How long before somebody invents a hydraulic road brake?

[Globalti]

Now that the UCI has made discs legal for cyclo cross many manufacturers are bringing out CX bikes for 2012 equipped with mechanical discs, most commonly Avid BB5 or BB7. There is talk of disc brakes moving into road cycling as well.

http://www.cyclingne...king-off/190105

For fans of hydraulic brakes several manufacturers have developed cable to hydraulic convertors, notably my local manufacturer, Hope Technology. But surely this line of development is doomed to eventual extinction because it's only a matter of time before sales of crossers reach that critical point where a bigggie like Shimano, with 400 people involved in R&D alone, decides to develop a hydraulic STI lever. I can't imagine this will be too difficult; there is space inside a brake lever for a small hydraulic piston and surely the rotating interface with the gear mechanism part won't be too different from its current design. The question of where to put the fluid reservoir might be a little more tricky though as nobody will want the smooth exterior of the hood to be compromised.

Any thoughts?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Why anyone wants to engineer a solution to a problem that simply doesn't exist beats me, but never the less THIS has already been done.

Pointless and stupidly expensive IMHO.

 

[sabian92]

I'd like a front disc on my road bike but a cable one, not a hydraulic one though. I don't like V brakes, being a bigger lad, I prefer the better stopping power.

 

[Glover Fan]

Why would anyone want a disc brake on a road bike? bulkier, heavier and probably would cause some drag also. I personally can't see a use for them on a road bike.

 

[MacB]

I think it's interesting as a concept and that latest Hope effort is certainly tidy looking, I'm just not sure what way the designs will end up taking. I'd agree there's enough scope, and space, to sort it within STI/Ergo/Doubletap setups. Personally I don't find the idea of more clutter around the bars/stem appealing.

Unlike Smokeysmoo I don't see it as a solution looking for a problem I think there are four main drivers in this, disc not rim brake versions that is. Brake consistency, lack of rim wear, longevity of pads/rotors and fashion. I don't see these drivers coming from the racing pro end of the spectrum, in that respect this probably is a totally unrequired development. I do think the marketing bods, in light of the cyling boom, are looking beyond their more traditional targets. If that continues then I can see bleed over into the higher echelons purely by people trying to keep braking feel/ability more constant across their bike stables. It also opens up different possibilites with rims as a stronger brake track, machined for purpose, is no longer required.

One thing I can't decide is whether there will be a leap straight to hydro or whether there will be some concentrated development around cable discs as well.

 

[Red Light]

Non-STI versions already exist - the venerable but fairly rare and no longer available Magura HS66 hydraulic rim brakes with drop brake levers.

 

[Dan B]

It would be interesting to know whether (a) the weight penalty is negated by not having to add a braking surface to the rim; (b) the aerodynamic changes are significant. I see lots of people on road bikes obsessing about weight who would arguably be better off thinking about airflow, but I don't have a good instinctive understanding of what to look for

 

[chillyuk]

Why anyone wants to engineer a solution to a problem that simply doesn't exist beats me, but never the less THIS has already been done.

Pointless and stupidly expensive IMHO.

Being stupidly expensive is the very reason the manufacturers would develop the system. As I have said before many cyclists and their money are easily parted.

 

[MacB]

Being stupidly expensive is the very reason the manufacturers would develop the system. As I have said before many cyclists and their money are easily parted.

Totally, the amount of people that spend big bucks on wheels just to grind them away with rubber blocks

 

[smokeysmoo]

As I have said before many cyclists and their money are easily parted.

ain't that the truth, and I'm one of them , but I'd never go for discs on my road bikes no matter what the marketing spiel or hype was behind them.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Totally, the amount of people that spend big bucks on wheels just to grind them away with rubber blocks

You Sir are an old cynic

 

[PK99]

Why anyone wants to engineer a solution to a problem that simply doesn't exist beats me,

I don't think we are talking hydraulic discs for a 23mm tyres light weight racing bike, but hydraulic discs on a 32mm tyred cross bike used for commuting or a touring bike is another matter

 

[lordjenks]

sram already have them designed... but hush...

shimano are looking into it with di2 because of all the extra space that is now in the hoods

 

[CopperCyclist]

I have discs on my cyclocross, love 'em. Better performance in the wet, and never any fear about damaging your rims if braking hard and often.

 

[Globalti]

Interesting. I can see the cyclocross bike evolving further now into the all-purpose do-it-all go-anywhere machine and building its own niche in the market. Why else would Boardman have launched one? It's people like me who have gone over to the road and are no longer interested in mountain biking but still want to go off road who will drive it.