non-disc brake purchase options?
#51
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#52
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As a MTBer from the 90s, its funny to read all the old arguments.
I resisted discs for a long time (standard arguments about weight and complexity) but knew it was the future. Once all the standards were worked out (98ish?), it was a no brainer on a new bike.
Living in road-centric NYC, its funny how mechanics knew very little about discs when they hit the road scene.
Cantis, bleh. I still have one bike with them. Because they look cooler than Vs. I have a set of Avid Tri Aligns but don't use em because bleh.... I rode cantis when they were in their peak and as soon as Vs hit, I switched to them. Everyone who seriously rode off-road did. They were a huge change.
I resisted discs for a long time (standard arguments about weight and complexity) but knew it was the future. Once all the standards were worked out (98ish?), it was a no brainer on a new bike.
Living in road-centric NYC, its funny how mechanics knew very little about discs when they hit the road scene.
Cantis, bleh. I still have one bike with them. Because they look cooler than Vs. I have a set of Avid Tri Aligns but don't use em because bleh.... I rode cantis when they were in their peak and as soon as Vs hit, I switched to them. Everyone who seriously rode off-road did. They were a huge change.
#53
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#54
Senior Member
As a MTBer from the 90s, its funny to read all the old arguments.
I resisted discs for a long time (standard arguments about weight and complexity) but knew it was the future. Once all the standards were worked out (98ish?), it was a no brainer on a new bike.
Living in road-centric NYC, its funny how mechanics knew very little about discs when they hit the road scene.
Cantis, bleh. I still have one bike with them. Because they look cooler than Vs. I have a set of Avid Tri Aligns but don't use em because bleh.... I rode cantis when they were in their peak and as soon as Vs hit, I switched to them. Everyone who seriously rode off-road did. They were a huge change.
I resisted discs for a long time (standard arguments about weight and complexity) but knew it was the future. Once all the standards were worked out (98ish?), it was a no brainer on a new bike.
Living in road-centric NYC, its funny how mechanics knew very little about discs when they hit the road scene.
Cantis, bleh. I still have one bike with them. Because they look cooler than Vs. I have a set of Avid Tri Aligns but don't use em because bleh.... I rode cantis when they were in their peak and as soon as Vs hit, I switched to them. Everyone who seriously rode off-road did. They were a huge change.
When I got into CX racing in the early 2010's, I was disappointed to discover that disc brakes were only on the highest end models (at that time), so I settled for a canti brake CX bike. It worked fine (I still use that bike as a backup and on my indoor trainer), but it felt like a huge step back compared to my disc brake MTB.
#55
Senior Member
Concave washers and barrel adjusters?! Oh, the complexity!
Just to be clear, I'm not arguing against hydraulic brakes. But to describe setting up cantilevers as though it's some kind of Gordian knot is either a vast overstatement or an unflattering glimpse of your mechanical abilities.
At any rate, just like hydros, it's certainly not "beyond the reach" of a shop mechanic, or "a specialized thing that only certain shops or mechanics can do."
Just to be clear, I'm not arguing against hydraulic brakes. But to describe setting up cantilevers as though it's some kind of Gordian knot is either a vast overstatement or an unflattering glimpse of your mechanical abilities.
At any rate, just like hydros, it's certainly not "beyond the reach" of a shop mechanic, or "a specialized thing that only certain shops or mechanics can do."
What a dumb thing to argue about.
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#56
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For those who don't know about cantis:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html
and his additional page on canti "theory":
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html
Or, you can loosen 2 bolts (with only one allen key!) and align a hydro disc caliper so the rotor doesn't rub and be done with brake adjustment altogether and forever.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html
and his additional page on canti "theory":
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html
Or, you can loosen 2 bolts (with only one allen key!) and align a hydro disc caliper so the rotor doesn't rub and be done with brake adjustment altogether and forever.
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#57
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Discs are the easier to set up than just about all rim brakes, easier to maintain, and stop better (more predictably and reliably) than any rim brake. The technology is sufficiently mature that they don't just magically fail. This should be the end of the thread, but I am confident there will be several more pages of people to tell us the virtues of the only brake system they know, which coincidentally is not disc brakes, unless they started riding bicycles last year.
#58
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I'm sorry this thread has devolved into another disc vs rim. There are a number of reasons someone might still be interested in a rim brake bike. Like Di2 vs mechanical, people aren't going to scrap stuff just because something better is available.
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Devolve? It didn’t devolve, it was crafted to be that from the inception. It was the OP which asked, “Why can't Shimano make a GRX with cantilever brakes?”
And scrapping stuff? The OP isn’t scrapping anything, as the other question in the OP was if there are any complete gravel bikes without disc brakes.
And scrapping stuff? The OP isn’t scrapping anything, as the other question in the OP was if there are any complete gravel bikes without disc brakes.
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#60
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Devolve? It didn’t devolve, it was crafted to be that from the inception. It was the OP which asked, “Why can't Shimano make a GRX with cantilever brakes?”
And scrapping stuff? The OP isn’t scrapping anything, as the other question in the OP was if there are any complete gravel bikes without disc brakes.
And scrapping stuff? The OP isn’t scrapping anything, as the other question in the OP was if there are any complete gravel bikes without disc brakes.
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#63
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There actually is a friction vs index happening now. Derailleur spring tensions)
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There actually is a friction vs index happening now. Derailleur spring tensions)
#65
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I was going to post an anecdote about why I quit using friction, but decided against it.
I don't really think that rim brakes are that hard to adjust, but I really have to generate some patience when I work on them. New brake pads at the same time as new brake cables are the worst. I'm not sure why vee brakes are considered easier than cantilevers, they can be a real pain. I still have rim brake road bikes and probably will continue to have rim brake road bikes for some time. I am even working on a bike that's going to have cantilevers. Although after one particularly rainy 600km brevet, I really wanted a disc road bike. Haven't done anything about that yet though.
But as far as rim brake gravel bike goes, everyone needs a hobby, but fighting an industry trend that has now universally taken over is one I can do without.
I don't really think that rim brakes are that hard to adjust, but I really have to generate some patience when I work on them. New brake pads at the same time as new brake cables are the worst. I'm not sure why vee brakes are considered easier than cantilevers, they can be a real pain. I still have rim brake road bikes and probably will continue to have rim brake road bikes for some time. I am even working on a bike that's going to have cantilevers. Although after one particularly rainy 600km brevet, I really wanted a disc road bike. Haven't done anything about that yet though.
But as far as rim brake gravel bike goes, everyone needs a hobby, but fighting an industry trend that has now universally taken over is one I can do without.
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At some point it is just time to turn and swim with the current. Some folks just want to swim up stream a little longer than others.
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