Disc brakes to be allowed for pro teams - test period

[h0lly1991]

Lots apparently do...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-suspends-road-disc-brakes-in-races-after-ventoso-injury/

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-suspends-road-disc-brakes-in-races-after-ventoso-injury/

It's not that I don't care about the injuries, I don't see why the pros need them, for ages they have been against them but they've had to suffer injuries to be heard by the uci.
And don't care for the "my idea is better than yours" argument where people loose all form of understanding.
Golf anyone?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

What if the person is an expert in both fields?

Even I know it's called a golf course not a golf field.

 

[roadrash]

Even I know it's called a golf course not a golf field.

next you will be trying to convince us that they use clubs as opposed to golf bats

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's not that I don't care about the injuries, I don't see why the pros need them, for ages they have been against them but they've had to suffer injuries to be heard by the uci.
And don't care for the "my idea is better than yours" argument where people loose all form of understanding.
Golf anyone?

The pros need them because the industry wants to sell them, and wants the pros to showcase them, and the pros need the industry.

 

[John the Monkey]

next you will be trying to convince us that they use clubs as opposed to golf bats

Golf rackets.

Honestly, you people. It's like you've not even been on a Golf Squad.

 

[Crackle]

The UCI has been given free reign over rule making, thus we are in this situation, deep in the bunker of discussion and needing a good wedge shot out......

 

[John the Monkey]

The UCI has been given free reign over rule making, thus we are in this situation, deep in the bunker of discussion and needing a good wedge shot out......

Hopefully the UCI and the teams can iron out their differences, perhaps over a nice cup of tee.

 

[Apollonius]

The pros need them because the industry wants to sell them, and wants the pros to showcase them, and the pros need the industry.

Absolutely. The pros do not need disc brakes as they know very well that their braking performance is down to the tyres. People that do need disc brakes are commuters who want reliable braking in all weathers.
The problem is, and I am totally one of them, bike buyers are influenced by what the racers use. I freely admit that I was thrilled to see Sep Vanmarcke riding so well in Paris Roubaix on a bike the same as I ride (yes, his gearing was a bit different!). The racers are moving adverts for the bikes.
The industry would love to sell us nice new bikes with disc brakes and get us to throw away all our sad old ones with rim brakes. This isn't going to happen unless the racers start winning with them. It is no surprise that Merida - a very big bike manufacturer - was showing off their disc bikes on Sunday.

After 150 years or so of honed refinement, the Darwinian nature of racing bikes means that there is not a gram of unnecessary weight on a race bike. Watch racers throwing away empty bottles at the foot of a climb - 20 grams maybe? The Infinito CV ridden by Vanmarcke on Sunday exists in a disc version. It is one and a half kilos heavier than the rim brake version. Yes, I know that disc brake bikes can be got down to weight, but racers will see that as unnecessary and potentially dangerous weight.
Hence the dilemma. Pro racing exists to sell (amongst other things) bikes. Yet, the racers do not want to sell what they see as worse bikes.

 

[John the Monkey]

After 150 years or so of honed refinement, the Darwinian nature of racing bikes means that there is not a gram of unnecessary weight on a race bike. Watch racers throwing away empty bottles at the foot of a climb - 20 grams maybe? The Infinito CV ridden by Vanmarcke on Sunday exists in a disc version. It is one and a half kilos heavier than the rim brake version. Yes, I know that disc brake bikes can be got down to weight, but racers will see that as unnecessary and potentially dangerous weight.

RE: Unnecessary weight - ISTR reading that that's not entirely true - manufacturers can make bikes that come in under the UCI wieght limit, and so, paradoxically, perhaps, have to have weight added to them to pass muster. The article I read on the subject suggested that that explained, in part, the rise of the aero road bike, as manufacturers could add the material needed to form aerodynamic shapes without worrying about giving away their weight advantage to competitors.

 

[StuAff]

The weight is a non-issue these days. If and when the weight limit imposed by the UCI is lowered, that'll be a different matter.

 

[jowwy]

ettix quickstep team and rider distance themselves from the argument over disc's causing his injury, because he does not know how it happened or what caused it.......so back too one reported injury that at the moment makes no sense due to were the injury is sustained on the riders body

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think that one thing we can conclude is that there is probably no (or not much) competitive advantage to be had from disks. If there was, then the teams would be clamouring to use them. But in general the reaction from the teams and riders seems to be floating around somewhere between vague interest and outright hostility. I'm happy to be corrected me on this, but for most innovations where racing led the way there was a racing advantage (tri bars, lightweight everything, deep section rims, brifters, clipless pedals, pointy hats).

Maybe a really good descender could eke out a second or two on a big twisty descent in rainy conditions?

In CX racing, I'd guess there is a competitive advantage, with all that mud getting stuck under callipers.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

I think they only did it to annoy Jowwy.

Proof!

 

[John the Monkey]

Proof!
View attachment 124786

/DRAMATIC MUSIC

 

[MikeW-71]

Cant be arsed to read whole thread now but cant the sharp edges on the discs be rounded off to remove the sharp edge?
The pad grips the flat sides not the edge.

The edges are already rounded. I have 3 bikes with discs now and none of their discs have sharp edges.