How easy is it to upgrade to larger discs?
- Thread starter gelfy666
- Start date
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The practical aspects are simple, but it needs some thought
Larger discs add more stress to the frame and that is what you need to consider
Practically
The discs attach to the wheels by bolts, undo the bolts, fit new disc and there you are
The brakes attach by a "mount" all you need is a different sized mount, again remove the old one and replace, realigning brakes to the new discs
Larger discs add more stress to the frame and that is what you need to consider
Practically
The discs attach to the wheels by bolts, undo the bolts, fit new disc and there you are
The brakes attach by a "mount" all you need is a different sized mount, again remove the old one and replace, realigning brakes to the new discs
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
As above. But why do you want to fit bigger discs. The only reason to fit bigger discs is to deal with heat management problems which are evident as blue heat zones on your smaller discs. If your present discs are not burnt blue, you'll score nothing from larger discs.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Check that the manufacturer rates the forks for the size you're intending. It likely you'll be able to safely go up a size, but not guaranteed.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
Is that ^ actually true though? Presumably even small disks will have you over the bars if you overcook it, so you're not going to brake any harder, so stress is still the same maximum value. Larger discs will lose more heat, but that's a different thing. All this is based on my knowledge of physics / engineering, but not knowledge of bike brakes so I could well be wrong
I alwayss understood that the force applied was a funcyion of the distance from the pivot that the force was applied
Bigger discs mean more distance, hence the torque is greater
The point at which this is applied to the bike is the mounting point on the forks / frame
I remember buying a pair of Rock Shox many years ago and being told tha 160 mm was the maximum disc size
Profpointy
Legendary Member
Yes, that's perfectly true - but only up the maximum value limited by what that the tyres will handle or which pitches you over the bars. Any more potential torque from the bigger discs is unusable so to speak, and hence cant' damage the bike either. Of course, if the smaller discs can't lock the wheel, or pitch you over bars - then there would indeed be more force from the bigger discs, but even barely adequate rim brakes can pitch you over the bars in the dry if you have the finesse of a gorilla, so I'd assume (rightly or wrongly) that even the smallest discs can do the same. With discs you are able to reach the same force in the wet as well - which I understand to be their big advantage..
GilesM
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Lothian
What make/model of brakes do you currently have, you may find a better brake with the smaller disc will improve things, or even using different pads.
