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

[MntnMan62]

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

For what it's worth, I was able to get a road bike equipped with full Ultegra components for $1,100 back in 2005 (I'm in the US). It's not one of those sexy new frames. Aluminimum frame with carbon fiber fork and rear stays. I got it from Bikesdirect.com. I'd probably go that way again as I've been hankering for a titanium frame road bike. For about $2,500 I can have that with Ultegra components and disc brakes. The one I currently have is a Motobecane. Not french made. Taiwan. But it's a quick bike and I enjoy riding it for my casual fitness rides. And there isn't much assembly required beyond putting the handlebars and front tire on. All the cables are done and connected and they only remove the handlebar and tire for shipping. I've heard people bashing their stuff saying you get outdated components. Maybe so but I'll take a full Ultegra kit that may be a year or two old over lesser grade components that one day I'll be upgrading. I find road bikers tend to be pretty snobby, looking down on people for what they ride and the gear they use. Like my mountain bike clipless pedals on my road bike with my mountain bike shoes. I just don't care what they think.

 

[Cycleops]

With discs becoming more prevalent on new bikes and the advantages they confer I’d go with them. Down the road with fewer bikes being specced with rim brakes discs will become more popular and second hand rim bikes values will suffer especially in that sector of the market.

 

[Drago]

Sure I would consider rim brakes. I'd probably err towards discs, but if I found a bike that really tugged my rug and felt great in every other regard then rim brakes wouln't be a deal breaker.

By the way, outside of a Shimano catalogue ever never, ever seen a bike with genuine "full" Ultegra. Full Ulty geartrains, perhaps brakes, maybe even pedals too, but never the full gruppo. It's a grossly misused term.

 

[DRM]

Personally I think I'd lean towards hydraulic discs, on 105 as you suggest, I've got a new Marin gravel bike with 4700 Tiagra, comparing it with my Giant Defy with 4600 Tiagra, the difference is noticeable, it's much smoother so I think you won't be disappointed, better stopping is always a good thing.

 

[Blue Hills]

With discs becoming more prevalent on new bikes and the advantages they confer I’d go with them. Down the road with fewer bikes being specced with rim brakes discs will become more popular and second hand rim bikes values will suffer especially in that sector of the market.

Only a factor if you intend to sell. I rather hope to make good decisions when buying, so won"t intend to sell. Your post is good news for anyone buying second hand rim bikes though. If i buy at all these days, tends to be second hand, I prefer the bikes.
Will return on core issue when on keyboard.

 

[rogerzilla]

My experience of discs (on four different bikes) is that they are fiddly and high maintenance. I don't like them.

 

[kynikos]

Rim; neater, easier to maintain and enough stopping power for me...

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

The only non disc brake bike I will ever consider again, is my 14mo old nephews first bike.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

No one else use an air brake parachute?

 

[Gunk]

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

I agree, my road bike is only used in the summer, the 105 5800 callipers are more than up to the job, plus nice and simple to maintain.

 

[overmind]

How about a compromise? Dim brakes.

 

[figbat]

How about a compromise? Dim brakes.

Better than risk brakes I guess.

 

[the_mikey]

If I was buying now, I'd go for disc brakes with thru-axles and ensure I get a frame with clearance for at least 30c tyres, as it is, I am still using a 2011 Giant TCR with clearance for 23c tyres and rim brakes (bearing in mind that it back then 20c tyres were a viable option) , and it's increasingly difficult to find a satisfactory set of wheels with 14 or 15 mm internal rim measurements as most of the cycling industry has moved to wider rims, disc brakes and optimised for tubeless tyres.

 

[Grant Fondo]

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..

Disc for me! I was out on my old MTB yesterday with canti brakes, shocking compared to discs on my other two. Thats progress for ya

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Nobody successfully argues for drum brakes on their car