If you were buying a new bike - Disc vs Rim brakes

[jamin100]

So as the title suggests...
if now in 2020 you were buying a new bike, would you even consider rim brakes ?

I have a 5 year old supersix evo that I’ve upgraded over the years and it’s a really good bike.. however I’m itching for something new. My main “problem” is that this bike has the rim version of SRAM eTap.

So the bike I’m looking at is £3.5k for Shimano 105 htydaulic disc.. OR I could just get the rim brake frame set for £2.3k and swap over all my components (which are in good condition) the frame is one that should last easily 10 years plus so not something I’d be looking to change in a hurry

Obviously this isn’t a commuter, if it’s raining outside I don’t go out and sit on zwift instead. The only real time is sees rain is if I get caught when I’m out...

I do club rides of a weekend at between 30-60 miles (on this bike) and train on a track (outdoor velodrome) in the week

longest rides would be sportives at 100miles..

Part of me thinks rim brakes have been fine for 100+ years so at the moment there’s no real need to change..

 

[I like Skol]

I am very much a disc only person but for the use you describe I would choose rim brakes for a light summer roadbike.

 

[Slick]

Same here, disc is definitely better but only really see the benefit in all weather riding.

I would save my money for something I will make full use of.

 

[sleuthey]

Till last week I had 2 near identical hybrids. I sold the one with disks partly due to the C19 market but partly as I only noticed the difference in very wet weather. Thus I personally would not spend an extra 1.2k for the commuting I do

 

[mustang1]

It seems like you want to try out disc brakes in which case you should.

But to answer your q, I think it would still prefer rim brakes. I have bikes with rim,mech disk, and hydro disks. I think I still prefer the rim brakes for the same reason I do not like internal cable routing: everything is on show so I can easily sort things out and perhaps even check at a glance if the pads need replacing or not.

 

[Mr Whyte]

On my first bike I got it has Rim ones, but on the new bike I`m waiting for it has Disk plus it looks a damn site better bike.

 

[Ian H]

My last purchase had V-brakes and the new one will have dual-pivots.

 

[raleighnut]

Disc brakes on an MTB, rim brakes on a Roadie

 

[DRHysted]

I’m a disc brake convert myself, but that’s my opinion others may feel different.

 

[figbat]

I would only look at discs. That said, I went out on my rim-braked road bike today for the first time in ages, after a lot of time on disc-braked MTBs, and was genuinely surprised how good they were. It was perfect rim brake weather though.

 

[Mark pallister]

Discs all day for me ,I prefer a through axle that most discbikes have and you can usually but a wider tyre on a disc bike

 

[MntnMan62]

I'm not necessarily in the market for a new bike but I certainly could use one. My mountain bike is 20 years old and my road bike is about 15 years old. But regardless of whether I buy a road bike or a mountain bike or both to complement the two I already have, both new ones would have disc brakes.

 

[13 rider]

My new bike has disc and runs carbon wheels . I wouldn't want carbon wheels on a rim brake like due to braking eventually wearing out the rim were I can just change a with rotor. Just something to consider

 

[Mark pallister]

My new bike has disc and runs carbon wheels . I wouldn't want carbon wheels on a rim brake like due to braking eventually wearing out the rim were I can just change a with rotor. Just something to consider

Good point

 

[jamin100]

yeh I do agree with most of you and am leaning toward disc brakes.. it would just have been nice to save some £££ and moved my eTap over.

i think at the price point I’m looking at, I’m going to go disc and back to Shimano 105. But could then possibly upgrade it in the future to di2 or hydro eTap