Why I stopped using Shimano rotors: Disc brake rotor design, cracks & thermal issues discussed.

[@Ih8GoogleandApple]

You have brought tremendous value to cyclists with your experience and channel

[@ashleysinani4207]

This ^, I have learned so much and am really grateful for this channel making me a more aware consumer and home mechanic

[@aaron___6014]

What? Just ride your bike and replace the parts that wear or break.

[@tylergarza8695]

@@aaron___6014 ... ignorant

[@aaron___6014]

@@tylergarza8695 ignorant of what? I have to be aware of what needs maintaining and see when something fails enough to try something new. Do you put this much thought into your car your mental health your body? Being aware that looking for the endless source of potential problems with things mechanical or biological is far from ignorant, accepting it and living your life instead is what I'm suggesting. Getting sucked into this mindset is ignorant.

[@flannyyy1321]

100% up for supporting your discs. That goes for any other products you have in mind going forward. I value your straight talking info massively 👌

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah i'm running the Ice-tech rotors atm, I did wonder how long they will last with only a thin sliver of steel each side... Do you run resin or sintered metal pads to get this level of wear?

[@illuminatustm]

Very excited to follow that project 👍🏻 Went back to my “old” rim brake bike after being on discs for a while - not just because of being annoyed by the brakes, but it sure is nice to have one thing less that needs fine-tuning all the time

[@PeakTorque]

Same.

[@SprayIgniteBoom]

Exactly...part of why I ride is a ‘simple’ mechanical interface, peaceful rides (I prefer quite hubs), and a ‘back 2 basics’ experience...discs, 2 much electrical equipment etc detracts from that~

[@timocallaghan4408]

@@SprayIgniteBoom I had this realisation recently while considering DI2.. I already get annoyed with keeping the head unit charged and pairing sensors, why add another battery etc to the list!

[@durianriders]

"You just didn't set the discs up properly"

[@PeakTorque]

@@durianriders 😂

[@Chince02]

this didn't age well. looks like you went back to the shimano rotors and are still complaining about them

[@yeungline]

Looking forward to the peak torque disc brakes 👍

[@basedgodstrugglin]

Peak Stop brakes

[@simedinson984]

@@basedgodstrugglin still a torque aint it

[@ChinaCycling]

Carbon ceramic brakes! If you survive the first hairpin, you'll get great braking on the second! 😂😂😂

[@coreygolphenee9633]

No you just warm up snaking back and forth with your brakes pulled

[@tsubakisan1147]

@Peak Torque do you think centrelock is the way to go for MTB hubs and rotors, or is 6 bolt still a good and reliable standard? Also, do the centrelock adaptors that allow the use of six bolt rotors increase the risk of misalignment or instability? are some brand adaptors better than others? Cheers

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Deckas and the RT 54'S or Galfer are the way to go . He never made rotors at all "take peak torque with a grain of salt when it comes to him making promises he can't keep" .

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Has this guy got a thermal physics Ph.D .?

[@thisandthatandotherthings]

Fascinated to see what you come up with versus what Shimano has in the pipeline with Dura-Ace 9200 brakes (and the context of Chris Froome's comments on disc brakes)

[@ThePaulKat]

Considering their cranks have been failing for years due to poor design and they have not attempted to rectify the issue, they will probably not have any improvements in the pipeline.

What do you think about something like the Shimano RT54 rotors? They're the cheap ones for MTB, would they transfer too much heat to the hubs?

[@jaro6985]

They look OK, they are basically the centerlock adapter built in style (eg buy a centerlock adapter and a normal 6 bolt rotor and the end result would be the same). Thermal is a complete non-issue for casual riders. Not even sure if there is proof out there its an issue for pros. Steel is a poor thermal conductor and you have a tiny cross section transferring heat to the hub, so huge thermal gradient. www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/2/6/215/pdf

@@jaro6985 That's interesting, thank you! I could imagine that if i heavy rider were constantly braking on a very long very steep slope, mathematically there could be enough heat transfered to the hubs to ruin the grease. Maybe the brake pads would fail first. But hey, i can try it the next time i'm riding down a trail, if i can still touch the center part of the rotors when i stop :D

[@jaro6985]

@ Good idea, start from the center and work your way out, not the other way around :p

[@KasimirBlanco]

@ I don't think it is possible to transfer this much heat into the hub for the reason being mentioned by Ja Ro. Also at some point you will need to stop and let your brakes cool down because of fading...

@@jaro6985 noo, i figured it would be a lot more fun to go from the outside. I have 10 fingers to test with :D

[@julianarbelaez3620]

Yeah mate I’ll be down to have a pair, good stuff👍

[@markwhitham1169]

I know it’s not been long but how you finding the campy disc? What pads you using aswell. I’m convinced that shimano disc/pad technology is behind other manufacturers

[@Wheelbuilder23]

I'm wondering how many miles you are riding in 6 months. The Shimano rotors that came with my GRX group have been exceptional with lots of long downhill late braking use over 10K mi's and two years. Interesting vid though.

[@DR_1_1]

Cheaper Shimano SM-RT54 match his design wishes, something similar came with my S 105 brakes...

[@WowRixter]

It would be awesome to also try Swissstop after the Campy and do a comparison

[@lechprotean]

I'd be happy to chip in via patreon paypal or some such so @peak torque can test them

[@PeakTorque]

@@lechprotean great idea.

[@evanm.2300]

​@PeakTorque I jyst saw this vid 3 yrs late, what happened to the rotors?

[@KristianeLim]

This video answered all my questions about disc brakes. And i learned a lot more than i asked for. Cheers brother! Im shifting to disc brakes this month as sponsors are now supplying us disc brake bikes, and im already having nightmares on how to maintain them, let alone the cost

[@jerryc.5210]

1.5 years ago, I got a disc brake road/endurance bike ... w/ Campy 160 rotors front & rear. After 6 months, I was occasionally stopping to "re-center" the pads while on rides. After 1.5 years, the rotors are slightly "warped". If I had had to replace them at 6 months as Peak Torque reported, I'd go crazy. More importantly, I believe good rim brakes are better for road bikes because of the KISS factor, reliability, and durability. I've had Campy Record rim brakes, so I can't comment on Shimano quality. I bought my first C-Record bike in 1962. I NEVER had any problems over the last 30 years/6k miles per year with good rim brakes. They stopped as well as my current discs, pads lasted longer than disc pads, and close to zero maintenance. Disc brakes = 1) re-centering, 2) quicker wear, 3) more parts, 4) more cost, 5) warping, 6) special tools, 7) hydraulics & bleeding. For ROAD, I consider discs a solution to a problem that never existed. Gravel is a different application though, and I'm not talking about MTBs.

[@KILLTHEREDDITOR]

Sanaol may sponsor

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

​@@jerryc.5210The Shimano XT 8100 disc sets on my Trek custom mtb have been stellar with correct maintenance and cleanliness which I follow .

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

​@@jerryc.5210 The new ice tech Shimano's are crack prone and not linished very well . They are Chinese "questionable" quality .

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

​@@jerryc.5210I use Galfer 1.8mm thick discs in 180mm diameter or Deckas ones in floating bushing style with coloured 7075 carriers .

[@raffyyy123]

I'm super excited to see how much better you can make rotors compared to what's available now. I will definitely buy a set when its available.

[@PhiyackYuh]

It will cost 150 pounds and last about 3 months and the constant of re adjusting the rotors and calipers so it doesn’t rub 😂 made in ali china 🤣

[@ssthirdgen]

Thank you! For years I have held the opinion that the rotor offerings were inadequate. Great video!!

[@thijsvandenbroek5333]

I would buy your rotors right away when they come up for sale

[@aaron___6014]

Just because some guy on youtube burns his rotors up in the super steep mountains of asia doesn't mean yours will fail too.

[@donoldduckben]

Can't say for the other guy but I live on the hilly bits of hong kong island, from what I can tell it's where peak torque is based too so yea I'll definitely be snatching up a few rotors from him the second they go up for sale

[@ScoobyDo2009]

I just found your channel and I have to say, you are quite good at this. This video was great, and very informative! Thank you.

[@edmondlam9126]

Great engineer mindset! When its not in the market, create it!

[@EliCriffield]

I'd buy some, but i think most people would be upset when their disks had rust on them. I'd be willing to guess that a surprising percentage of even the most expensive road bikes only get used a few times a year. I also think this push to make disk brake bikes as light as rim brake bikes so they can stop making rim brake bikes forces them to make rotors that don't have the mass they need to work right.

[@KasimirBlanco]

Agreed, rust would be a no go for me and I'd also like to see more road bike (centerlock) discs w/ thicker friction ring (i.e. >=2.0mm) for more mechanical and thermal stability.

[@tccycling]

I ride 800+ miles per month and my Shimano rotors still have tons of life left. However, they do tend to warp slightly but nothing I can't fix in a couple of minutes.

[@nelsonsilva6842]

Yeah thisbguy is full of BS on his videos. Now must be trying to start a business on a market full of the stuff for any given part. I unsubscribed.

[@mihugong3153]

Hey Todd, which model of rotors are you using?

[@tccycling]

@@mihugong3153 I've used both the Dura-Ace SM-RT900 and the Ultegra SM-RT800 rotors. Both work great and I've had no wear issues using both of them for thousands of miles.

[@mihugong3153]

@@tccycling Cool, thanks for the info. I have XTRs on the way for my road bike, I guess I will try my luck :)

[@HooxNZ]

I ride and commute in only hills, I got 10 months out of my pads and rotors, that said I should have done them after prob 8 or 9

[@l.d.t.6327]

A pleasant surprise you have anything Campagnolo on your bike. Before you know, you'll turn 40 and have a full super record gruppo installed :-)

[@celynjones4958]

Good analysis. I use SLX RT-70 centerlock rotors on MTB (160 and 180mm). Reasonably priced and never had an issue. Cheers and keep up the excellent content.

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

Roadies a dragging tiny rotors with tiny little callipers down mountain descent nonstop for miles.

[@mechpatt]

if your just going to laser cut solid piece - maybe inconel or hastelloy would be a good choice if you can get some offcuts? Really like your engineering knowledge - exceptional for such a young fella! Just remember to try your prototype on the rear wheel first before trying it on the front.

[@jimmtb1]

I don't seem to have the same issue on my mountain bike rotors compared to my road bike rotors. What is the difference and why don't they use the mountain bike product, calipers and rotors on the road bike groups? I assume it is weight. Is titanium an option as a material for the rotor? Probably costly but should be durable. Thanks for addressing the issue that bothers all of us and cost us many hours of frustration trying to get rid of the tick the night before a ride.

[@sergiobrunoleite]

I would like to know what you think about the fuids on the brakes too. Why Shimano uses mineral oil and Sram go with Dot fluid. This makes difference in the thermal side of things too? Can I use a Shimano rotor (designed to work with mineral fluid driven piston) with a Sram caliper and vice versa? This disc brake for road bikes is a hot topic now and you are the best to address the subject

[@JWH.Design]

This seems very interesting, looking forward to seeing the progress!

[@ThatsDUAL]

Don't even have disc brakes but instantly got reeled in this very informative piece.

[@nicholassenechal2740]

My son recently had an Ultegra rotor fail after about 6 months use. The failure in his case was caused by the aluminium "cooling fins" becoming distorted meaning they rubbed on either side of the caliper. The stainless part was less affected. A complaint to the retsiler said was responded to with "no warranty claim as you were "dragging your brakes"". My son has excrllent descrnding skills snd mskes much less use of his brakes than i do (i am a BC qualified coach so i know how to observe these things...until he gets out of site!). I will be definitely switching back to full steel rotors after watching this. Thank you.

[@essjayaitch]

Interesting. 6 months life for rotors is crazy! My bike came with RT99 rotors which I replaced at approx 17500 miles, or about 3 set of pads. I replaced them with R8000, and your video prompted me to check them - the rear is at 1.5mm after approx 6700 miles, so the lifespan has been worse! The Campag ones look better value so I will probably go that route too. Nice watch by the way, I have one of those myself!

[@brettsta72]

I’ve been saying for a while now (as a non engineer) that I think the ice tech isn’t the best. That’s from using them for years and experiencing the ‘warping’, the ticking etc and I could only put it down to the aluminium sandwich construction. Thanks so much for doing the video. You’ll have an order from me 100%.

[@yohandsome]

What do you weight and how many KM do you ride (downhill)? I just got the XTR rotors myself having had both Dura Ace and SRAM Centerline XR (don't recommend XRs, low stopping power and extremely noisy compared to Shimano rotors) with 105 R7000 calipers. Combined with ice-tech pads, ice-tech + freeza (the cooling fin) rotors I reckon I'll get the best possible performance braking performance short of getting Hope RX4+ calipers and GRX shifters/levers w more leverage, but I am a bit concerned about rotor longevity as I prefer L04S sintered pads (strongest in the wet and most contamination proof as crud tends to "burn off" rather than soak into the pad, making them quieter in the wet too). From my research it seems like the XTR/SAINT RT99 160 mm 118g is probably the best performing Shimano rotor with a "40 degree C reduction in heat vs. SM-RT98", and 5 arms compared to 4 in MT900. It's cooling fins look a lot more effective too, not the prettiest though. I notice the Shimano pads don't cover the entire width of the track on the Campag rotor, one user reported power loss in the wet: "I got significant loss of power when wet, my guess is the rotor is designed for pads to cover both top and bottom circle, shimano pad is too short " weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=145230&start=180 Seems like SwissStop catalyst might be a better albeit marginally less pretty? pick for durability as they're designed for Shimano pads. They're releasing some new lighter models too.

[@yohandsome]

notice me senpai

[@lichray]

I have been using AFS 03 rotors for a few months now. One thing I noticed is that the rotor feels soft when installed with some third-party internal spline lockring. It appears that because these rotor were designed for AFS, their crown face area is slightly larger than the lockring of the usual size. ZIPP's 160mm lockring solves that problem (ZIPP has two sizes of lockrings, but both uses external spline).

[@DrJRMCFC]

£200 a year on discs? Wow, just wow. I'll stick to Campag Super Record and Record rim callipers (which are a bargain compared to the SR with just a 15g weight penalty). Though I suppose to be fair I should discount the cost of replacing the rims eventually! Really enjoy your content. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

The Giant TCR Advanced 2 with RIM brakes I have been thinking about buying (as my first new bike in 45 years) is looking better and better every day! What do you folks think?

[@1rickqwert]

Stick with Rim brakes, on my TCR advanced SL rim brake model requires little attention and brakes excellent. In fact better than my Defy with discs

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

@@1rickqwert Thanks for the feedback!

[@xmarcika]

Hey, really good point. I've been using sram discs on my 105 for 4 years and now I swapped for original 105 discs and I'm pretty disappointed. Shimano feels a bit cheap. And stopping power is definitely worst. So I need to buy a different ones. How do you find Campagnolo? thanks

[@markusklemm4516]

I'll be keeping an eye out for updates on your rotors. Your design priorities match my riding/functionality priorities.

[@theadventurebiker]

Thinking about your argument here regarding heat getting into the hub bearings etc.... it all sounds plausible on the surface but then how would you explain this pertaining the disc brakes on a loaded truck going down a hill where much more heat is generated from application of the brakes? Also, the brake components on such a truck are much larger in size & mass therefore making them much greater conductors of heat. Automotive brake rotors & hubs are usually a single piece of steel and therefore have no barrier or insulator between the braking surface and the wheel bearings.

[@ThePaulKat]

No you are incorrect with your understanding, as the rotors are larger they will dissipate the heat rather than conduct it towards the bearings and generally a vented design is employed. This design sees the two ‘faces’ of the disc spaced apart, giving room for cooling channels. These allow heat to escape, preventing the disc from getting too hot and cracking, while also increasing the life of the pads.

[@waynosfotos]

Great vid, always been suspicious of the amount of material on these rotors to disapate the heat. We already know carbon rim brakes exceed 200C so having a much smaller disc makes the disappation of heat even harder. Interesting to see what you come up with. 👍

[@PeakTorque]

Forgot to mention: only organic pads used.

[@thomasjousse2427]

Do you have any opinion on organic vs sintered pads?

[@ncliffor]

stock shimano?

[@vladandrei2069]

No fins???

[@mdbourne]

Any update on how you like the Campy rotors? I need new rotors and am thinking to try the campy as well, if you still recommend them. And how are the ones you are designing are going?

[@lukediamand8911]

If you made the rotors the same size as the wheel, would that help with heat dissipation? And then perhaps you could integrate the rotors with the rim itself? What do you think?

[@edmundscycles1]

If you mount the caliper to the rear of the fork crown then the aero would be even better and improve braking performance too .

[@simonm1447]

A rim brake is essentially a disc brake after this definition, a disc brake with the maximum possible rotor diameter ;-)

[@edmundscycles1]

@@simonm1447 yup

[@willo7979]

Hi PT May I ask if you are using complete DA including the pads? I somehow curious if Shimano really design their system without defining which one is the replaceable consumables ( disc or pads, cannot be both) and normally should be the cheaper ones? Ta

[@Dollarjon]

You say you wear out a disc twice a year. I was wondering how much you ride. Is it a hilly/flat area?

[@hcw199]

Hong Kong is mountainous.

[@e.art.]

Great video! What do you think about using a ceramic fiber paper between the rotor and the spider? They have great thermal properties and would break the thermal bridge

[@chris-ke4jo]

What are the advantages of bleaching your hair? Marginal gains? I would like an engineering analysis on this subject, that would be really cool

[@Bellerophon17]

Brighter colour reflects more light than it absorbs, effectively functioning as a solar sail. If Pogacar had frosted tips he'd be breaking the 1000W FTP barrier

[@PeakTorque]

Modelling career

[@aivarb]

Hello there, so after watching your vid, I bought into the same Ekar db-160/140 rotors and noticed quite good amount of play back & forth while squeezing the brakes (lock rings were torqued down to 40nm). After some checking, it turned out the centerlock spline tolerances of the Ekar rotors aren't as close as my Shimano Dura-ace ones. With the lock ring loosened I could tell the difference in the amount of play twisting the rotor back and forth. If I remount the DA rotors the play goes away. I was wondering if you have this issue on your setup as well? Is it of any concern? Cheers

[@nickquirkeart3287]

Hello. Just watched your review and noticed you have the hyper wheels? Are these the d67? I’ve been looking at these. How do you find them? Thanks

[@PeakTorque]

Check my review on the d45! I also am testing the d67, just waiting to test more aero data. They're faster than the d45. Peaktorque10 is the discount code!

[@durianriders]

Road disc is an upgrade they said..... #savetherimbrake

[@kevinmartin7863]

I had a problem of Shimano disc rubbing when the brakes were hot. It seems it was caused by counterfeit JO2A brake pads. The black anodising was wearing off, which doesn't seem to happen on genuine pads, and the resin pads had golden metal bits in them.

[@2WheelsGood.01]

Haha the expression at @2:37...Me every time I'm getting dropped on a climb and I blame it on the brakes rubbing. I'm totally interested in the project.

[@endianAphones]

I currently have Ultegra rotors. I suppose they have less issues because the cooling surface is a lot bigger? They're almost solid with just a few holes. Can't say much about the wear as I haven't been riding that much because in the last year... because of reasons. Previously I had basic six bolt steel rotors and they lasted a few years. Curious to see what design you come up with.

[@sebasbrouwer]

Question, Do you use metal or organic brakepads? As metal are much harder for disc rotor and organic are much nicer to them. All weather depending ofcourse. Also Shimano is also the only one to have 4 mounting point. Sram and Campag have multiple mounting point. Less area to warp as they are held closer together?

[@jackprick9797]

On the new Di2, Shimano has added some clearance to the brake caliper. So they are probably aware and might they also have redesigned the rotors to address these issues?

[@jonathangapay1724]

Hi! Do MTB calipers have a bit more clearance than road calipers? My road bike has GRX levers paired with Deore M6000 calipers because the frame has IS mounts, and I rarely have disc rubs after long descents. The SLX rotors though are a bit flexy, I have to tru them sometimes and it does not take a lot of force to bend them.

[@TheNamlezz]

Interesting vid, I'm just curious which kind of brake pads you used (not sure if I overheared that in the video), since I thought they do make the biggest impact on brake rotor wear?

[@PeakTorque]

Sorry yes. Organic, not sintered.

[@galenkehler]

I'd be really curious if your shimano rotors were counterfeit. I've been using the ultegra rotors, and I'm 85kg in a reasonably hilly area and I've never seen anything like that delamination. Usually get a few years out of a set of rotors.

[@richde]

Impressive that he can find a problem that nobody else can.

[@mihugong3153]

@richde Not nobody else... the German bike magazine (bike-magazin.de) have been very critical of ice-tec in several generations of lab tests.

[@HooxNZ]

I've had my rt800 for 10 months using l03a resin pads and both pads and rotor need. Replacing

[@glennoc8585]

They aren't fakes. Depends on your weight and environment. Luke is 90 kgs and rides in hilly areas so he'd go through discs somewhat quicker

[@galenkehler]

@@glennoc8585how are you determining the authenticity? I'm basically the same, only I have a higher FTP so I'm arguably going a bit harder.

[@1000750]

Interesting project, looking forward to findings. I have brand new 105 disc set 6 bolt one piece style and at 900 miles I've been extremely pleased with performance and not one complaint, I clean them every other ride and the wheels have not been off the bike since new or in and out of the car so bumping them hasn't happened. I am also very aware of braking technique to shed heat, never ride the brakes, I do 3-5 seconds at the most breaking at any given time, on fast DH hard break let off wait hard brake let off style.

[@TheNickbb10]

Great project, I look forward to hearing more! I have had similar issues with ice tech rotors- go out of true with the high heat on road, get bumped on the mtb. For reference, I am now using the slx/105 RT70 rotors with zero issues. Seems to behave like a six bolt, just pinned onto the centerlock spider instead of using bolts.

[@lloydkflee]

Happy to provide input from my experience on Campy rotors over the 2-3 yrs I have on my All Roadie, along with the full steel Magura Storm rotors I have on my HT. Haven't had any overheating issues on either including some very long descents (one fully loaded bike packing in the Angeles, California and Lake Mountain, Aus). I'm a nervous decender so brake often but let them off so I don't cook the brakes. I've cooked rim brakes in the past (koolstop salmons) but feel more confident with discs.

[@northkyt]

My Shimano rotors often bend out of shape and drag on the pads for miles after I ride down a steep downhill. Not riding the brakes, not racing, just a steep downhill with sharp corners that requires periodic hard braking. It's really annoying. Can't wait to have something better. In the meantime, what which adapters do you recommend to mount the Campy rotors to Centerlock hubs?

[@vietnguyen4312]

Thanks Peak Torque very interesting. I was wondering if you think there is also a potential problem of your carbon spokes on your Hyper wheels heating up. Do you this could potentially melt the glue?

[@atiboa]

Wow! I'm an MTB'er (and i have the very same XTR rotors, but in 160 / 180mm config), but never seen a disc that worn as yours. you really have to descend thousands of miles to bring your rotors to that condition... wondering how many brake pads you worn out until you reached that thickness of that rotor?

[@FMSAir]

congrats for the videos really well documented. Do you ever talk about SRAM?

[@sakomeow]

Any issues with pad overhang with this setup? I'm looking at putting Campy 160mm rotors on my 105 bike.

[@felixschneider7370]

Hi I am interested in your rotors. Will you have a seperate video about them soon? Is it too late to join the early bird sale? Thanks Felix

[@ex-larueminati5257]

Where are you on your rotor design project? Any feedback on the Campy rotors? Thanks….great job….love your videos!

[@alexanderhardy971]

Are Shimano discs actually a floating design? I thought they were just a fixed 2 piece as opposed to a proper floating design like the Hope ones. Are the Hopes better or even worse for rubbing then?

[@asonetuh6094]

I've had no issues with pad clearance with Hope Floating rotors. best rotors on the market, imo.

[@samisuru2]

Hey, you should have a look at Trickstuff's discs. They did quite some research into disc brakes. they offer rotors made from a decent steel and make them thicker (2.05mm) so they don't 'warp' too much. However, the rotors are 6 hole only. What do you think about centerlock to 6 hole adaptors? And why do you think centerlock is better?

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

How do you get so much rotor wear? I measured the formula rotors on my mtb new after about 8000km and they only lost about 45 microns. They went from 1,975mm to 1,930. I also doubt that conducting heat into the hub is an issue. You can get your disc to a point where it has discolouration due to heat but at the bolts its still safe to touch.

[@br5380]

I had an Ashima 160mm rotor split on a descent on my MTB. On measuring it the braking surface had lost half its thickness... Needless to say I then measured the other ones I had.

[@Peter-gc7lb]

Hey mate. I definitely would be interested. How far through are you?

[@freemdog9728]

How's the design of your rotors progressing? Having just had to replace a rear Shimano rotor due to being easily bent out of shape on my cross bike, I'm definitely interested in trying out a new design. I imagine UK winters would encourage a little tarnishing as well!

[@PeakTorque]

It's on the back burner but i still want to get it done. Currently work is getting in the way. Also the cost is huge, of machining it how i want it. Trying to get the price down with a few factories.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

Deckas floating rotors have had good feedback from some clients of mine . A friend makes rotors as he has a brake press and tooling to make them to a top secret design .

[@michamichalski1220]

Beyond the subject... How tall, precisely, are you? I want to buy 2021 TCR XL and I'm wondering if this size is accurate (I am 6.36" ft (194cm)). Unluckly I can't try one in local bike shop. Racing purposes ofc.

[@PeakTorque]

195cm and ride XL. Find it ok apart from the st angle is pretty slack.

[@michamichalski1220]

Thanks!

[@theadventurebiker]

I've been using (older) XTR center lock all-steel (non-sandwiched) rotors on my bikes since 2003. Never had any issues at all to date. And they have lasted me literally 10's of 1000's of miles.

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

Dude get some new rotors. If your rotors get to thin you might go for your brakes on a fast downhill and the whole rotor jams into your calliper and throws you over the bars.

[@theadventurebiker]

@@TheNotoriousMIC my current bike has around 40K miles on it and the XTR rotor thickness is fine. No significant or even noticeable wear.

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

@@theadventurebiker well if you’ve measured them and they’re still thick enough then we’ll done.

[@automat8]

I've just bought new wheels. I'm having to go centerlock from 6 bolt. And I'm looking for rotors. So please keep me informed. Big thanks!

[@randomvariablenj]

I'd be super interested in this project. Can't offer any expertise, but would definitely buy one

[@MaplePanda04]

Will the rust contaminate the brake pads? Will the stiff rotor be too brittle to lightly bend back into shape if lightly warped?

[@richardhill9944]

What simulation software are you using? What are you defining your boundary conditions regarding temperature? I’d be interested to see how the heat conducts through steel rather than through dissimilar metals

[@tommechelmans9471]

Great explanation again, making it understandable for everyone! My new bike frame arrives late August, will put winspace hyper wheels on them, so I will need new disc brakes also... Hoping to see yours available by then!

[@danharvey3096]

Watching this 3 years later but thats a great video and some solid points! Havent flicked through your channel yet but did you get your rotors designed? Also did you or have you tried Galfer Wave, Galfer Shark, Magura, or TRP one piece rotors? What they all have in common is that theyre 2.0mm thick or in the case of TRP are 2.3 thick. Meaning theyre much better with heat, which becomes a vital thing for Downhill MTB. Galfer Wave has heat resistant paint on the inner section, & Galfer Shark, Magura, & TRP all have various heat distributive designs.. What's interesting is that of the UCI Downhill WC racers, only the riders sponsored by Shimano or Hope use floating rotors. All the rest use one piece steel rotors, even those from brands that make both one piece & floating, all use one piece. I think that says alot!

[@remitournier2526]

Hi, are you still satisfied with the campa rotors? Cheers!

[@pmcqueen]

Impressive amount of comments here on disc brake performance or lack there of! I've not personally experienced any delam issues with any of my disc brake bikes other than annoying rubbing after long descents. I would be interested in trying your new steel rotors. I saw a few comments about the XTR on the road as well, from reading the Shimano technical manual they do not recommend using MTB rotors on road bikes.

[@solocyclist3993]

I have just removed my shimano durace rotors and gone to campy and quiet and smooth braking, but the stopping power on the ultegra brake pads arent that great what type of pads do you use. Thanks.

[@ollieoxley7382]

Aren’t Hope vented rotors supposed to be really good for their thermal characteristics? Also, when do you reckon one of the big brake/groupset manufacturers will begin to introduce carbon rotors (or carbon-ceramic as on performance cars)?

[@skilllessbeast7416]

Carbon rotors need to be kept in the right temperature range to work properly. They aren't the right solution for bikes. If they will ever be intorduced by a big maufacturer it will be in mountainbiking, because it is more decent focused.

[@ollieoxley7382]

@@skilllessbeast7416 possibly yeah, however, as was a point in a previous video (the Froomey disc brake video), mtb riders tend to only slow down from around 30-40km/h to a stop, as opposed to 50-70km/h for most road riders on descents and possibly higher for pro riders, so the superior heat characteristics would probably be better felt on long alpine descents. Having said that, downhill mtb riders with their far heavier bikes would probably appreciate them as well

[@edmundscycles1]

@@ollieoxley7382 been tried . Carbon brakes are not consistent enough in brake feel for mountain bikes . One moment they are next to useless the next moment they are grabby as fook . Then the cool down and back to no brakes . While MTB is slower average speed the weight of the bike (a DH race bike can be 30lb or more ) and the high speeds than can be attained (at a BDS race I was marshaling the speed trap recorded a rider at 56 KPH and at WC races over 65 kph) means you want brakes to work consistently. If it's raining or muddy that can cool your brakes to where they won't work , or if you hardly use your brakes because you are a more flow rider. Steel is best for bicycle brakes .

[@skilllessbeast7416]

@@ollieoxley7382 But there is more braking in mountainbiking. That means that the temperatur is more consistent. And even then it doesn't really work, as mentioned by edmundscycles1.

[@JH-iz6fk]

How were the campy rotors? Im thinking of swapping to them with my ultegra rotors.

[@aaronpaterson7582]

I’m down to see a set. Plus loved the tech knowledge offered in the video. Keep in coming.

[@maroskotora8422]

Great video👍. My ultegra ice tech rotor rubbing in ascent and sprinting. When i swap for campagnolo it will sort out too?

[@stefannewels1823]

In my experience (25+ years bicycle mechanic) the pad clearance issue in at least 50% of problematic cases comes from "overfilled" disc brakes. Most common directly from the bike factories. Great explanations that need more spreading to customers (which I will do at work). Keep on the good work! Greets to the 5 year old 😎

[@_shaqz_]

Hi. What do you mean with "overfilled" brakes? I think that psitons often don't fully retract because of overbleeding of the system

[@Anza_34832]

He demonstrated the nagging effect of the discs wobbling when hot + gave solid reasoning what to his mind causes this problem 👍🏻

[@kaedeschulz5422]

The problem might also be those tiny road disc's getting super hot compared to 220mm disc's on an MTB for example. A friend ride's hope floating rotors and they don't start rubbing from just getting a bit hot. Would like to see rotors from you for MTB as well! You should make the centerlock fit a bit tighter than Shimano as well while being at it already. They seem to be a rather loose fit for being a disc rotor and can come loose.

[@jossemckenney]

Have you gotten anywhere on your disc brake design? I have a hilly ultra in June and I’d love good rotors for it

[@BalazsToth76]

I'm using SwissStop Catalyst Pro rotors on my shimano 105 disc brake equipped road bike and I love them.

[@trevekneebone369]

Me too. My rotors have lasted over 1 year and I weigh 95+ kgs and ride in hilly Cornwall.

[@trevekneebone369]

Use SwissStop pads too. 34 RS? Something like that.

[@MrMartinSchou]

I don't really get the need to reinvent the wheel with this. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that downhill MTB has solved this kind of problem a long time ago.

[@cegalleta]

maybe you should try galfer rotors, they are floating rotors that can be either 1.85 or 2.00mm thick and can be used down to 1.3mm thickness. They're great. Edit: now a couple of minutes into the video, the galfer rotors are actually made the same way you describe you'd like your rotors to be, there's a 1 piece model made from high carbon steel (not stainless) with the center part anodized or painted, not exactly sure what kind of coating it is but it's there.

[@jonathan_guerrero]

After a ton of research, I bought galfers in 160mm today. Not for the weight but because I just want better braking performance for high speed descends. Have you ever had any issues with them?

[@johndef5075]

On my mt. bike depending if Im leaning and braking it will make rotor rub. Usually fixes it self by braking upright for a short stretch.

[@jonascoeman]

Liking the discbrake design idea project. But have you tried some cheaper Shimano centerlock discs though. No sandwich design, so full stainless steel discs. I've not ran into any issues yet, 3000km ridden.

[@JUSSTTIINFU3K]

You're spot on. I've moved back to rim, fed up with them. Would love some PT disc though!

[@benc8386]

You kept complaining about the lack of stiffness when you meant low yield strength. Otherwise great video. Is the stainless glued to the Al or explosion welded?