Racercykler med skivebremser

The advantages of disc brakes on road bikes

These are the most important advantages of hydraulic disc brakes on a road bike at a glance:

• A road bike with disc brakes develops more braking power than bikes with traditional rim brakes. This shortens the braking distance.
• When it’s wet, disc brakes are unbeatable. Unlike rim brakes, a disc brake responds instantly. This is a clear safety advantage.
• High braking power can be easily reached with little effort.
• There is less wear on the rims because the braking is not done on the rim but rather on an attached rotor.
• Braking power is consistently good on long descents. You can safely slow down before the next hairpin bend. Unlike rim brakes in continuous use, the temperature of disc brakes rare rises to critical levels.
• Tests in the wind tunnel show that road bikes with disc brakes can keep up aerodynamically with rim brake bikes.

Disc brake vs. rim brake

Professionals and amateurs in all cycling disciplines from cyclocross to road cycling benefit from bikes with higher braking efficiency. Disc brakes brake precisely and efficiently in any weather.

Compared to rime brake setups, a road bike with disc brakes weighs slightly more. The improved performance of the bike easily compensates for the almost 200 grams of additional weight. For stability reasons, wheel sets for disc brakes are not fitted with quick release and instead come with thru-axles.

Another difference is the lifespan of the brake. The large braking surface of the rim is a point of attack for moisture and dirt. Rim wear doesn’t occur with disc brakes. Only the brake pad wears out but this is easy to change. Changing the wheel rim is not necessary. Wheel sets for disc brakes are therefore more durable and result in lower costs.

On which road bikes can you find disc brakes?

Whether a mountain pass, triathlon or town sign sprint, a road bike feels good in different settings.

• Race bikes: With a Canyon race bike, you can brake even later into the corner. This will help you stay fast for longer in your next crit or road race. Benefit from the outstanding braking effect of the disc braces at the decisive moment.
• Endurance bikes: on long trips or multi-day rides, you are equipped for all weather conditions on a Canyon endurance bike. With disc brakes, you save around 20% manual with every braking operation.
• Triathlon bikes: Road bikes with disc brakes have been legal for competitions since 2017. Choose a high-end triathlon bike from Canyon and fight for the podium. Our Speedmax CF SLC will take you to the top with a Shimano or SRAM disc brake groupset.
• Aero road bikes: The disc brake has no aerodynamic disadvantages. It fully accentuates the frame’s concept, which is trimmed for speed. The lighning-fast setup is guaranteed to come to a standstill with powerful disc brakes.

Servicing and repairing a road bike with disc brakes

Disc brake pads are wear parts. If disc and pads have had a few emergency stops, many alpine passes or a long season, they will wear out. You should change the brake pads and check the condition of the discs regularly. A spongy feeling when braking indicated small air bubbles have formed in the hydraulics. For stable and safe braking, you should bleed the disc brakes on your road bike.

A big difference to rim brakes is that you have to remove the wheels to change the pads. With a little practice, this isn’t a problem. Small repairs such as changing the chain, cassette or tubes, quickly ensure routine removal and installation of the wheels.

Servicing a disc brake can be done at home with bleed kits from the manufacturers. If you don’t want to visit a workshop, you can flush the air out of the system yourself in just a few steps. Bleeding is one of the smaller repairs for bike shops in our service partner network and is therefore done quickly and inexpensively. They are in contact with our technical service department and take care of your bike with their many years of experience.

Perfect Positioning System: Find the road bike for you

We want you to find the road bike that suits you best. That’s why we’re here to help you decide. With the Perfect Positioning System, you can adjust the frame size of your bike to your individual proportions. With the measurement tool, you are guaranteed to find the optimal frame size of your road bike with disc brakes in just a few steps. For this you need just two measurements: inner leg length and body height.

Buy a road bike with disc brakes online

You can easily buy you new road bike with disc brakes online. Buying online offers you various advantages. We do not rely on intermediaries, but on development, production and saes from a single source. This approach is reflected in the purchase price. Your bike arrives at your home 95% assembled. After a few simple adjustments, you can celebrate New Bike Day. If you have any questions about your road bike, we will take time to help you. We support you with our customer service centre on the phone and in the workshops in our network. A six-year guarantee and the 30 day returns policy provide you with additional peace of mind.