Many debates on whether disc or rim brakes are better on a bike. Rather than telling you which I believe is better, I’m going to compare the two, so you can make an informed choice of your own. So let’s dive right in and break down the pros and cons of disc vs rim brakes.
All brakes work essentially the same way. Pressure from a brake pad is applied to a braking surface. The difference between the two is where that braking force is applied. With disc brakes, the force is applied to a rotor towards the middle of the wheel. Rim brakes it’s applied directly to the wheel at the outer edge or “rim”.
Disc brakes generate more braking power than standard rim brakes. Mountain bikes have been using disc brakes for a while now because of this. We are now seeing disc brakes more often on road bikes and tri bikes for the same reasons.
Disc brakes outperform rim brakes here. With rim brakes, they have far more braking surface to displace the water from the rim affecting performance. With disc brakes, there is a smaller surface to get wet and pads are sheltered far better from getting wet.
Because disc brakes have better braking power you can wait a little longer before hitting the brakes in order to turn. So you can spend more time at a higher speed vs. more time braking.
Wear occurs while braking. Rim brakes that wear happen on the wheels themselves. This can eventually lead to having to replace the wheel. Disc brake wear happens on the rotor. The rotor is easier and less expensive to replace. Especially if we are talking about carbon fiber wheels.
Not only is it beneficial to have disc rotors when using carbon fiber wheels to prevent wear to the wheel. Carbon wheels have poor braking performance when compared to aluminum wheels.
With disc brakes, if the wheel is not true braking is unaffected. But with disc brakes, there still is a chance of the rotor getting bent and affecting performance.
Disc brakes allow for more clearance. Depending on the bike it can be possible to have a wider tire than you could have with rim brakes. Wider tires can increase traction and comfort.
If you are worried about how much your bike weighs, disc brakes may not be the best option. Typically disc brakes will weigh more than rim brakes.
A bike with disc brakes is going to cost more to buy. Maintenance may cost more with disc brakes also.
Disc brakes can cause some dangerous scenarios. When riding in a group with others that have rim brakes those riders may start hitting brakes earlier than disc brake riders. This potentially could cause someone to run into the back of another cyclist. Also when there is an accident with disc brakes there is always a chance that someone could get cut from the brake rotor.
When buying a new bike these are items you need to take into consideration. What is better for you comes down to personal choice.
-Coach David
Read more: The Ultimate Guide To Bike Trainer Season
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