Rim or disk brakes on same bike, why the extra price?

[Andy in Germany]

I'm pretty indifferent to the argument, mainly because I'm far too slow for it to make much difference what brakes I use. I use V-Brakes because my bikes are ancient, and because I like having a dead simple system if I'm on the road. Elder Son uses discs on his full suspension bike and thinks I'm an old Luddite.

I would however point out this image of Mark Beaumont on his record breaking circumnavigation of the world by bike. If V-Brakes are good enough for a ride around the world in 79 days, they're good enough for me...

Elder Son is shaking his head in despair.

I will now go and get my flint knife and slingshot and hunt dinner...

 

[Lucabike]

For me rim brakes are fine on a road bike, they provide enough power to lock the wheels, the modulation is good therefore I don’t need more. That applies to all my set ups Veloce/Chorus/Athena on three different bikes. I don’t understand how disc are better? Possibly in the wet or maybe for a dedicated commuter bike but even there personally I find rim brakes perfectly ok.
Yes some may point to rim wear and maybe with some justification but personally I think it’s nice to have new wheels from time to time. It’s more a case of the industry looking for something new to convince buyers it’s necessary and therefore selling more bikes.

exactly my man.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I would however point out this image of Mark Beaumont on his record breaking circumnavigation of the world by bike. If V-Brakes are good enough for a ride around the world in 79 days, they're good enough for me...

When he did that discs were not an option on that bike for Mark. So it's not a case of him deciding they were good enough for him. They were the only choice, given he wanted a Koga bike.

 

[davidphilips]

My view is that full hydraulic disc brakes work better than the best rim brakes, only own one bike with discs and yes its great but good rim brakes work as well as i have ever needed (hope i am never proved wrong when cycling).
My own view is if i was going to buy a new bike and the hydraulic disc version was same or not much more expensive then thats the bike i would buy.
Cable discs with hydraulic calipers (only tried a few but never owned one) seem to work about the same as a good rim brakes and are ok and cable only disc brakes are perhaps not the best option my son had a cheap Halfords mtb with cable discs and it was not great to say the least, own 9 bikes with rim brakes and have no intention of changing them.

 

[Racing roadkill]

People seem to forget that traction is traction. A disc brake may well be able to bring the wheels rotation to a stop more effectively than a rim brake in the wet. But the reduced traction is the same regardless of brake type. When the wheel stops rotating, it’s not bringing anything to the party, regarding braking effect. Hence why it’s not uncommon to hear of people having ‘offs’ at this time of the year, and just not understanding why their “far superior” disc brakes, didn’t help, and in fact they caused the off ( well strictly speaking the under rotation caused by a far more effective wheel brake, coupled to the reduced traction, plus the poor control from the chodie riding it did ).

 

[vickster]

What’s a chodie??

 

[Dogtrousers]

What’s a chodie??

Child Star of Chaxi Driver

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Rim brakes are so shoot in poor weather that riders end up going ever faster and due to their poor mechanical efficiency end up,with a death grip and pulling the levers as hard as possible. Result locked wheels at speed and crashing. With the much better performance of disc brakes you don't end up with a death grip locking the wheels just as you come to bend and try turning at the same time.

 

[boydj]

When he did that discs were not an option on that bike for Mark. So it's not a case of him deciding they were good enough for him. They were the only choice, given he wanted a Koga bike.

I think the main point is that Mark needed to avoid mechanical complexity when cycling in remote areas, so that spares were easily obtainable, which ruled out hydraulic and even cable discs.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I think the main point is that Mark needed to avoid mechanical complexity when cycling in remote areas, so that spares were easily obtainable, which ruled out hydraulic and even cable discs.

The bike ruled them out, it wasn't an option. That the record has since been smashed on disc braked bikes tells the story it needs.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Rim brakes are so shoot in poor weather that riders end up going ever faster and due to their poor mechanical efficiency end up,with a death grip and pulling the levers as hard as possible. Result locked wheels at speed and crashing. With the much better performance of disc brakes you don't end up with a death grip locking the wheels just as you come to bend and try turning at the same time.

Only if the rider is clueless. Factor in the ‘drying’ bit of the braking phase on a rim brake, and all is good. It’s far easier to get a rim brake to stop in the wet, without crashing, than a disc brake ( roadie only here ) if you know your stuff. Off road / MTB is totally different, and why disc brakes should only be seen on such bikes. Disc brakes belong on MTBs not on road bikes, largely because of the sort of riders involved.

 

[screenman]

Only if the rider is clueless. Factor in the ‘drying’ bit of the braking phase on a rim brake, and all is good. It’s far easier to get a rim brake to stop in the wet, without crashing, than a disc brake ( roadie only here ) if you know your stuff. Off road / MTB is totally different, and why disc brakes should only be seen on such bikes. Disc brakes belong on MTBs not on road bikes, largely because of the sort of riders involved.

Sort of rider? I have 3x MTB and 4 road bikes, where do I fit in, just so I know.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Only if the rider is clueless. Factor in the ‘drying’ bit of the braking phase on a rim brake, and all is good. It’s far easier to get a rim brake to stop in the wet, without crashing, than a disc brake ( roadie only here ) if you know your stuff. Off road / MTB is totally different, and why disc brakes should only be seen on such bikes. Disc brakes belong on MTBs not on road bikes, largely because of the sort of riders involved.

Nonsense, disc brakes have much better feel and sensitivity lacking in rim brakes. You don't need to apply the same levels of force to a disc brake (hydraulic) lever as you do a rim brake lever to achieve the same amount of retardation. Of course if you have someone used to the poor performance of rim brakes they can apply their death grip to disk brakes as well which isn't a good iidea. But that is just a rider being clueless .

 

[Racing roadkill]

Nonsense, disc brakes have much better feel and sensitivity lacking in rim brakes. You don't need to apply the same levels of force to a disc brake (hydraulic) lever as you do a rim brake lever to achieve the same amount of retardation. Of course if you have someone used to the poor performance of rim brakes they can apply their death grip to disk brakes as well which isn't a good iidea. But that is just a rider being clueless .

You are the problem.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Nonsense, disc brakes have much better feel and sensitivity lacking in rim brakes. You don't need to apply the same levels of force to a disc brake (hydraulic) lever as you do a rim brake lever to achieve the same amount of retardation. Of course if you have someone used to the poor performance of rim brakes they can apply their death grip to disk brakes as well which isn't a good iidea. But that is just a rider being clueless .

You are the problem.