I think discs have been oversold in the bike market, and IME V brakes are ideal brakes if you want stopping power, wide tires, and ease of setup. But discs do have this advantage, that they allow you to use a very light rim -- practically tubular rim weight. The Velocity Blunt SS has a claimed weight of 430 grams in the 700C size -- that's the claimed weight of the old MA40 - and this rim is 35 mm wide on the outside (forget inside measurement). This is a big plus, IMO.
And, once you learn the technique of setting up mechanicals, they're not that hard. Certainly, I've found them easier than cantilevers! Frankly, I think mechanicals have a very useful niche in the brake world -- cheaper and simpler than hydraulics, as far as I've read, and again, once you know the technique, easy enough to set up. Don't dismiss the BB7s, either -- they're very good brakes. I don't understand the animus against a Riv with discs. Disc brakes are just brakes; they have their uses, as do all the other types. They oughtn't to be tarred with the "marketing hi tek hype" brush. That said, I think that most bikes ought to have rim brakes simply because they are a simpler, cheaper way to get the effects you need, compared to discs of any sort. As for disc brakes on road bikes: I think that I am right in believing that they are popular on road bikes because rim brakes don't work very well on carbon fiber rims. Is this right? (I wonder if cork pads would work on cf rims, as they do on wooden rims. Come to think of that, why not wood rims instead of cf? But enough of the tangential questions!) On Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 7:41 AM, Jay Connolly <[email protected]> wrote: > I used only canti brakes a quite a while. Then I went ro discs. When I > discovered v-brakes, I wondered why I had bothered with discs. For true > MTBs, I think discs are an advantage in mud, and I prefer XT-level > hydraulics, which have been faultless, for me. Most mechanicals are fiddly, > though the best I've found are TRP Spyres, which are less so. Back to > v-brakes: TRP CX9s are the strongest brakes I have used--bar none, > including discs. They don't allow much more than a 35mm tire with fenders, > but they are strong enough to pitch anyone over the bars. On my Appaloosa > I'm running Avid Single-Digit 7s, ands they are more than strong enough for > me--as good or better than any mechanical disc I've used. > > Having said that, there's this: Riv can't win the battle against industry > "progress" on this issue, unfortunately, because the perception will be > that the bikes are pre-obsolete and the fear will be that replacement parts > will be unavailable. Both will hit sales harder and harder as time marches > forward. I ride with 30-year-olds who have never owned a bike without > discs. As these people age and acquire the earning power to embrace a wider > set of values in their bicycles, they will likely reject the bikes on the > brake issue. I love everything about the company, including their > collective stubbornness, but I would also like to see the business survive > and thrive. > > Jay > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- *30% Supply and Demand discount, listmembers only, on all resume, LinkedIn, and writing services, until Demand equals Supply! And there's more! 10% kickback for any referral resulting in fully paid, list-price contract. And still more! I am offering services in trade for a road bike, or frame and parts, that are period compatible with my AM hub, circa 1937 to 1961. See my website for what I do and what I charge; email for details.* Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. Other professional writing services. http://www.resumespecialties.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten ************************************************************************** ************** -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
