At present, the braking system of road bikes is divided into two categories, disc brakes and rim brakes (rim brakes are also called v brakes). Earlier, road bikes generally used rim brakes, while disc brakes were mostly used on mountain bikes. With the gradual emergence of disc brakes in the Tour de France, more and more users using disc brakes on the market have also followed.

The braking of the rim brake mainly depends on the friction braking between the brake block and the brake edge, while the disc brake uses friction braking between the pad and the disc. Compared with the disc brake, the weight of the rim brake road bike will be lighter.

Due to structural problems, disc brakes are heavier than rim brakes. Although disc brakes are heavier, they sacrifice weight for better braking power and heat dissipation. For carbon fiber wheelsets, disc brakes are more friendly to the wheelset, and there will be no frame-burning phenomenon of rim brakes when going downhill for a long distance, which greatly improves the service life of the wheelset (the phenomenon of burning frames is mainly due to long-term driving Slope, the brake block and the brake edge have been rubbed for a long time, and the heat dissipation is not timely and the frame is burnt)



On rainy days, the braking force of the rim brake will drop to a certain extent, and the advantage of the disc brake will be more obvious when going downhill for a long distance, so there is no need to worry about the phenomenon of burning the frame. Disc brakes are better than rim brakes in terms of the braking cube and stopping distance. Secondly, in terms of price, the price of rim brakes at the same level will be cheaper than disc brakes.

The working principle of the rim brake caliper is mainly that the brake handle is connected to the brake line, and the brake line pulls the caliper so that the brake block on the caliper and the brake edge on the wheelset friction brake.

Disc brakes can be divided into two types, mechanical disc brakes, and oil brakes.The working principle of the wire pull disc brake is similar to that of the rim brake caliper, but the oil brake is different. When the brake handle is pressed, the oil in the oil pipe is pushed to push the piston, so that the pad and the disc rub. Note: Because rim brakes and mechanical disc brakes are pulled by wires to brake, the material of the wire tube and the way of wiring will have a certain impact on the feel of the brakes, so the oil disc does not need to consider such a problem.

Disc brakes and rim brakes for road bikes have their own advantages and disadvantages. The real choice depends on personal preferences and needs.

The first is the braking force. For most situations, the braking force of the rim brake is absolutely sufficient, otherwise, it is impossible to be active in the Grand Tour for so many years. However, there is a shortcoming of the rim brake, that is, the braking force is insufficient when the carbon blade is used and the brake pads are not very good, and the braking force will also be attenuated on rainy days. The risk of burning the frame, but with the maturity of carbon knife technology, this situation is rare.

In contrast, disc brakes will have more stopping power than rim brakes on rainy days and are equipped with carbon blades. This is a major advantage of disc brakes.

Besides the weight, if you are pursuing ultra-lightweight, it is recommended to use rim brakes. After all, although the current disc brake technology is relatively mature, the weight is still a big problem. It may be easy to assemble a tank. Rim brakes will weigh a lot less in comparison, which is one benefit of rim brakes.



Disc brakes have a big advantage in cable routing. Due to the special structure, the rim brake frame generally cannot completely hide the wiring. No matter how you hide it, there will always be a part of the line leaking out (of course, the inability to run all the way will also cause most rim brakes to feel good). Those who pursue beauty and simplicity, they can give up. Then you can refer to this Full internal carbon Routing road bike frame： Trifox X12 frame.

Finally, let’s talk about maintenance. The braking logic of the rim brake is relatively simple, especially since the brake pads are easier to replace and relatively easier to maintain, and there will be no messy problems such as rubbing against the rim and making abnormal noises.

The maintenance of disc brakes is more troublesome. The oil disc needs to be refilled and exhausted when disassembling and assembling. Moreover, since the brake pads of pads are approximately equal to the brake pads of the rim brakes, the clearance is small, and very fine adjustments are required when installing them for the first time. otherwise, it is easy to rub the disc, and generally, it takes a lot of time to adjust the disc brake. Rim brakes are more advantageous in terms of maintenance.