[fisherman]

This is not about whether disc brakes are needed, nor is this a hydraulic vs mech discussion.

Anyone know if there is a hydraulic disc brakes system for roadbikes? Anyone know of any manufacturer with plans? I am about to pull the trigger on a pair of Avid Road Mechs and this is a last check.

Many thanks!

 

[Spoke Wrench]

Anyone know if there is a hydraulic disc brakes system for roadbikes? Anyone know of any manufacturer with plans? I am about to pull the trigger on a pair of Avid Road Mechs and this is a last check.

Not really, at least not that I'm aware of.

I have a Formula hydraulic disc brake on the back of my Santana tandem. It uses a cable from the STI lever to a master cylinder mounted under the down tube. Santana has an 8 page booklet about it's care and feeding so there have obviously been some maintenance issues.

This year Santana has converted to a cable operated disc brake that's unusual in that both pads move rather than warping the rotor into a fixed pad as most other cable operated disc brakes do.

 

[Dwayne]

Just throwing out some thoughts here...

You have a frame and fork with disc mounts, and since the Avid road mechanical discs fit, odds are you can mount any other caliper you'd like as well. The road discs use 160mm rotors, standard size for most XC MTB disc brakes, too.

However, the only thing preventing you from running full hydraulic discs is that no one makes a road bike brake hydraulic brake lever. Magura used to make one, but it was designed for the low pressure system that the rim brakes used, not the higher pressure system used by the disc brake systems. Of course, you'd have to run downtube shifters with those levers, too.

So, until someone makes a road lever for hydraulic brakes... the Avid mechanical disc is your only choice. Sad but true.

 

[Sablotny]

Longing for Magura road discs

After using Magura Marta hydraulic discs on my mountain bike, I'm longing for them on my road bike. Lighter than just about any canti, with a silky feel to the brakes (hydraulic lines) and surgically precise, single-finger stopping. Road bikers are so resistant to change though, it will probably take a while for a systemto come together. Forks won't be so ultralite, hubs will get heavier and wider, and Shimano and Campy would have to come out with hydraulic brifters. Given Shimano's recent efforts to make every part of theirs noncompatible with other brands, or even with other gruppos, it just might not happen at all.

 

[Anti-gravity]

Not yet.

This is not about whether disc brakes are needed, nor is this a hydraulic vs mech discussion.

Anyone know if there is a hydraulic disc brakes system for roadbikes? Anyone know of any manufacturer with plans? I am about to pull the trigger on a pair of Avid Road Mechs and this is a last check.

Many thanks!

As the others have mentioned, the Magura hydro aero levers are the closet thing, but are incompatible with any of their disc calipers (master cylinder is too small). The fact that you would have to use downtube or barend shifters with them makes them less than ideal. The Avid Road mechs are it. What kind of frame are you putting them on?

 

[fisherman]

Thanks for all inputs. It tallies with the research I have done on this topic. Guess I will go with the Avid Road Mechs. No complaints there but I would be happier (even) with hydro-feel and lighter weight. Greedy huh? ;-)

Sablotny, I hear ya. Same here. Would LOVE to have a Marta road disc brake set.

These brakes will go on a disc-only Kelly cross frame/fork.

Thanks again!

 

[ravenmore]

sorry - posted on this thread by mistake...

 

[Lamb4920]

Promax has a cable actuated hydrolic brake that might work. Not sure what levers it would use though. It's the DSK-810
http://www.promax-usa.com/Products.asp

 

[TurboTurtle]

Promax has a cable actuated hydrolic brake that might work. Not sure what levers it would use though. It's the DSK-810
http://www.promax-usa.com/Products.asp

That doesn't get rid of the cable, does it? - TF

 

[TurboTurtle]

After using Magura Marta hydraulic discs on my mountain bike, I'm longing for them on my road bike. Lighter than just about any canti, with a silky feel to the brakes (hydraulic lines) and surgically precise, single-finger stopping. Road bikers are so resistant to change though, it will probably take a while for a systemto come together. Forks won't be so ultralite, hubs will get heavier and wider, and Shimano and Campy would have to come out with hydraulic brifters. Given Shimano's recent efforts to make every part of theirs noncompatible with other brands, or even with other gruppos, it just might not happen at all.

"Road bikers are so resistant to change though, it will probably take a while for a systemto come together."

Amen - TF

 

[TurboTurtle]

This is not about whether disc brakes are needed, nor is this a hydraulic vs mech discussion.

Anyone know if there is a hydraulic disc brakes system for roadbikes? Anyone know of any manufacturer with plans? I am about to pull the trigger on a pair of Avid Road Mechs and this is a last check.

Many thanks!

The Swiss distributor for Hope (British disk brakes, etc.) was showing a road bike with Hope Minis a couple of years ago. It had a dual cable actuated hydraulic cylinder attached to the stem. Reportedly worked quite well, but nothing ever came of it. If the pro peloton doesn't use it, nobody is willing to make it. - TF