I love (and stayed) with rim brakes for freaking cool look. Must admit, I have an older bike with external cable routing and lately built 2nd one fully internal. I will hate myself for it - maintenance will be a potential faff*, but that looks bloody good. The only cable that is visible, is one dropping down from stem (not handle bar) right into the caliper - about 15 cm. Rear brake cable is guided the way that it's barely visible only from left side. * I used internal tubing, so it should make the job way easier.
I don't live in a climate nor mountain terrains to waste my money on disc brakes. Recently bought a 2019 Domane direct mount rim brake frame, built it up with full Ultegra 11 speed. Very strong and light alloy wheel set, all for $1400. On a mountain bike, that's a completely different argument. But where I live, discs are simply a waste of money.
How did I survive descending from high mountain passes in the 80s on rim brakes. Fact is, that braking performance never used to be a thing back then; or do you remember someone saying "I wish my bike had better brakes"?
Endorsement. Me too: over 50 years. Started riding bikes circa 1967, aged 6. Quite apart from ANYTHING else (and there is much else), simple physics means that it makes more sense to apply force to a large wheel as far as possible from the centre.
I've got a pair of Campagnolo Chorus skeleton brakes. They have stopping power aplenty. Simpler, practical, reliable, and easy to fix if you do need to fix them on the road. No hoses or fluids to deal with, and as you mentioned much more forgiving than disc brakes. I do self-supported ultra-distance cycling sometimes in the middle of nowhere so being able to deal with any problem that may surface is important. Disc brakes? No thanks! Excellent video. Thanks for posting!
Some of us are not changing to disk brakes on our road bikes; not everyone wants them. Rim brakes are not in danger of becoming "obsolete" in the technical sense, but only in a marketing sense. Brilliant of bike makers' marketing teams to insist that the teams they sponsor shift to disk brakes, electronically controlled shifting, etc. Nothing sells more "luxury" bikes than the pro racing tour.
The idea of fixating on higher end road bikes is part of the problem. You take that mentality out of the equation, and a more practical minded mentality returns to one. Rim brakes/caliper brakes are a distinction from that.
Love rim brakes, nicer feel. That good quality rim brakes are being made obsolete by current manufacturers is hopefully a dumb fashion phase but I’m sure the Chinese will spot the gap in the market.
@@dewindoethdwl2798 I see the value in both. In the wet or the snow, I'm going to gravitate to my hybrid with disc brakes. Probably going to be less inclined to run my rim brake road bike then unless it's marginal (ice/snow) on the edges of the streets. When it's more generalized with the bike makers, for both the types of bikes and for the range of price, I think you can see plenty of examples of the new installation of both systems. The idea that the makers and the users are all simply lemmings to the industry with trends, I think lots of us are better than that.
Long live rim brakes. Completely agree that rim brakes are adequate for most riders in most cases. My hope is that the industry will realize that there's a place for both kinds of brakes rather than a complete changeover.
Have ridden rim brakes for over 50 years. Still got them on my best road bike - never ever had an issue from the Pennines Dales and NY Moors to the Jura , Alps and Mortorola ( very lucky). Got discs for off road and on my winter bike because it used to be a cross bike. Callipers do the job and are easy and cheap to maintain..and a lot lighter than disc brakes. Great channel. .
Finally a complete, mature and informative video about rim brakes. Not just a guy saying "disk brakes are better and that's it". I would love to see more videos like this one, talking about other components (electronic shifting, for example).
@@joaopedrodefreitaslima2936 in other words a video agreeing with your outdated it worked in 1990 so why bother trying to improve “truth” the guy even said he had a bad accident with rim brakes and yet still using them! I have cable pull disks and on a wet commute to work had some numb nuts pull out without looking I slammed on and guess what I stopped in time if I had rim brakes I’d have been in the side of the car and probably injured or worse! Disks stop you quicker in any weather it’s been proven over and over, no way I’m putting my safety at risk for the sake of a better groupset.
@@MrJonathanpearce Based on personal experience, the way it goes is Mech Disc -> Ultegra Rim -> Hydraulic Brakes. Mech discs have a slightly lower braking power and modulation especially if your cable starts being rough compared to 105, Ultegra, or Dura Ace. +Mech discs howl like someone's mom at 2am. I currently use Canecreek direct mount rim brakes and those aren't as powerful as Ultegra calipers, but still better than the Mechanical Disc Brakes that I have. Now for hydraulic discs, they are amazingly strong and quieter than mech disc, but they're so powerful that it is actually safer for me to descend on rim brakes than on discs. I plan on changing to a disc brake bike in the near future (maybe in 5 years?) but until then I won't worry about the stopping power of my rim brake bike.
Yep, can't beat a good set of rim brakes. Five of my six bikes are rim brakes and never any issues. I don't ride in rainy weather, so doesn't matter what I'm riding. Thanks. KB
I really like the modulation of the hydraulic discs though. When you finally learn how to operate them and how to use the added stopping power - most of the braking will be done with very light pulling of the lever. And they just inspire more confidence in descending, knowing how powerful they are and that you always have the option of scrubbing off some speed quickly just before the corner I tend to be a faster descender on discs.
I have 10 bikes with rim brakes, 1 bike with disc brakes and an ebike with front rim brake and rear hub brake. I prefer the simplicity and serviceability of rim brakes. I'm almost 64, and they've kept me safe so far.
In wet condictions, and when you know you might need to brake and slow down fast, you just keep your brake pad close to the rim while riding to get the water away from the brake surface of your rim. Old school technique still works
Just keep them centered and occasionally verify for aluminium bits that potentially got stuck in braking pads. As for disc brakes - yea they grab the disc faster, but that doesn't mean they are better. They can lock the wheel easier- that's for sure. Tire is the thing that decides whether the wheel actually locks and skids or continues to roll. One can lock the wheel with rim brake without a problem, as well. Simply more force is required to do so. The question is do you want a locked wheel or do you want it spinning and slow down in controlled manner? Think of ABS in cars for an example?
Great video offering a balanced and educated perspective. Having ridden both over the years, I’d gladly use rim. Good point re bargain buys for used high end rim brake bikes, that’ll be fine for majority of people and conditions. Unfortunately anyone purchasing new, will typically be limited to disc bikes. Disc is great, until you hear those dreadful squeals and trouble shooting starts. Thanks and keep up the informative videos. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 👍🚴🏽♂️
The rim brake set-up is as good as it's ever been , no-one is testing 2024 rim brakes against 1980s rim brake set-ups , it would be a larger difference than 2024 rim v disc.
This must be the first time I've even seen this fella's face without a bike helmet on! Not even a bike cap.--Helmet only! Ok on rim brakes. I had them on my lower end Italian road bike I got when I was ten. Rode that until I was about 23 in college. Always a bit small for me after 16. Last summer, I bought my State Company 8-speed with rim brakes. Just dandy, and refreshed my familiarity with them for use and adjustments. They gave me good perspective on planning ahead more than with disc brakes. I just bought another hybrid (A Brooklyn) for city and utilitarian use last week which comes in this week and that's with rim/pad brakes, which I already have an up to speed knowledge of having been using them for more than a year on the other bike. So I guess the "Who" would include me for day to day multi-use. My two other bikes have disc brakes. The fact is I've developed a sentimental attachment to the State 8-Speed, with part of that being that it's old school for it's systems, and concept, and part of that is that from riding it from June and all through winter, I've reestablished my fittest times for weight and physique going all the way back to the mid-80s. That matters more to me than any fanciness connected to high tech or weight on a bike. I'm simply not going to be a fat M.A.M.I.L.! It's a matter of knowing what's right for you.
Totally love my rim brakes. I’ve got 3 sets of wheels and 2 frames, and all are interchangeable…will be a huge cost for me to switch.. with carbon wheels you really need to put the correct pads in, the difference is like night and day( I’ve found swisstop black prince are excellent) great video..
A good quality dual-pivot rim brake with high quality brake cables was a huge improvement in braking. I dont have any disc brake bikes , all mine are rim and canteliver brakes on my mountain or tourung bikes.
I think the only reason for disk brakes is riding on the wet My bikes have disk brakes, but tbh when I rode a BMX to school I never felt like they were insufficient
Club run yesterday, 7 rim brake bikes, one disc. A bike plus for rim brakes is that it's what I have, and being moreethan good enough, there is no need to change.
One of rim brakes big drawback is when changing to a wider tyre - say 700c25 to 700c32 as they wider tyre often won't fit. Not an issue with disc brakes. Also switching rim diameter - 26" to 650b or 700c to 650b. I converted a 26 mtb to disc and changed from 26x2.1 to 700c37 and the wheel fitted fine in the back and no problem with brakes because the wheels were disk brakes. Just a point you could have mentioned. BTW I have several road and mtb bikes with rim brakes - they work just fine, but the discs really do stop you faster when going downhill and need to brake for a hairpin; I.e. from 50mph to almost 0 mph. I think another drawback with rim brakes is that the caliper has to have the correct reach so the pads actually hit the rims, it's a problem fitting newer Shimano brakes to older frames (80's) where the clearance of the bridge above the tyres is higher than on more modern frames (00's+). Great job discussing this topic Lee. Maybe you could address the pros and cons of internal cable routing at some point or compatibility of cable shifting between sram/Shimano or 8-11 speed. You seem very well informed about most things mechanical.😊
Great analysis on the pros and cons of rim brakes, thanks. It is true that rim brakes have less immediate bite in the wet but this is actually a good thing because the level of grip from those skinny tyres falls off significantly as road conditions deteriorate. For those of use who are not racing, good anticipation should see-off the need for heaving braking.
I currently still run rim brakes because I built my bike on a budget and I find the power absolutely fine, but they're definitely not as responsive as disc brakes. 3 of my 5 bikes have disc brakes and on those the power is there as soon as you touch them, which I can't quite say for the rim brakes even though I'm using kool stop pads on Ritchey alloy rims. And I hate using them in wet weather, knowing that I'm making a horrible grey paste that's all over my wheels and tyres.
Absolutely spot on, you could also mention the legion of issues that crop up when the discs are being worked by hydraulics. Yeah rim brakes are still fine for road bikes, on balance I prefer them on touring and commuter bikes. They work far better on aluminium rims for a start plus the down tube and fork can be lighter. Not a big deal on carbon frames but noticeably heavier on steel. Having these parts lighter mean more compliance with reduced issues like numb hands. I doubt rim brakes will totally disappear but it's likely that they will be dropped from the high end, getting left on lesser groupsets like Tiagra or Sora. This would be a dam shame. Back 20 years ago you could tour with a dura ace group set. It was that solid. Now, I'm not so sure. Everything is getting more fragile and less robust. Even the cranks are too light now and prone to failure which was unheard of. Maybe shimano should revive one of their old group sets with 9 or 10 speeds to allow a stronger back wheel with less dish coupled to those incredible shimano forged hubs that are capable of 50k miles and keep all us older cyclists and anyone else interested in a decent reliable bike happy. 🤞🏻
I'm in accord with your love for rim brakes...I currently use deore xt v-brakes on my fast city bike, working on aluminium Mavic rims, and they're phenomenal...easily as good or better (in some respects) than xt hydraulics discs, which I've also owned, ( EXCEPT, of course, in the wet, but they're still perfectly acceptable stoppers in the rain). I'm a big fan, now, of upmarket V-brakes, the haptic feedback beats hydraulics for me, and can be vicious stoppers if ever needed. Cheers everyone!
I ride in all kinds of weather with my Ultegra R8000 rim brakes, on Mavic Cosmic rims, and never ever an issue with their performance, and they look great on my Klein Q Pro along with the rest of the groupset, and the bike weighs 7.4kh with pedals. Not bad for a 21yr old bike... BUT, I sure wish I could get into the higher volume tires for more comfort. The bike limits me to 26c, and the brakes would only allow 28c, but I sure would love some 35c for comfort, and that's the only reason I'm considering a disc brake bike. No matter which one I get, it won't be near as cool as my Klein. Great vid as always!
Well done for creating this unbiased review dude.. I run rim brake Campagnolo record on 3 of my bikes and they are excellent, I use ally rims either borg31 or Campagnolo shamal very good break performance in wet and dry. I do have disc to on another bike which is also good.. 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍
I’ve never had a problem with rim breaks, I have a disc break bike and I use that bike for steep downhill rides on gravel and I do like the stopping power but ultimately that is the only time I have seen a benefit to disc breaks for me.
My wife and I each have road, gravel, MTB, and fat bikes. Each runs through axles, carbon wheels, tubeless tires, and hydraulic disc brakes. We last rode rim brakes a couple years before COVID. We just can’t imagine going narrower than 30-32 mm for road tires and our frames aren’t rim brake compatible anyway. Rim brakes and tubes are history for us.
I just rebuilt my 17 year old CF frame. The frame has been treated well and components were less expensive. As for the brakes, I cleaned and rebuilt the Shimano 600 series calipers I have had since 1994! Cannot imagine that is possible with rim!
I have rim brakes on 2 of my bikes - summer bike and TT. Both really only see daylight when it's dry, but I never feel that it's detrimental to either bike. I like my disc brake bikes too, so maybe I am unusual in that I am ambivalent about which I prefer.
Same i don't really care. I don't go out road cycling in heavy rain though, take the gravel or MTB. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, people get so uptight arguing about it 😂
I will never change to disc brake the maintenance is too expensive . Rim brake lives matter . This is a great channel. I will send a you tube link as i watched 48 min video in disc vs rim brake it was brilliant
You would rather replace the whole wheel or rim when the brake track wears out? My fun sporty bike, I don't care which braking system is on it. My commuter bike needs to be disc brake. Survives the wet/ winter far better.
@@M5Dri3rz completely agree. my commuting bike has rim brakes and i had a brake cable snap on me 2 times already, despite having my bike serviced every year. wont happen with hydraulic disc brakes
Although I do have carbon wheels, I generally don't use them a whole lot. I am a "rim brake" person, and more than likely always will be. If I know it's going to rain, I ride my mtn bike or my fatbike, both of which have disc brakes. However, as mentioned here in the video, they do cost more to purchase, to maintain, and more time invested in them as well. Great video, thanks for sharing!
I’ve been riding rim brakes since the 1970’s and they have never let me down. My current road bike, a 1998 Klein Quantum Race stops very well with them. On my MTB, I run discs because that is what it came with (although I went from mechanical to hydraulics).
Great video as always. An addition that would help is the comparison of v-brakes and disk. From what I have read this removes much of the performance advantage of disk brakes. You have to look for a frame and fork that meets your riding needs that can be set up for v-brakes, but steel and older carbon cyclocross can be found to meet that spec and allow for larger tires too. Road brifters can be used with v-brakes that are short pull.
I'll be honest -- I vastly prefer disc brakes. If you keep the discs clean and change the pads, they are fuss free. Easier to pull the wheels, no worries about destroying your rims with grit, no toe in etc. Plus, they just work better in the wet.
Useful vid Lee couldn’t agree more. Both rim and disc have their place. I truly wonder if discs are, despite what the industry seeks to push on us for road, a more reliable or better value option. Fine if you’re racing or riding a fully loaded tourer or tandem but what about the other 90% ? The cost of keeping customers on the road ( new discs , several pairs of pads) and the irritant / niggle factor of discs seem to produce way more problems and off bike time for riders. Usually by the time someone has worn out a rim they’ve paid out far more on discs and pads.
We’ve got a couple of kids 24” bikes, both Giant XTRs, one with generic rim V-brakes and crap Zoom forks, the other with Shimano disc brakes and upgraded air-sprung forks. Both regularly serviced. Surprisingly the V-brakes perform far better.
Great vid, your opener is exactly why I recently bought a rim brake road bile, it allowed me to buy a spec of bike unaffordable for me if it were disc. I know discs brake better, but overall spec and ride of bike more important to me.
I think the market will eventually revert back to rim brakes. Trends in the biking industry wax and wane. We're living in an era of proprietary components, 20 years ago we were in the middle of the era of the antiproprietary component that was more prevalent years before that even. So it seems cyclical (oh man, sweet pun). Even if SRAM and Shimano never make them, these Chinese companies that are getting better will probably be willing to make quality rim brake components.
The bike industry is adding a complex improvement at a 35% cost premium and 15% weight gain - no wonder the industry is on its knees with sales flat and bike dealers going bust !! DUH stupid stuff- industry bust through not listening to consumers !
As a mountain biker all I have ever known really is hydraulic disc brakes. They just perform better especially when looked after. I have recently fallen in love mending up old bikes for friends etc and making my own from used parts. I am having to learn our rim brakes work. Fun but foreign to me. Great video again guys.
I raced mountain bikes starting with cantilever brakes. For offroad, rim brakes work fine, but hydraulic disc brakes allowed so much more consistency, power, modulation and increased speed going downhill. If you're not racing, the rim brake still works fine offroad.
I owned 2 disc brake bikes with Shimano 105 hydraulics and GRX 610. I still kept going back to rim brakes, not because it's cheaper to maintain or lighter. But, I prefer the braking power of the rimbrakes. I'm not sure is it just me, but I kept locking my wheel when I come to sudden stop and almost impacting the one in front of me. It's too powerful. But, I wish rimbrakes do have a large clearance for tires/tyres and wider rim profiles, that's the only thing I missed with disc brakes.
@@swites If the disc would have not come to road bikes, we might have Rimbrake calipers that can support up to 32c tires and I think they are already on the right track with the Direct Mount Brake Calipers
I like the on the side of the road fixability of rim brakes, mechanical shifting, & tires with inner-tubes. Disc brakes are great on my mountain & gravel bikes.
Very informative video , however I think somethong you could have touched on was the fact that rim brakes will wear down the braking surface of the wheel eventually, especially if ridden through bad winter weather. I'm a rim brake stalwart but an eye does need to be kept on rim wear
@@catsbyondrepair ha ha...imagine calling someone a knucklehead because they have a different opinion to you on brakes....i bet you are great fun on a night out!!
I prefer rim brakes, but one more disadvantage I would mention is that when you wear out the breaking surface, it's easier to change out a rotor than a rim.
Aluminium rims are cheap and are easy to change out especially when spares are plentiful. They are practically throwing them away at my local reuse shop. I have never worn through a rim before upgrading them anyway. If you want light weight then eat less pizza.
have you ever worn out the breaking surface of o rim? I don't, and I ride bikes for more than 40 years, no alu rim and no carbon rim - and I love to ride high mountain passes, so they had to endure some hard breaking on the descends)
True,and I have had a rim sidewall wear through, but that was on a 20 year old MTB wheel that saw rain, mud, grit & lots of braking. On a decently maintained road bike i'd expect the rims to last at least as long, depending on mileage. On a MTB/cross/Gravel bike discs are great, on a road bike... I'm still not convinced.
I have heard about some issues with discs beeing transportet in airplanes. There might be problems with the hydraulic oil and therefore bleeding the hydraulics might be nessesary after the flight. This is not an issue with mechanical rimbrakes. I dont like to bleed my brakes, because I am not sure about how to do it, and what tools to get, so I go to the bikehopmechanic.
I just wish a manufacturer comes out already with a rim brake bike composed of the best tech offered today and the best aesthetics that can be designed and incorporated. With the lightweight advantage and easy maintenance of rim brakes, this proposed value proposition will have its takers.
Great Channel. For Rim Brakes i think it very much depends on the purpose of the bike, for pure performance on a road bike, for sure disc, but even then i would also question how many road users need the headaches that come along for the marginal gains, but manufacturers aren't really giving a choice. Then there are bikes that have another purpose, such as touring. I have a touring bike for long rides carrying lots of gear, that i will never install disc brakes on, if something happens i want the simplest, most reliable easy option i can fix at the roadside or at worst replace at minimal cost
Having gotten a new hydraulic disc brake bike this week, I don't care about rim brakes anymore. This stuff is magical. So much power with so little force!
Im not sure that good old rim brake frames could handle 30-32mm tyres freely without rubbing into frame. That is one of the reason to go for disc and also thru axle gives additional stifness and true wheel positions into frame. Riding with 28-30mm tyres are much better comfort compared to 21-25mm tyres thats is for sure. I have nothing against rim brkaes as had rim brake bike before, but also like to ride with new disk brake bike either wich feels better in handling.
Excellent video,had one disc brake bike and will never have another,fair comment on cf rims in the wet,but if rain predicted I will use another bike with al rims As far as the “stopping power” argument goes ( in dry weather ) when was the last accident you had due to not stopping quickly enough- I have more incidents after grabbing a handful of lever and flipping over
I have been riding 20 years now retired. My pinarello F12 rim brake is awesome. I see riders with disk brakes and they don’t even average 20-23 mph. Honestly if you don’t average 20-25 mph you don’t need disk brakes. That is it. It is like riding a 4x4 truck in the city. For me, disk brakes on a mountain bike or if you are going to be a pro rider then it makes sense.
I have an F10 with dura ace rim brakes- awesome braking performance. The F12 was designed with direct mount rim brakes- these are definitely the finest brakes ever put on bikes - low weight with exceptional performance
No, everyone is not changing to disc brakes! Manufacturers may be changing to discs but there are millions of rim brake bikes still in active service and have fitted the bill for me perfectly for 50 years of riding and club racing. My rim brake bikes will see me out of my cycling days. Discs are just another reason to push the asking price up of new bikes though they may provide better braking performance... the latest must have! I don't care if discs out perform rim brakes, I don't do mountain descents and I don't wish to spend mega dollars on the latest release.
myself I will never buy a disc bike. The weight, cost, maintenance and complexity of disc brake bikes actually results in these bikes being largely rejected by consumers- the bike industry is on its knees in sales falls, this is because they are not listening to consumers and offering heavier bikes which are 35% more expensive- nobody actually wants expensive complexity that is tedious and costly to maintain - time for the bike industry to listen to their customers
I used to put on road events in so cal. Lots of hills. Had ladies crash cause they couldn’t pull their rim brakes hard enough. Used to own a bike shop. I hated rim brakes on both road and mountain bikes. If a rim got dinged it affected braking and caused pulsing. In the rain and grit rims would wear through. Also pads if not perfectly aligned can and do rub against the tire. Give me the power and ease of setup of a disc any day. Disc brakes are not expensive and come on most entry level bikes. I get it if you like rim brakes but for the majority a disc is better. Changing pads on most disc brakes is easy!
The bike industry is adding a complex improvement at a 35% cost premium and 15% weight gain - no wonder the industry is on its knees with sales flat and bike dealers going bust !! DUH stupid stuff- industry bust through not listening to consumers !
Great video so I have got both rim and disc brake bikes , the rim brakes are lighter easier to maintain and cheaper but the stopping performance is not as good and especially on mountain bikes. The cannondale CAAD 10 I ride on 25 mm tyres and probably could squeeze in some 28s I can ride 30s on a Ribble I own as it’s really Audax bike but that is probably it. On my Reilly and Giant both are on 30mm and for performance bikes these tyres really take the edge of British roads and I can easily go up to 32 mm and a bit beyond but would be struggling with the rim brakes. Finally with discs you are sacrificing the rotors not the wheels. But I wouldn’t give up my rim brake bikes and I am now on the look out for an Evo six with rim brakes so I love both types and each bring their pros and cons .
I have both types, with a Bianchi Specialissima which I bought, took off Shima(NO!) garbage and replaced with Campagnolo Super Record 12-speed EPS/WTO carbon rim wheels, etc. I recently bought a Colnago C64 disc with Campagnolo SR mechanical, but changing to SR 12-speed EPS hydraulic disc with WTO 60 carbon wheels which came with bike, but currently waiting for the Deda Alanera RS bars to finish! I did have a Colnago C60 with SR EPS 11 speed, but sold it as frame was too big, so had to get a short 80mm ENVE stem to rectify, but it looked wrong! I had 4 Colnago dealers give me wrong sizing advice before I bought one, with one having 40 years experience!!!
All the crashes I've seen in my riding groups have been on disc brakes. All the noise and squeeling I've heard in my riding groups have been on disc brakes. I've got rim brakes on 8 of my bikes with different wheelsets. They are all standouts and perform flawlessly.
Disc brakes can be good if they are good enough. I dont think the discs that came with my bike was best, but upgrading to xt discs (16 cm) solved the problem. It looks like discs are more compatible with fatter tyres.
1. Not EVERYONE is changing to disc brakes. 2. Rim Brakes are NOT OBSOLETE. I will not go back to the squeeling of disc brakes. Enjoy your disc brakes and leave rim brakes alone.
I will never buy a disc bike. The weight, cost, maintenance and complexity of disc brake bikes actually results in these bikes being largely rejected by consumers- the bike industry is on its knees in sales falls, this is because they are not listening to consumers and offering heavier bikes which are 35% more expensive- nobody actually wants expensive complexity that is tedious and costly to maintain - time for the bike industry to listen to their customers
@@gossamersanchez4796 nah, you'll buy one eventually. maybe not today, but in 5/10/20 years I'm sure you'll have one. I'm not sure why roadie's are so afraid of disc brakes.. they have been the norm in mountain biking for a long time The heavy sales are still just a result of the pandemic bike pricing boom/bust.
I really want to embrace disc brakes, and I have them on my eBike and MTB, but God are they a pain to deal with. So glad my road bikes have always had rim brakes.
65 years old so mostly rim brakes over time and tbh much preferred. I’m old fashioned and like my bikes the same. I guess I grew up being able to do 90% maintenance on everything I owned and like it that way. The pace of change in the bikes was almost non existent and I liked that as well. Each to their own.
Great video. People will turn back around to rim brakes eventually, the advantages are obvious for anyone able to see past the industry marketing fugazi. Rim brakes are cheaper, MUCH easier to adjust & maintain, offer just as good stopping power & modulation as discs with the right pads (koolstop/swissstop), are lighter, more aerodynamic, dont make horrible screeching noise and are much safer. A rim brake track has 96cm2 of surface area vs 34cm2 for a standard 160mm front rotor ≡ 3X the surface area which means they'll never get cooked & warped on a steep descent which could literally save your life. There's zero advantage to getting discs and any small difference in performance is 100% due to braking technique, body position, and general skill on the bike. Long live rim.
One reason I moved on from rim brakes is mainly the carbon rims. Brakes are nonexistent in the wet/rain. Discs also enable wider tire clearance, making it more comfortable and faster. The learning curve isn’t as difficult as others say.
Disc brakes on narrow tires lock up before wider tires which have more contact to the road. Wider and less pressure may be more comfortable, but I haven’t seen any scientific test that proves them faster. Point me to an unbiased comparison if there is one online.
@@blueslurker1 a lot of videos have shown here in youtube testing comparisons of wider tires being faster and more comfortable. I dont know what you are talking about. Even the standard in todays races have gone wider to 28-30mms
Wide tyres on wide rims the contact patch is the same, but you've got more volume for comfort and contact patch for cornering. It is faster but only in the correct combination.
@@madscycle4290 wider tires are NOT generally faster! It depends on the road surface. On perfect track surface narrower tires at higher pressure are faster, on cobbles or very bad surface wider tires with low pressure are significant faster. For every surface in between there is a certain combination of width and pressure which is the fastest, and no general statement can be made. So look where you ride and decide properly...
Brake calipers with ceramic rims (30 years ago) were very efficient, especially in the rain, and the braking surface was quite durable. Carbon rims are nice because they stay clean contrary to aluminium rims.
I can't see how disc brakes outperform rim brakes. I've made sudden/emergency stops with rim brakes and nearly skidded out or gone over the handlebars (twice). Not sure how that means rim brakes lack stopping power.
Long live rim brakes and mechanical shifting! I don't want Disk brakes, I don't want Di2, I don't want tubeless, I don't want hookles, etc. etc. etc. Enough cycling industry BS
Another plus of rim brakes is that the front wheel can have less spokes. Radial 18 spoke wheels are far more aesthetically pleasing than disc brake ones (Corima wheels being a notable exception). And they're potentially lighter too.
Depends on the bike and the purpose. In urban environments, I prefer disc as there are so many abrupt or emergency stopping situations. For road and even gravel, I love my rim brakes. The rim brake bikes have better ride quality that can't be traded with higher braking power and added weight.
It's not easy finding upgrade wheels for rim brakes these days! Manufacture's should supply more good quality aluminium rim brake wheels and not just all carbon disc brake only!
Another rim brake fanboy here coupled with handbuilt alloy rim wheels. Rim brakes are more tolerant to shoddy build quality and looking on TH-cam there are plenty of (inc high end) frames that don't have properly finished caliper mounts. The issue seems to be getting worse than it is better. I'll stick with what I have and what I know works perfectly adequately.
I have my rim brake bike for around 6000km now and really start to notice the wear on the rim. I'm planning to sell it anyways, but I probably would have to buy a new wheelset soon if not for that.
I live on a compete pancake of a land, I have to ride for an hour to get to the closest small climbs. I do not need disc brakes. I did over 3K km on my mtb (should have bought gravel instead as well), the brake pads are like new. So I don't mind at all that my 30 years old road bike is on rim brakes, the bikes also look better with them.
They weigh far more. My steel rim bike weighs less than the Pinarello Prince my mate has. And my carbon bike weighs even less. And yes, weight does matter. You feel it everywhere. I can maintain my own bike, mostly. I got a £900 set of Mavic Ksyriums for £400. Brand new cos the guy bought a disc bike and didn't need them. superb wheelset. Beefed up forks means firmer ride, hence the need for fatter tyres. Cheaper everywhere. I don't ride down mountain passes, so I'll live with slightly inferior brakes. Besides, my carbon bike is better than me anyway and I'll bottle it before the brakes or bike does regardless of conditions. I just don't need the hassle. I've got tubeless for that lol
my rim brakes sometimes are even louder than disc brakes (shimano carbon pads +carbon rims). I was surprised that my rim brakes (dura-ace + black prince) have a better bite - are stronger initially than my new ultegra disc brakes, but modulation goes of course to disc brakes.. and of course they don't brake when wet. biggest difference is that I can put bigger tires than 28mm
I like to build and maintain my bikes myself, but I know my limitations. Rim brakes, external cabling makes for bulletproof builds.
I have a single speed for just getting about, it's definitely cheaper to maintain
I love (and stayed) with rim brakes for freaking cool look. Must admit, I have an older bike with external cable routing and lately built 2nd one fully internal. I will hate myself for it - maintenance will be a potential faff*, but that looks bloody good. The only cable that is visible, is one dropping down from stem (not handle bar) right into the caliper - about 15 cm. Rear brake cable is guided the way that it's barely visible only from left side.
* I used internal tubing, so it should make the job way easier.
I agree 🧡
I don't live in a climate nor mountain terrains to waste my money on disc brakes. Recently bought a 2019 Domane direct mount rim brake frame, built it up with full Ultegra 11 speed. Very strong and light alloy wheel set, all for $1400. On a mountain bike, that's a completely different argument. But where I live, discs are simply a waste of money.
@@HegelsBikeMechanic Very good choice.
I have been riding rim brakes for over 50 years! I must be awesome! I never blamed a mishap on the brakes.
How did I survive descending from high mountain passes in the 80s on rim brakes. Fact is, that braking performance never used to be a thing back then; or do you remember someone saying "I wish my bike had better brakes"?
@@hansschotterradler3772 , never heard it! But, I did hear about Koolstop brake pads!
And me since 1980s , rim break are cool looking , discs look cheep and stupid like a moped 50cc
Endorsement. Me too: over 50 years. Started riding bikes circa 1967, aged 6. Quite apart from ANYTHING else (and there is much else), simple physics means that it makes more sense to apply force to a large wheel as far as possible from the centre.
@@mikerodent3164 don't bring demonstrative science into this discussion!
I've got a pair of Campagnolo Chorus skeleton brakes. They have stopping power aplenty. Simpler, practical, reliable, and easy to fix if you do need to fix them on the road.
No hoses or fluids to deal with, and as you mentioned much more forgiving than disc brakes. I do self-supported ultra-distance cycling sometimes in the middle of nowhere so being able to deal with any problem that may surface is important. Disc brakes? No thanks!
Excellent video.
Thanks for posting!
I have the same breaks - they are quite excellent and as you say easily maintained.
Some of us are not changing to disk brakes on our road bikes; not everyone wants them. Rim brakes are not in danger of becoming "obsolete" in the technical sense, but only in a marketing sense. Brilliant of bike makers' marketing teams to insist that the teams they sponsor shift to disk brakes, electronically controlled shifting, etc. Nothing sells more "luxury" bikes than the pro racing tour.
The idea of fixating on higher end road bikes is part of the problem. You take that mentality out of the equation, and a more practical minded mentality returns to one. Rim brakes/caliper brakes are a distinction from that.
Love rim brakes, nicer feel. That good quality rim brakes are being made obsolete by current manufacturers is hopefully a dumb fashion phase but I’m sure the Chinese will spot the gap in the market.
Only to sheep
@@dewindoethdwl2798 I see the value in both. In the wet or the snow, I'm going to gravitate to my hybrid with disc brakes. Probably going to be less inclined to run my rim brake road bike then unless it's marginal (ice/snow) on the edges of the streets. When it's more generalized with the bike makers, for both the types of bikes and for the range of price, I think you can see plenty of examples of the new installation of both systems. The idea that the makers and the users are all simply lemmings to the industry with trends, I think lots of us are better than that.
Last year, UAE and Colnago forced Pogacar to ditch his rim brake bike he preferred to train on because they wanted him seen with Dura Ace discs.
I have a rim brake and a disc brake bike. I like them both and both have their advantages. I do really like the simplicity of rim brakes.
Pros and cons for both!🧡
Wish there are better options for mechanical disc brakes beside the low end stuff.
Long live rim brakes. Completely agree that rim brakes are adequate for most riders in most cases. My hope is that the industry will realize that there's a place for both kinds of brakes rather than a complete changeover.
They will.
Have ridden rim brakes for over 50 years. Still got them on my best road bike - never ever had an issue from the Pennines Dales and NY Moors to the Jura , Alps and Mortorola ( very lucky). Got discs for off road and on my winter bike because it used to be a cross bike. Callipers do the job and are easy and cheap to maintain..and a lot lighter than disc brakes. Great channel.
.
Finally a complete, mature and informative video about rim brakes. Not just a guy saying "disk brakes are better and that's it". I would love to see more videos like this one, talking about other components (electronic shifting, for example).
th-cam.com/video/99BS5ju8IiI/w-d-xo.html&lc=UgyJIZ6HGznVsHBn5x94AaABAg.A7vQLIJJgTyA7vs70yyktg
I think you just want an echo chamber - that way the annoying truth and common sense doesn't date interfere with your version of reality 😅
The video is mature because he agrees with the bike you have?
@@joaopedrodefreitaslima2936 in other words a video agreeing with your outdated it worked in 1990 so why bother trying to improve “truth” the guy even said he had a bad accident with rim brakes and yet still using them! I have cable pull disks and on a wet commute to work had some numb nuts pull out without looking I slammed on and guess what I stopped in time if I had rim brakes I’d have been in the side of the car and probably injured or worse! Disks stop you quicker in any weather it’s been proven over and over, no way I’m putting my safety at risk for the sake of a better groupset.
@@MrJonathanpearce Based on personal experience, the way it goes is Mech Disc -> Ultegra Rim -> Hydraulic Brakes. Mech discs have a slightly lower braking power and modulation especially if your cable starts being rough compared to 105, Ultegra, or Dura Ace. +Mech discs howl like someone's mom at 2am. I currently use Canecreek direct mount rim brakes and those aren't as powerful as Ultegra calipers, but still better than the Mechanical Disc Brakes that I have. Now for hydraulic discs, they are amazingly strong and quieter than mech disc, but they're so powerful that it is actually safer for me to descend on rim brakes than on discs. I plan on changing to a disc brake bike in the near future (maybe in 5 years?) but until then I won't worry about the stopping power of my rim brake bike.
Love the simplicity and ease of rim brakes and external cables.
Aesthetically more pleasing too and now enjoying the rarity.
Yep, can't beat a good set of rim brakes. Five of my six bikes are rim brakes and never any issues. I don't ride in rainy weather, so doesn't matter what I'm riding. Thanks. KB
Not in mtb.
Mechanical disk brake is the king.
@@radzia1010 yep, diffently mtn bike.
I really like the modulation of the hydraulic discs though. When you finally learn how to operate them and how to use the added stopping power - most of the braking will be done with very light pulling of the lever. And they just inspire more confidence in descending, knowing how powerful they are and that you always have the option of scrubbing off some speed quickly just before the corner I tend to be a faster descender on discs.
My 90's Claude Butler has centre pull rim brakes which have performed flawlessly. Never any trouble.
I have 10 bikes with rim brakes, 1 bike with disc brakes and an ebike with front rim brake and rear hub brake. I prefer the simplicity and serviceability of rim brakes.
I'm almost 64, and they've kept me safe so far.
In wet condictions, and when you know you might need to brake and slow down fast, you just keep your brake pad close to the rim while riding to get the water away from the brake surface of your rim. Old school technique still works
Just keep them centered and occasionally verify for aluminium bits that potentially got stuck in braking pads.
As for disc brakes - yea they grab the disc faster, but that doesn't mean they are better. They can lock the wheel easier- that's for sure. Tire is the thing that decides whether the wheel actually locks and skids or continues to roll. One can lock the wheel with rim brake without a problem, as well. Simply more force is required to do so. The question is do you want a locked wheel or do you want it spinning and slow down in controlled manner? Think of ABS in cars for an example?
Great video offering a balanced and educated perspective. Having ridden both over the years, I’d gladly use rim. Good point re bargain buys for used high end rim brake bikes, that’ll be fine for majority of people and conditions. Unfortunately anyone purchasing new, will typically be limited to disc bikes. Disc is great, until you hear those dreadful squeals and trouble shooting starts. Thanks and keep up the informative videos. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 👍🚴🏽♂️
The rim brake set-up is as good as it's ever been , no-one is testing 2024 rim brakes against 1980s rim brake set-ups , it would be a larger difference than 2024 rim v disc.
This must be the first time I've even seen this fella's face without a bike helmet on! Not even a bike cap.--Helmet only! Ok on rim brakes. I had them on my lower end Italian road bike I got when I was ten. Rode that until I was about 23 in college. Always a bit small for me after 16. Last summer, I bought my State Company 8-speed with rim brakes. Just dandy, and refreshed my familiarity with them for use and adjustments. They gave me good perspective on planning ahead more than with disc brakes. I just bought another hybrid (A Brooklyn) for city and utilitarian use last week which comes in this week and that's with rim/pad brakes, which I already have an up to speed knowledge of having been using them for more than a year on the other bike. So I guess the "Who" would include me for day to day multi-use. My two other bikes have disc brakes. The fact is I've developed a sentimental attachment to the State 8-Speed, with part of that being that it's old school for it's systems, and concept, and part of that is that from riding it from June and all through winter, I've reestablished my fittest times for weight and physique going all the way back to the mid-80s. That matters more to me than any fanciness connected to high tech or weight on a bike. I'm simply not going to be a fat M.A.M.I.L.! It's a matter of knowing what's right for you.
Totally love my rim brakes. I’ve got 3 sets of wheels and 2 frames, and all are interchangeable…will be a huge cost for me to switch.. with carbon wheels you really need to put the correct pads in, the difference is like night and day( I’ve found swisstop black prince are excellent) great video..
Thanks as always grant!🧡
A good quality dual-pivot rim brake with high quality brake cables was a huge improvement in braking. I dont have any disc brake bikes , all mine are rim and canteliver brakes on my mountain or tourung bikes.
I think the only reason for disk brakes is riding on the wet
My bikes have disk brakes, but tbh when I rode a BMX to school I never felt like they were insufficient
Club run yesterday, 7 rim brake bikes, one disc. A bike plus for rim brakes is that it's what I have, and being moreethan good enough, there is no need to change.
One of rim brakes big drawback is when changing to a wider tyre - say 700c25 to 700c32 as they wider tyre often won't fit. Not an issue with disc brakes. Also switching rim diameter - 26" to 650b or 700c to 650b. I converted a 26 mtb to disc and changed from 26x2.1 to 700c37 and the wheel fitted fine in the back and no problem with brakes because the wheels were disk brakes. Just a point you could have mentioned. BTW I have several road and mtb bikes with rim brakes - they work just fine, but the discs really do stop you faster when going downhill and need to brake for a hairpin; I.e. from 50mph to almost 0 mph. I think another drawback with rim brakes is that the caliper has to have the correct reach so the pads actually hit the rims, it's a problem fitting newer Shimano brakes to older frames (80's) where the clearance of the bridge above the tyres is higher than on more modern frames (00's+). Great job discussing this topic Lee. Maybe you could address the pros and cons of internal cable routing at some point or compatibility of cable shifting between sram/Shimano or 8-11 speed. You seem very well informed about most things mechanical.😊
Screw carbon biscuit wheels, alloy for life. Frames too. Alloy for life.
How useful to have your expert advice about bike brakes. Thanks so much Lee.
Great analysis on the pros and cons of rim brakes, thanks. It is true that rim brakes have less immediate bite in the wet but this is actually a good thing because the level of grip from those skinny tyres falls off significantly as road conditions deteriorate. For those of use who are not racing, good anticipation should see-off the need for heaving braking.
I currently still run rim brakes because I built my bike on a budget and I find the power absolutely fine, but they're definitely not as responsive as disc brakes.
3 of my 5 bikes have disc brakes and on those the power is there as soon as you touch them, which I can't quite say for the rim brakes even though I'm using kool stop pads on Ritchey alloy rims. And I hate using them in wet weather, knowing that I'm making a horrible grey paste that's all over my wheels and tyres.
Absolutely spot on, you could also mention the legion of issues that crop up when the discs are being worked by hydraulics.
Yeah rim brakes are still fine for road bikes, on balance I prefer them on touring and commuter bikes. They work far better on aluminium rims for a start plus the down tube and fork can be lighter. Not a big deal on carbon frames but noticeably heavier on steel. Having these parts lighter mean more compliance with reduced issues like numb hands. I doubt rim brakes will totally disappear but it's likely that they will be dropped from the high end, getting left on lesser groupsets like Tiagra or Sora. This would be a dam shame. Back 20 years ago you could tour with a dura ace group set. It was that solid. Now, I'm not so sure. Everything is getting more fragile and less robust. Even the cranks are too light now and prone to failure which was unheard of.
Maybe shimano should revive one of their old group sets with 9 or 10 speeds to allow a stronger back wheel with less dish coupled to those incredible shimano forged hubs that are capable of 50k miles and keep all us older cyclists and anyone else interested in a decent reliable bike happy. 🤞🏻
I do! They stops my bike when I want to!
I'm in accord with your love for rim brakes...I currently use deore xt v-brakes on my fast city bike, working on aluminium Mavic rims, and they're phenomenal...easily as good or better (in some respects) than xt hydraulics discs, which I've also owned, ( EXCEPT, of course, in the wet, but they're still perfectly acceptable stoppers in the rain). I'm a big fan, now, of upmarket V-brakes, the haptic feedback beats hydraulics for me, and can be vicious stoppers if ever needed.
Cheers everyone!
I ride in all kinds of weather with my Ultegra R8000 rim brakes, on Mavic Cosmic rims, and never ever an issue with their performance, and they look great on my Klein Q Pro along with the rest of the groupset, and the bike weighs 7.4kh with pedals. Not bad for a 21yr old bike... BUT, I sure wish I could get into the higher volume tires for more comfort. The bike limits me to 26c, and the brakes would only allow 28c, but I sure would love some 35c for comfort, and that's the only reason I'm considering a disc brake bike. No matter which one I get, it won't be near as cool as my Klein.
Great vid as always!
Well done for creating this unbiased review dude.. I run rim brake Campagnolo record on 3 of my bikes and they are excellent, I use ally rims either borg31 or Campagnolo shamal very good break performance in wet and dry. I do have disc to on another bike which is also good.. 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍
10 out of 10 for quality information and editing, You guys are the bomb !
Really appreciate it thank you!🧡
Very reasonable position and good advice about checking for available spares.
Thank you!🧡
Rim brakes are time tested and do a great job
As always, another awesome presentation.
Thanks Mark!🧡
I’ve never had a problem with rim breaks, I have a disc break bike and I use that bike for steep downhill rides on gravel and I do like the stopping power but ultimately that is the only time I have seen a benefit to disc breaks for me.
My wife and I each have road, gravel, MTB, and fat bikes. Each runs through axles, carbon wheels, tubeless tires, and hydraulic disc brakes. We last rode rim brakes a couple years before COVID. We just can’t imagine going narrower than 30-32 mm for road tires and our frames aren’t rim brake compatible anyway. Rim brakes and tubes are history for us.
I just rebuilt my 17 year old CF frame. The frame has been treated well and components were less expensive. As for the brakes, I cleaned and rebuilt the Shimano 600 series calipers I have had since 1994! Cannot imagine that is possible with rim!
On my gravel bike I regularly wanne switch between 40mm and 35mm wide tyres. Disc brakes give me that freedom
I have rim brakes on 2 of my bikes - summer bike and TT. Both really only see daylight when it's dry, but I never feel that it's detrimental to either bike. I like my disc brake bikes too, so maybe I am unusual in that I am ambivalent about which I prefer.
Same i don't really care. I don't go out road cycling in heavy rain though, take the gravel or MTB. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, people get so uptight arguing about it 😂
I agree it’s horses for courses and something that shouldn’t be as polarising as it is!🧡
I will never change to disc brake the maintenance is too expensive . Rim brake lives matter . This is a great channel. I will send a you tube link as i watched 48 min video in disc vs rim brake it was brilliant
I have a rim and a disk brake bike. My rim brakes need maintained every year...my disk brakes have never needed maintenance despite getting more use.
You would rather replace the whole wheel or rim when the brake track wears out?
My fun sporty bike, I don't care which braking system is on it. My commuter bike needs to be disc brake. Survives the wet/ winter far better.
@@M5Dri3rz completely agree. my commuting bike has rim brakes and i had a brake cable snap on me 2 times already, despite having my bike serviced every year. wont happen with hydraulic disc brakes
@@sirclemeni1Bad service
Although I do have carbon wheels, I generally don't use them a whole lot. I am a "rim brake" person, and more than likely always will be. If I know it's going to rain, I ride my mtn bike or my fatbike, both of which have disc brakes. However, as mentioned here in the video, they do cost more to purchase, to maintain, and more time invested in them as well. Great video, thanks for sharing!
I’ve been riding rim brakes since the 1970’s and they have never let me down. My current road bike, a 1998 Klein Quantum Race stops very well with them. On my MTB, I run discs because that is what it came with (although I went from mechanical to hydraulics).
So clean. When I see that rear brake I realize I need to clean my bike more often.
Great video as always. An addition that would help is the comparison of v-brakes and disk. From what I have read this removes much of the performance advantage of disk brakes. You have to look for a frame and fork that meets your riding needs that can be set up for v-brakes, but steel and older carbon cyclocross can be found to meet that spec and allow for larger tires too. Road brifters can be used with v-brakes that are short pull.
I'll be honest -- I vastly prefer disc brakes. If you keep the discs clean and change the pads, they are fuss free. Easier to pull the wheels, no worries about destroying your rims with grit, no toe in etc. Plus, they just work better in the wet.
Useful vid Lee couldn’t agree more. Both rim and disc have their place. I truly wonder if discs are, despite what the industry seeks to push on us for road, a more reliable or better value option. Fine if you’re racing or riding a fully loaded tourer or tandem but what about the other 90% ? The cost of keeping customers on the road ( new discs , several pairs of pads) and the irritant / niggle factor of discs seem to produce way more problems and off bike time for riders. Usually by the time someone has worn out a rim they’ve paid out far more on discs and pads.
I share those thoughts 🧡
We’ve got a couple of kids 24” bikes, both Giant XTRs, one with generic rim V-brakes and crap Zoom forks, the other with Shimano disc brakes and upgraded air-sprung forks. Both regularly serviced. Surprisingly the V-brakes perform far better.
Great vid, your opener is exactly why I recently bought a rim brake road bile, it allowed me to buy a spec of bike unaffordable for me if it were disc. I know discs brake better, but overall spec and ride of bike more important to me.
You can get some mega mega deals!🧡
I think the market will eventually revert back to rim brakes. Trends in the biking industry wax and wane. We're living in an era of proprietary components, 20 years ago we were in the middle of the era of the antiproprietary component that was more prevalent years before that even. So it seems cyclical (oh man, sweet pun). Even if SRAM and Shimano never make them, these Chinese companies that are getting better will probably be willing to make quality rim brake components.
The bike industry is adding a complex improvement at a 35% cost premium and 15% weight gain - no wonder the industry is on its knees with sales flat and bike dealers going bust !!
DUH stupid stuff- industry bust through not listening to consumers !
As a mountain biker all I have ever known really is hydraulic disc brakes. They just perform better especially when looked after. I have recently fallen in love mending up old bikes for friends etc and making my own from used parts. I am having to learn our rim brakes work. Fun but foreign to me.
Great video again guys.
If you only know them, how are you able to compare?
I raced mountain bikes starting with cantilever brakes. For offroad, rim brakes work fine, but hydraulic disc brakes allowed so much more consistency, power, modulation and increased speed going downhill. If you're not racing, the rim brake still works fine offroad.
Yes they’re very approachable and serviceable!🧡
I owned 2 disc brake bikes with Shimano 105 hydraulics and GRX 610.
I still kept going back to rim brakes, not because it's cheaper to maintain or lighter. But, I prefer the braking power of the rimbrakes. I'm not sure is it just me, but I kept locking my wheel when I come to sudden stop and almost impacting the one in front of me. It's too powerful.
But, I wish rimbrakes do have a large clearance for tires/tyres and wider rim profiles, that's the only thing I missed with disc brakes.
yes they could easily solve this issue if there was a will. I used to ride 2.3"(58mm) tyres on my old mtb with v-brakes.
@@swites If the disc would have not come to road bikes, we might have Rimbrake calipers that can support up to 32c tires and I think they are already on the right track with the Direct Mount Brake Calipers
I like the on the side of the road fixability of rim brakes, mechanical shifting, & tires with inner-tubes. Disc brakes are great on my mountain & gravel bikes.
Very informative video , however I think somethong you could have touched on was the fact that rim brakes will wear down the braking surface of the wheel eventually, especially if ridden through bad winter weather. I'm a rim brake stalwart but an eye does need to be kept on rim wear
Yes it’s something I missed!🧡
Great advice as usual!!! Thanks!!
Rim brakes forever for me
just bought my new bike. insisted on rim brakes.........bought a disc brake bike 7 years ago!....never again!
You are knuckle head disc are king avoid the cable disc brakes . hydraulic disc brakes is where it's at Shimano saints stop damned good
@@catsbyondrepair ha ha...imagine calling someone a knucklehead because they have a different opinion to you on brakes....i bet you are great fun on a night out!!
I prefer rim brakes, but one more disadvantage I would mention is that when you wear out the breaking surface, it's easier to change out a rotor than a rim.
Aluminium rims are cheap and are easy to change out especially when spares are plentiful. They are practically throwing them away at my local reuse shop. I have never worn through a rim before upgrading them anyway. If you want light weight then eat less pizza.
have you ever worn out the breaking surface of o rim? I don't, and I ride bikes for more than 40 years, no alu rim and no carbon rim - and I love to ride high mountain passes, so they had to endure some hard breaking on the descends)
It takes more than 30 years to wear out a rim.
True,and I have had a rim sidewall wear through, but that was on a 20 year old MTB wheel that saw rain, mud, grit & lots of braking. On a decently maintained road bike i'd expect the rims to last at least as long, depending on mileage.
On a MTB/cross/Gravel bike discs are great, on a road bike... I'm still not convinced.
@@petrosspetrosgali My guess is that you don't own any Lycra
I have heard about some issues with discs beeing transportet in airplanes. There might be problems with the hydraulic oil and therefore bleeding the hydraulics might be nessesary after the flight. This is not an issue with mechanical rimbrakes.
I dont like to bleed my brakes, because I am not sure about how to do it, and what tools to get, so I go to the bikehopmechanic.
In the process of cleaning and polishing a set of mafac racer brakes will last another 30yrs😎
Boom, we like your style 🧡
rim brakes for the win !
I just wish a manufacturer comes out already with a rim brake bike composed of the best tech offered today and the best aesthetics that can be designed and incorporated.
With the lightweight advantage and easy maintenance of rim brakes, this proposed value proposition will have its takers.
Great Channel. For Rim Brakes i think it very much depends on the purpose of the bike, for pure performance on a road bike, for sure disc, but even then i would also question how many road users need the headaches that come along for the marginal gains, but manufacturers aren't really giving a choice. Then there are bikes that have another purpose, such as touring. I have a touring bike for long rides carrying lots of gear, that i will never install disc brakes on, if something happens i want the simplest, most reliable easy option i can fix at the roadside or at worst replace at minimal cost
Having gotten a new hydraulic disc brake bike this week, I don't care about rim brakes anymore. This stuff is magical. So much power with so little force!
You’ll spend a lot of time trying to adjust those hydraulic things. Good luck! 👍🏻
@@seraph4581 enjoy the new bike ! And the disks 👍👍👍🚴♂️
No need for power on a road bike
Just wait until you get a drop of oil on your disc - you will find out why you shouldn't have got discs.
Im not sure that good old rim brake frames could handle 30-32mm tyres freely without rubbing into frame. That is one of the reason to go for disc and also thru axle gives additional stifness and true wheel positions into frame. Riding with 28-30mm tyres are much better comfort compared to 21-25mm tyres thats is for sure. I have nothing against rim brkaes as had rim brake bike before, but also like to ride with new disk brake bike either wich feels better in handling.
Excellent video,had one disc brake bike and will never have another,fair comment on cf rims in the wet,but if rain predicted I will use another bike with al rims
As far as the “stopping power” argument goes ( in dry weather ) when was the last accident you had due to not stopping quickly enough- I have more incidents after grabbing a handful of lever and flipping over
I have been riding 20 years now retired. My pinarello F12 rim brake is awesome. I see riders with disk brakes and they don’t even average 20-23 mph. Honestly if you don’t average 20-25 mph you don’t need disk brakes. That is it. It is like riding a 4x4 truck in the city. For me, disk brakes on a mountain bike or if you are going to be a pro rider then it makes sense.
If you are doing 25mph and apply the disc brakes you are probably going to hit the tarmac with disc brake lock up
I have an F10 with dura ace rim brakes- awesome braking performance. The F12 was designed with direct mount rim brakes- these are definitely the finest brakes ever put on bikes - low weight with exceptional performance
Carbon rims cork brake blocks if i remember
No, everyone is not changing to disc brakes! Manufacturers may be changing to discs but there are millions of rim brake bikes still in active service and have fitted the bill for me perfectly for 50 years of riding and club racing. My rim brake bikes will see me out of my cycling days. Discs are just another reason to push the asking price up of new bikes though they may provide better braking performance... the latest must have! I don't care if discs out perform rim brakes, I don't do mountain descents and I don't wish to spend mega dollars on the latest release.
myself I will never buy a disc bike.
The weight, cost, maintenance and complexity of disc brake bikes actually results in these bikes being largely rejected by consumers- the bike industry is on its knees in sales falls, this is because they are not listening to consumers and offering heavier bikes which are 35% more expensive- nobody actually wants expensive complexity that is tedious and costly to maintain - time for the bike industry to listen to their customers
I used to put on road events in so cal. Lots of hills. Had ladies crash cause they couldn’t pull their rim brakes hard enough.
Used to own a bike shop. I hated rim brakes on both road and mountain bikes. If a rim got dinged it affected braking and caused pulsing. In the rain and grit rims would wear through.
Also pads if not perfectly aligned can and do rub against the tire.
Give me the power and ease of setup of a disc any day.
Disc brakes are not expensive and come on most entry level bikes.
I get it if you like rim brakes but for the majority a disc is better.
Changing pads on most disc brakes is easy!
The bike industry is adding a complex improvement at a 35% cost premium and 15% weight gain - no wonder the industry is on its knees with sales flat and bike dealers going bust !!
DUH stupid stuff- industry bust through not listening to consumers !
Great video so I have got both rim and disc brake bikes , the rim brakes are lighter easier to maintain and cheaper but the stopping performance is not as good and especially on mountain bikes. The cannondale CAAD 10 I ride on 25 mm tyres and probably could squeeze in some 28s I can ride 30s on a Ribble I own as it’s really Audax bike but that is probably it. On my Reilly and Giant both are on 30mm and for performance bikes these tyres really take the edge of British roads and I can easily go up to 32 mm and a bit beyond but would be struggling with the rim brakes. Finally with discs you are sacrificing the rotors not the wheels. But I wouldn’t give up my rim brake bikes and I am now on the look out for an Evo six with rim brakes so I love both types and each bring their pros and cons .
I love rim brakes
I have both types, with a Bianchi Specialissima which I bought, took off Shima(NO!) garbage and replaced with Campagnolo Super Record 12-speed EPS/WTO carbon rim wheels, etc.
I recently bought a Colnago C64 disc with Campagnolo SR mechanical, but changing to SR 12-speed EPS hydraulic disc with WTO 60 carbon wheels which came with bike, but currently
waiting for the Deda Alanera RS bars to finish!
I did have a Colnago C60 with SR EPS 11 speed, but sold it as frame was too big, so had to get a short 80mm ENVE stem to rectify, but it looked wrong!
I had 4 Colnago dealers give me wrong sizing advice before I bought one, with one having 40 years experience!!!
Disks for me ! 👍👍👍🚴♂️
Certainly better!🧡
The power of steel from lever to wheel 👍
All the crashes I've seen in my riding groups have been on disc brakes. All the noise and squeeling I've heard in my riding groups have been on disc brakes. I've got rim brakes on 8 of my bikes with different wheelsets. They are all standouts and perform flawlessly.
Disc brakes can be good if they are good enough. I dont think the discs that came with my bike was best, but upgrading to xt discs (16 cm) solved the problem. It looks like discs are more compatible with fatter tyres.
1. Not EVERYONE is changing to disc brakes.
2. Rim Brakes are NOT OBSOLETE.
I will not go back to the squeeling of disc brakes. Enjoy your disc brakes and leave rim brakes alone.
Only a matter of time, really
I will never buy a disc bike.
The weight, cost, maintenance and complexity of disc brake bikes actually results in these bikes being largely rejected by consumers- the bike industry is on its knees in sales falls, this is because they are not listening to consumers and offering heavier bikes which are 35% more expensive- nobody actually wants expensive complexity that is tedious and costly to maintain - time for the bike industry to listen to their customers
@@gossamersanchez4796 nah, you'll buy one eventually. maybe not today, but in 5/10/20 years I'm sure you'll have one. I'm not sure why roadie's are so afraid of disc brakes.. they have been the norm in mountain biking for a long time
The heavy sales are still just a result of the pandemic bike pricing boom/bust.
I really want to embrace disc brakes, and I have them on my eBike and MTB, but God are they a pain to deal with. So glad my road bikes have always had rim brakes.
I'm still using my Trek 520 rim brake for my daily commute.
65 years old so mostly rim brakes over time and tbh much preferred. I’m old fashioned and like my bikes the same. I guess I grew up being able to do 90% maintenance on everything I owned and like it that way. The pace of change in the bikes was almost non existent and I liked that as well. Each to their own.
Great video. People will turn back around to rim brakes eventually, the advantages are obvious for anyone able to see past the industry marketing fugazi. Rim brakes are cheaper, MUCH easier to adjust & maintain, offer just as good stopping power & modulation as discs with the right pads (koolstop/swissstop), are lighter, more aerodynamic, dont make horrible screeching noise and are much safer. A rim brake track has 96cm2 of surface area vs 34cm2 for a standard 160mm front rotor ≡ 3X the surface area which means they'll never get cooked & warped on a steep descent which could literally save your life. There's zero advantage to getting discs and any small difference in performance is 100% due to braking technique, body position, and general skill on the bike. Long live rim.
One reason I moved on from rim brakes is mainly the carbon rims. Brakes are nonexistent in the wet/rain.
Discs also enable wider tire clearance, making it more comfortable and faster. The learning curve isn’t as difficult as others say.
Disc brakes on narrow tires lock up before wider tires which have more contact to the road. Wider and less pressure may be more comfortable, but I haven’t seen any scientific test that proves them faster. Point me to an unbiased comparison if there is one online.
@@blueslurker1 a lot of videos have shown here in youtube testing comparisons of wider tires being faster and more comfortable. I dont know what you are talking about. Even the standard in todays races have gone wider to 28-30mms
Wide tyres on wide rims the contact patch is the same, but you've got more volume for comfort and contact patch for cornering. It is faster but only in the correct combination.
it all comes down to the brake pads! Campy red pads on carbon are braking in the wet as fine as in the dry or as discs...
@@madscycle4290 wider tires are NOT generally faster! It depends on the road surface. On perfect track surface narrower tires at higher pressure are faster, on cobbles or very bad surface wider tires with low pressure are significant faster. For every surface in between there is a certain combination of width and pressure which is the fastest, and no general statement can be made. So look where you ride and decide properly...
Nice video! What's with the additional stems on the first bike?
These are camera mounts!🧡
Brake calipers with ceramic rims (30 years ago) were very efficient, especially in the rain, and the braking surface was quite durable. Carbon rims are nice because they stay clean contrary to aluminium rims.
Good point🧡
I can't see how disc brakes outperform rim brakes. I've made sudden/emergency stops with rim brakes and nearly skidded out or gone over the handlebars (twice). Not sure how that means rim brakes lack stopping power.
In the rain rim brakes lose a lot of stopping power. Discs shine in that situation.
Happy with rim for road, more than enough braking for the 25mm tyres I use. Ride in all weathers, all year round.
Long live rim brakes and mechanical shifting!
I don't want Disk brakes, I don't want Di2, I don't want tubeless, I don't want hookles, etc. etc. etc.
Enough cycling industry BS
Yes!🧡
Another plus of rim brakes is that the front wheel can have less spokes. Radial 18 spoke wheels are far more aesthetically pleasing than disc brake ones (Corima wheels being a notable exception). And they're potentially lighter too.
Depends on the bike and the purpose. In urban environments, I prefer disc as there are so many abrupt or emergency stopping situations. For road and even gravel, I love my rim brakes. The rim brake bikes have better ride quality that can't be traded with higher braking power and added weight.
Weight weenie here. Rim tech always going to be lighter than disc brake setup. Never had an issue in the rain, I just squeeze harder 😂
My philosophy too!🧡
What's the opposite of a weight weenie? Somebody serious about getting exercise while they happen to be on a bike?
It's not easy finding upgrade wheels for rim brakes these days!
Manufacture's should supply more good quality aluminium rim brake wheels and not just all carbon disc brake only!
Another rim brake fanboy here coupled with handbuilt alloy rim wheels. Rim brakes are more tolerant to shoddy build quality and looking on TH-cam there are plenty of (inc high end) frames that don't have properly finished caliper mounts. The issue seems to be getting worse than it is better. I'll stick with what I have and what I know works perfectly adequately.
I have my rim brake bike for around 6000km now and really start to notice the wear on the rim. I'm planning to sell it anyways, but I probably would have to buy a new wheelset soon if not for that.
I live on a compete pancake of a land, I have to ride for an hour to get to the closest small climbs. I do not need disc brakes. I did over 3K km on my mtb (should have bought gravel instead as well), the brake pads are like new. So I don't mind at all that my 30 years old road bike is on rim brakes, the bikes also look better with them.
Unless you are riding downhill in the rain, rim brakes are the best.
not just rain, riding a very long downhill or just a steep one in the sun has it's dangers too, may explode the carbon wheels.
@@bikingchupei2447 Agreed. I have destroyed a Roval CLX wheel in seconds on an emergency stop on a steep downhill.
keeping my disks because i do infact ride hills in the rain
They weigh far more. My steel rim bike weighs less than the Pinarello Prince my mate has. And my carbon bike weighs even less. And yes, weight does matter. You feel it everywhere.
I can maintain my own bike, mostly.
I got a £900 set of Mavic Ksyriums for £400. Brand new cos the guy bought a disc bike and didn't need them. superb wheelset.
Beefed up forks means firmer ride, hence the need for fatter tyres.
Cheaper everywhere.
I don't ride down mountain passes, so I'll live with slightly inferior brakes. Besides, my carbon bike is better than me anyway and I'll bottle it before the brakes or bike does regardless of conditions.
I just don't need the hassle. I've got tubeless for that lol
Congrats on the Ksyriums but £400 is a lot,are they new?
Great perspectives, thank you for sharing. In your opinion, what is the best rim brake? 105,ultegra or dura ace.
Ultegra is bulletproof!🧡
my rim brakes sometimes are even louder than disc brakes (shimano carbon pads +carbon rims).
I was surprised that my rim brakes (dura-ace + black prince) have a better bite - are stronger initially than my new ultegra disc brakes, but modulation goes of course to disc brakes..
and of course they don't brake when wet.
biggest difference is that I can put bigger tires than 28mm