Continuing on the topic of brakes from last time, this is the second installment, focusing on disc brakes. I'd like to look back at the history of disc brakes and consider their future. Finally, I'll introduce ICAN's new AERO50 lightweight disc wheels, so please look forward to it.

History of Disc Brakes

Disc brakes were first developed for automobiles. The first famous car to adopt them was a Jaguar saloon in 1955. Their braking performance was so superior that there was a risk of being rear-ended by other vehicles, which led to the remarkable step of attaching "disc brake" labels to the rear of the car.

Disc brakes for bicycles were developed approximately 30 years ago. Mountain bikes (MTBs) were the first to adopt them. Disc brakes were ideal for MTBs, which are often exposed to muddy water. By about 20 years ago, they had become widespread in endurance-oriented bikes like MTBs.

However, the introduction of disc brakes to road bikes is a relatively recent phenomenon. This was because rim brakes had reached a high level of perfection, and there was no compelling reason to adopt disc brakes. This situation changed with the advent of carbon wheels. Carbon is susceptible to heat from rim brakes, and its braking performance in wet conditions was unreliable compared to aluminum wheels. Thus, disc brakes finally came into prominence as an alternative to rim brakes.

ICAN aero50 disc brake wheel - Learn More

Advantages and Disadvantages of Disc Brakes

There are two types of disc brakes: hydraulic and cable-actuated, but hydraulic is the mainstream. Currently, Shimano offers disc brakes for its Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace components, all of which are hydraulic.

Commonly cited advantages include:

• Can be controlled with light force, resulting in a higher safety margin
• Less affected by wet weather conditions
• Brake heat does not adversely affect the wheel
• No worries about rim wear like with rim brakes

Additionally,

• Increased mounting rigidity and reliability through the adoption of thru-axles instead of traditional quick releases
• Lower center of gravity due to the disc brake system being located in the lower half of the bike
• Increased freedom in bicycle design

Increased design freedom means that we can expect many new and innovative bike designs to emerge.

ICAN aero50 disc brake wheel - Learn More

It would be unfair not to mention the disadvantages.

• Increased weight
• Requires careful handling (when attaching/detaching tires, when transporting, when replacing brake fluid, etc.)
• Higher price than rim brakes

Furthermore, if we delve into the finer details,

• Adjustments for rubbing or braking noise may sometimes be necessary
• Concerns about maintainability remain (issues with air bubbles, hose connectors not fitting into internal frame routing, frequent specification changes by manufacturers, etc.)

In the next chapter, I'd like to consider these advantages and disadvantages comprehensively.

ICAN aero40 disc brake wheel - Learn More

The Future of Road Bike Brakes

Synthesizing the advantages and disadvantages from the previous chapter, something becomes apparent. The advantages highlight many of the inherent qualities of disc brakes as a device. In contrast, the disadvantages are all points that have room for improvement through technological evolution.

This situation raises the question of whether road bike disc brakes have great potential but are still under development.

However, there is an answer to this. Let's look at complete road bikes. You'll notice that an increasing number of manufacturers are now offering both rim and disc brake options for a single model. This was unthinkable just a few years ago.

While the adoption of disc brakes on road bikes is certainly still in its early stages, the completeness of disc units is improving, and bicycle manufacturers have already given the "GO" sign. We at ICAN have reached the same conclusion, and as you can see from our product lineup, a significant proportion of our products are equipped with or compatible with disc brakes.

The evolution of disc brakes will continue, but there's no need to wait forever. Current road bikes offer a truly diverse range of choices, and such an interesting situation is quite rare.

ICAN aero55 disc brake wheel - Learn More

Introducing ICAN AERO50 Disc Brake Wheels

As introduced for rim brakes last time, ICAN AERO50 also has disc brake wheels. This ambitious model achieves a lightweight 1430g for both front and rear wheels, at a price of 79,620 yen (including tax).

We have uploaded a video to YouTube.

For more details on ICAN AERO50 wheels, please see the article below.

How are ICAN AERO50 disc brake wheels?

Also, product specifications can be viewed here for aero50 disc.

Summary

What did you think? While it may be an obvious conclusion, the general trend seems to be leaning towards disc brakes. I should also add that disc brakes are often preferred by those who ride extensively in adverse conditions.

Rim brakes, in contrast, are completely on the defensive, but as I discussed last time, they still have their merits, and the option of choosing rim brakes should be respected. In any case, the bicycle industry is undergoing a period of intense technological innovation, and many new conceptual products are likely to emerge in the future. As cyclists living in such an exciting era, let's share the joy together.

Thank you for reading to the end.

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