I bought a new carbon bike last year . My intention was to build up a new bike with rim brakes because there was a good availability of used carbon rims . The savings on the rims would be substantial and the rim brakes are lighter overall due to added weight to the frame . As it was a deal came in on a  road bike with disc brakes so I held my nose and bought it . They are way better at stopping the bike and the carbon rims do not need a braking surface on them so no worry of heating a rim up on a long descent . I am very happy with them although they are quite a bit more expensive when replacing pads and rotors as opposed to just rubber pads . It’s interesting that every major brand is pushing them yet nearly every major bike race this year was won on rim brakes . This may  change as minimum UCI weight regulations will be harder to meet as frames get lighter and stiffer .if I was to build another carbon bike I would get them again . They just work well and do not need any adjusting  once they are set up . Also an out of true wheel will never rub the brake 



Dan,

I agree with everything you have said. I have now moved on to direct-mount rim brakes (Tarmac SL6) over the traditional center-mount rim brakes. DM brakes do not go off center and have improved stopping power and modulation due to lower flex in the caliper arms. As for my next road bike purchase: if I am unable to find rim brakes as a standard offering, I will go custom steel in order to stay with rim brakes.

Long live the road rim-brake ha. 

Lester

On Mon, Dec 28, 2020 at 5:27 PM Daniel Steinbach via groups.io <dansteinbach=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

On off road bicycles, disc brakes are superior for several reasons including the disc is not dragging through the mud which gives the brake pads a clean surface. Also if they are hydraulic, then it is a closed system so water and dirt don't get on the cable. Stopping power is greater and the modulation is better (doesn't suddenly grab at some point). Those points are true but all less important on a road bike. However many high end bikes have carbon fiber wheels and disc brakes prevent the carbon wheel from over heating. Also the special carbon pads are annoyingly noisy compared to rubber pads and an aluminum rim.

Personally I still have rim brakes on all my road bikes, disc brakes on my mountain bikes. Rim brakes have served me well and no reason to change just for that. However if I do buy a new road bike, it will have disc brakes simply because that is what everyone is producing.

Note, hydraulic disc brakes can fail as well on downhills. On a long (as in 2500 foot) descent in Colorado, a guy I was riding with had his brakes heat up so much on a mountain bike that the mineral oil boiled and he lost his read brake. We had to wait for it to cool down and then it was fine.

Dan

On Monday, December 28, 2020, 4:54:39 PM EST, Michael Gold <eyebikester@...> wrote:

Interesting article. I am wondering what those who have ridden both think?

https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a33318651/should-we-mourn-the-death-of-rim-brakes/

Mike