one of their new PCB pistonless calipers?

It would be really cool to see something like this on a project bike someday maybe integrated in the stem "cough madcow cough"