Can you get... Road Discs?

[sonic909]

Road bike style levers/hoods with some sort of reservoir for hydraulic discs?

I am thinking of building an out and out bullet proof commuting machine and really want discs as in the heaviest of rain rim brakes just dont cut it, but i want the hoods/drops to make the bike skinnier and have a faster riding position.

Does anyone make such a thing?

[George]

American cyclocross bike have discs so if you do some snooping you may find something there.

[Elliot M]

AFAIK all production road/CX discs are cable actuated - like these: http://www.sram.com/en/avid/mechanicald ... b5road.php (I think the text applies to the MTB version) as that's the only way they will work with Shimano/SRAM/Campag integrated shifter/brake levers. You will need a fork with disc tabs on it.

But I think I have seen photos of at least one (possibly homemade) system which used a very short cable from an integrated shifter/brake lever to actuate a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the bar and then ran a hose to a disc.

I guess you could maybe put MTB levers sideways on a bullhorn-type road bar.

[Andrew G]

Think you'll need a US spec cross bike with road tyres, you'll need all the disc mounts etc.

Other probably cheaper options are a 2nd hand stripped down MTB frame with slicks and just fit road bars and groupset to it, or...

I haven't used them but know those who swear by them - handbuilt wheels with Mavin Open Pro ceramic rims. Rims are about £70 each, so about twice the price of normal ones and you need specific pads to go with them but appartantly offer good braking in the wet and the rims last for ages so the extra cost is outweighed by their longevity.

[sonic909]

Well, i am just thinking foreward to the end of 2010...

Previously i have always used my road bike for my commute, but after nearly 2 years on it the durace 7800 is dead and it is gruelling in the winter, no mudgaurds or decent brakes! (my own fault its died, i'm to lazy to service it!)

So now i am spending a bit of cash on a new groupset and new wheels and a few tarty bits and want to keep it nice, so really need a standalone solid commuter.

Since the snow i have been using my Merida MTB, its great in the ice/snow/rain but i didnt spend all that money on an XTR full carbon mtb to run it into the ground to work!

So, by the end of this year i need a commuting bike.

I have an idea of what i want but its also bringing many questions...

What does it feel like riding with paniers? Usually i take a backpack everyday... and am used to it. Are panniers the way foreward?

[Phil H]

There's a guy on Bikeradar in the Commuting section who's putting together some "ultimate commuter/tourer" bike for sale. Ti frame, discs, drops, guard mounts/clearance and rack mounts. There's a pic on the 2nd page and I think it looks nice.

Link: [url]http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12679399&sid=4c8ec3595212d6b1c3f1382fe38b528f[/url]

If you wanted really rock solid then you could go for a Rohloff speedhub or one of those new Alfine 11 speed hubs that are supposed to be coming out.

[sonic909]

I just spent a few hours on bike radar... never looked at that forum before!

That guys titainuim bike is awesome, if he does start selling them then it might be up my street!

Marco it doesnt have to be cheap as its secure at both ends... no chained to railings malarky!

[Dominic]

Kona's take on it:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kon ... e-ec017287

[Fred]

Check out the new Kinesis Decade Tripster; Looks good & is very versatile: (Discs, Road or MTB wheels etc.)

http://www.kinesisdecade.co.uk/product.php?id=1

[Andrew G]

Very happy with my panzer.
My preference is for steel frame, full mudguards, rack, dynamo lighting.

I prefer a rack and pannier Keith, it's much easier to carry the weight/bulk on the bike than your body. I only have one on for the commute and you don't really notice much of a weight imbalance on the bike unless it's really loaded up. Even when it is you automatically self correct and adjust so it's not a problem. If you are carrying any notable weight from the off, i.e. you know about it and it's not just some shopping you got on the way home, then just split it evenly between 2 panniers, they come in pairs so you'll always have 2. Ortleib are superb, I've been caught in near monsoon conditions and everything inside remains bone dry.

With the lighting I switched to dynamo about 18 months ago and never looked back, it's superb and always there so you won't get caught out in the dark. Go for a Schmitt hub with a B&M cyo light, and Bike+ build them up in to good strong wheels, mine are 36 spoke mavic open pro. The wheels with the hub and light can seem a bit pricey when you start to look at them but pay for themselves quickly in convenience of not having to keep recharging or replacing batteries and the light is tucked down on the fork crown so you keep the bars clear. Also very durable which you cant guarantee from rechargeables unless you pay a lot, like lupine money. The light is superb and throws out a very good beam, it's like having a proper headlight rather than a bike light.

[kieran]

I would go:

single speed rigid disc MTB with rack and guards

currently using:

single speed rigid MTB with rack (it's an old frame so can't take disc brakesand I need to get some new mudguards)

I use both panniers and backpack, but panniers are the best if you don't need to be walking around carrying the stuff as well.
Lights, I just use good front LED, light and easy to remove, fine for city commuting and can easily transfer to other bikes. A standard rear LED at the back (one of the good cateye ones).

Tyres are Schwalbe Marathon Plus ATB, bullet proof tyres, I have been using schwalbe marathon Plus tyres for about 5 years commuting daily in London, only one puncture in that time (in the new forest -thanks to a 6 inch nail).