Rim vs Discs - again.

[Ming the Merciless]

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Sounds like a good argument for equipping cars with only one gear.

And pedals

 

[Chris S]

Getting back to the original subject ...

Disc induced fork failure.

 

[Alex321]

for one you change cadence

Keeping a fairly constant cadence is why I change gear so often. I don't like riding at a vastly different cadence, though there comes a point on hills where I still have to go lower.

two the fixed gear helps you out over the dead spots

What is a "dead spot"? I genuinely don't understand what you mean by that.

three quite a few people do use them for hill climbing

I know, but few of the regular winners do so on most hill climbs.

four you can change your gear for different events depending on what the gradient demands

Well yes, but that still depend on the gradient being fairly constant.

4.5kg build I believe....
View attachment 705474

I know t works well for some people, but for regular people riding in the sort of country we have round here, it just wouldn't.

 

[T4tomo]

The comment was made that disc brakes make a bike less comfortable to ride which is absurd and I have asked for an explanation as to why that comment was made but received no answer

A front fork requires additional strengthening and stiffening over a rim brake fork, due to the potion of the forces involved in braking. A stiffer fork usually leads to a slightly harsher ride. This isn't an issue in MTB world and suspension forks obviously, and on gravel bike negated by the fatter softer tyres, but in the road bike world it is a factor, and it isn't absurd.

 

[T4tomo]

Keeping a fairly constant cadence is why I change gear so often. I don't like riding at a vastly different cadence, though there comes a point on hills where I still have to go lower.

yes riding a geared bike and a fixed gear bike are different.

What is a "dead spot"? I genuinely don't understand what you mean by that.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cyc...1MzgyajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I know, but few of the regular winners do so on most hill climbs.

haven't researched it but teh bike pictured was one of the UK's leading hill climbers bike, again horses for course.

Well yes, but that still depend on the gradient being fairly constant.

I know t works well for some people, but for regular people riding in the sort of country we have round here, it just wouldn't.

The bike I pictured was not intended for regular riding or regular people.

 

[DogmaStu]

A front fork requires additional strengthening and stiffening over a rim brake fork, due to the potion of the forces involved in braking. A stiffer fork usually leads to a slightly harsher ride. This isn't an issue in MTB world and suspension forks obviously, and on gravel bike negated by the fatter softer tyres, but in the road bike world it is a factor, and it isn't absurd.

Except you won't notice a harsher ride at all in practice because it is so negligible that the wheels, specifically tyre choice, will absorb any difference even on a road bike. I maintain that it is an absurd comment to say disc brakes make a bike less comfortable and it is just a daft attempt to find pedant excuses.

That's a steel fork too - even if it loses a little flex to cope with the disc braking forces it is still going to be more supple than a carbon fork and carbon endurance bikes are very comfortable and make great Tourers. I've ridden rim and disc steel Touring / Commuting bikes and not noticed any difference in comfort at all so I do have personal experience.

Anyway, this is a stupid argument - if you are such a princess on a pea that your poor arms and bum actually do feel a difference then that sucks for you and you can stick to rim and the supplest of supple steel flexy builds you can find.

 

[T4tomo]

if you are such a princess on a pea that your poor arms and bum actually do feel a difference then that sucks for you and you can stick to rim and the supplest of supple steel flexy builds you can find

I'm not, I was just explaining the theory to you, someone else raised the point. I have both disc and rim brakes, and bikes made of various materials there are merits in both / all.

 

[Ian H]

What is a "dead spot"? I genuinely don't understand what you mean by that.

When the cranks are about vertical and little force is being apllied - sometimes none, depending on the rider's (lack of) technique.

I know t works well for some people, but for regular people riding in the sort of country we have round here, it just wouldn't.

Funnily enough I like a constant cadence on gears, but I ride a lot on fixed - it's not flat round here.

 

[GuyBoden]

Anyway, I'd like to state again that hydraulic disc brakes have been the best brakes I've had on a bike for stopping, and squealing loudly whilst descending very steep hills.

 

[chriswoody]

How do disk brakes handle big descents with a loaded bike. My Shimano disk brakes can get burning hot on a short, steep descent. Only once have I had my rim brakes heat up to dangerous temp.
Do rotors ever warp, melt or otherwise fail due to over heating ?

I've done a lot of kilometres off-road with a loaded bike and had no problems at all. On longer more technical descents they can heat up a fair bit, but generally it's no issue at all as they cool down pretty quickly as well.

Last year I decided to increase the rotor size on my gravel bike as well, just to make their performance even better, I figured that my mountain bike has 180 front/160 rear, so why shouldn't my gravel bike as well. Luckily my gravel bike dates from before the stupidity that is flat mount fitting and instead has an IS to Post Mount fitting. This meant that I could increase the rotor size for very little cost and hassle.

This does through up one of the other disadvantages of discs, the technical complexities of the darn things, even down to the bloomin mounting standards. I do love them though and my steel framed gravel bike is hands down the most comfortable bike I've ridden, beefed up tubes and all.

 

[cyberknight]

A front fork requires additional strengthening and stiffening over a rim brake fork, due to the potion of the forces involved in braking. A stiffer fork usually leads to a slightly harsher ride. This isn't an issue in MTB world and suspension forks obviously, and on gravel bike negated by the fatter softer tyres, but in the road bike world it is a factor, and it isn't absurd.

that must be why wider tyres are " faster " its to hide the harsher ride .

 

[T4tomo]

that must be why wider tyres are " faster " its to hide the harsher ride .

They allegedly are on an imperfect road surface. On very very smooth asphalt, a narrower one may have the edge, but that's all to do with road surface not stiff forks. As with all this pseudo science, whether you notice in the real world is entirely subjective and goes to hell in a handcart when you stop for a coffee.

Which brakes are fastest?

 

[cyberknight]

They allegedly are on an imperfect road surface. On very very smooth asphalt, a narrower one may have the edge, but that's all to do with road surface not stiff forks. As with all this pseudo science, whether you notice in the real world is entirely subjective and goes to hell in a handcart when you stop for a coffee.

Which brakes are fastest?

Twas in jest

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Which brakes are fastest?

The ones you don’t apply 😁