Rim Brakes vs Disc Brakes: Which Is Better & What Should YOU Buy?

[@BP-xv8nt]

Rim brake with aluminum wheelset still the best

[@alwayspete]

Thank you for this video! Disc brakes are jerky and feels like a sudden full stop. Maybe I’m too used to the rim brakes, leisure riding. Pete ;”)

[@JohnSmith-ox7xc]

Disc. Only ones that offer wider tyre choice.

[@conceptcs]

I am for disc brakes if the industry can figure out how to not make them squeal. I have two disc brake bikes and both of them squeal like crazy when I brake. I tried everything in the books to fix this issue. It would temporary be fixed and then the next ride, same issue. I have since went back to a rim brake bike running on alloy rims, no annoying squealing. Just climbed did a 3300m elevation climb, and decended down to sea level with no issues, and no overheating.

[@imstrong55]

have you cleaned the brake pads or the rotor?

[@conceptcs]

@imstrong55 yes, I have deep deep cleaned the entire system myself. Using all sorts of methods, I've tried dish detergent, all sorts of degreasers, brake cleaner, even the burn the rotors with fire to burn off any oil method, sanded the brake pads. I even brought it to the shop to be cleaned. I swapped the rotors and pads with new ones with all factory Shimano parts, still could not solve the issue.

[@robinseibel7540]

@@conceptcs Consider having your caliper mounts on the frame and/or fork faced. The squealing could be from that.

[@robinseibel7540]

The first time I rode a road bike with disc brakes was in 2011, and I was gobsmacked by how much better the modulation in those brakes was compared to my rim brakes and by how quickly I could stop (It was a test ride on some mountain climbs and descents). I didn't get disc brakes on a bike of my own until the end of spring, 2023. Again, I was blown away by how much better the disc brakes worked for me, especially in the wet (rain, snow, sleet). IMHO, the best part of disc brakes is the better modulation they seem to have and the more consistent braking they offer. I've had zero issues to date.

[@flipfonte4069]

I prefer rim brakes for their simplicity and because they are not as aggressive in braking. Sometimes, disc brakes can be dangerous due to how easily they can lock the wheel. I also like being able to look at the brake and instantly understand what the problem is. With disc brakes, a lot is hidden, which requires disassembly. For me, weight doesn't matter much, you can just lose some weight.

[@robinseibel7540]

Dangerous? I don't think they're dangerous at all, and I've had rim brakes w/ pad and rim combos that were very grabby, i.e. they had horrible and inconsistent modulation. Still, it's easy to adapt to either. What you failed to consider is that disc brakes generally have better brake modulation, thus making it easier for a rider to avoid locking up wheels. FWIW, both brake types can easily lock a wheel up. If you can't lock up your brakes easily you likely have crap brakes. The important part is that locking up brakes is not a brake type issue but rather a technique issue.

[@flipfonte4069]

@@robinseibel7540 In my case, I ride a fixed gear, so I don't need modulation since I already do that with my legs. Still, I've never had any complaints about my brake. I use Koolstop pads. Do both lock the wheel? Yes, but in an emergency situation, with much less force on the lever, the probability of the wheel locking is higher in the case of disc brakes due to the braking power that system produces (especially in the rain). Rim brakes, for me, offer the braking I need and, of course, are very easy to work with.

[@robinseibel7540]

@@flipfonte4069 I don't think there's any data showing that the probability of a wheel locking is higher with disc brakes than with rim brakes. I believe that people most likely lock their rear wheels up because they're not relying on the front brakes enough, the brakes that provide the majority of braking power. There has been a lot of fearmongering about disc brakes, and none of the injurious predictions have come true. The pro peloton resisted disc brakes because of claimed fears of mutilating injuries and giant crashes because of disc brake equipped bikes stopping too quickly. None of that came to pass. Likewise, there's been zero reporting about rashes of cyclists crashing because of disc brakes. It's also worth keeping in mind that disc brakes don't work like light switches. There's a lot of modulation available, and that modulation is very consistent. People are free to choose what they want to ride, be it rim or disc brakes. Disc brakes, however, are NOT dangerous or more dangerous. There is zero data supporting any claims about disc brakes being more dangerous or more likely to lock up.

[@samlevi3821]

@@robinseibel7540 it’s a made up thing thing disc brake owners use to justify their own decisions. You can lock up both. The bike tire lack of grip is the limiting factor for both.

[@flipfonte4069]

@@robinseibel7540I did not base myself on datas. I speak only from personal experience and what I prefer, nothing more. have a good ride..

[@soumafan]

speaking of maintenance costs, what about the frequency of disc vs rim pad replacement?

[@satoshie2074]

Disc brake ofc. It has many components unlike rim brake which only has caliper to maintain/replace. Disk brake have rotor disc, brake pads and the caliper and they are much delicate because the rotor can't be touched or it will be contaminated. But reliability, disc brakes are much recommended.

[@attybong]

for me there should be no debate on this .. rim brakes are best for alloy wheels, while disk brakes do well with carbon wheels, so there is no point of comparison .. but if you really want to use rim brakes on carbon, you have to go for tubulars, because tubulars have thicker braking surface .. the best thing in rim brakes though is that it's maintenance free 😊

[@samlevi3821]

Both can lock the tire up. It’s simple as that, by default the lighter option is better. It also happens to be the cheaper. Keep buying disc brake bikes though. I’m loving these cheap rim brake bike on the used markets. Practically giving them away.

[@random-ball-sh1thatcom925]

simple everyday use discbrake for competitive use rimbrake

[@attybong]

bike racing is not about which bike stops first .. it's all about modulation, not power braking .. this is the reason why there are more crashes in the peloton nowadays .. sponsored videos don't mention is of course 😢😮

[@recyclebicyclesales]

It’s a good point you raise. This video isn’t sponsored, it’s just my honest opinion

[@paulysci925]

For me rim is really bad in contrast to disc. Im heavy though so rim doesn't come close in stopping performance.

[@flipfonte4069]

Just don't forget that rim brakes are still used on touring bicycles loaded with 40 kg.

[@yukiko_5051]

I regret buying rim brake bike. People who praise rim brake always claim they never worn down any wheelset ever for 90 years of riding, or how the brake doesn't have to be tuned over and over again, or it provides good braking performance. Turn out it took me 14k km to worn down a pair of alloy wheel, i have to constantly re-centre the caliper, and the braking is worse than my single pull cable disc brake. I wish i bought disc brake bike with the same price as my current one instead even though it comes with lower tier groupset...

[@timtaylor9590]

This guy is capping. If both rears lock up easy the breaking power isn't the difference, the main difference is the tire contact patch which will determine breaking performance. You really just wanted allot of time

[@ConsciousBreaks]

Yeah, when I saw that rear brake test, that kind of invalidated everything else. Using those rear rim brake test results as a comparison is very disingenuous, I was thinking, "dude, you locked up the wheel. Of course it's going to take longer to stop." As for the wet braking performance, look how gingerly he's braking on the rim brake. Disc brakes require less force at the lever, that's one of its benefits. But it doesn't make sense to also do that with rim brakes. He should've been doing a full emergency brake test to get a proper comparison.

[@gregorygolden1296]

Today, i won't buy a bike that has rim brakes.....

[@timtaylor9590]

Modulation isn't a good thing you say? Hmmm

[@robinseibel7540]

Modulation is a good thing, and IMHO, it is the most critical aspect of a brake system. Any decent brake, rim or disc, will allow the rider to easily lift the rear wheel. That modulation and the consistency of that modulation are two of the biggest benefits of disc brakes.

[@bens.6458]

This is pretty comical. Are you working with the inspired unemployed?

[@veritasfan11]

im a fan of rim brakes can change in 10 minutes disc brakes are a solution looking for a problem that didnt exist.