10 Reasons Why Many Roadies Hate Disc Brakes

You were promised smooth braking. A revolution in control. More power. More confidence. Instead, you got rubbing rotors, endless adjustments, and the sound of your sanity slowly screeching away.

Let’s get one thing straight—disc brakes aren’t the worst thing in the world. But they sure aren’t the miracle the marketing guys would have you believe.

And for a lot roadies, they’ve become more of a curse than a blessing.

So, let’s talk about why so many are fed up with them.

1. The Ever-Present Rub

You spend hours getting everything aligned. A few weeks later—rub. You check your rotor—it looks fine. But the noise is back. Like an ex who just won’t leave you alone.

2. Bleeding is a Bloody Nightmare

Hydraulic brakes feel great—when they work. But the moment they get squishy, it’s time for a brake bleed. And unless you love the idea of syringes, mineral oil, and a procedure more finicky than heart surgery, you’re in for a bad time.

3. Rotors: Bent by a Stiff Breeze

You lean your bike against a wall. You travel with it. You look at it funny. Next thing you know, your rotor is bent, and you’re either riding with the rub or spending another hour truing it.

4. Squealing Like a Dying Pig

Nothing shatters the peace of an early morning ride like the banshee wail of a dirty or contaminated rotor. You clean it, it works for a bit, then—surprise!—the howling returns.

5. Weight Weenies in Mourning

Disc brakes add weight. Sure, it’s not a ton, but tell that to the guy who’s spent thousands shaving grams off his setup. Suddenly, your $10,000 bike is heavier than your old rim-brake rig.

6. They’re Expensive as Hell

Pads wear out faster than rim brake pads. Rotors need replacing. And if something goes really wrong? Good luck. A new hydraulic caliper isn’t cheap. A full replacement is worse.

7. Through-Axles: The Inconvenience You Didn’t Ask For

Remember when quick-release skewers let you pop a wheel off in seconds? Those days are over. Now you get to unscrew a through-axle every time you need to remove a wheel.

8. Roadside Repairs are a Nightmare

Flat tire? Cool. Now, instead of just pulling your wheel out, you have to deal with your rotor, hoping you don’t knock the caliper alignment out of whack. And if your hydraulic line fails? Game over.

9. They Can’t Handle Heat (Or Big Guys)

If you’re over 180 lbs and like descending? Forget it. Rotors heat up, warp, and start pulsing like a heartbeat. Rim brakes? They just work.

10. Rim Brakes Were Just… Easier

Say what you want about old-school rim brakes, but they were simple, light, and reliable. Swap pads, maybe adjust the cable, and you’re done. No bleeding, no bent rotors, no squealing.

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Quick Breakdown

Issue	Why It Sucks
Brake Rub	Always comes back, no matter what
Bleeding Hydraulics	Messy, complicated, and annoying
Rotors Bend Easily	Too fragile for real-world riding
Squealing Noise	Louder than a bad karaoke singer
Extra Weight	Kills the joy of a light road bike
Expensive Maintenance	Pads, rotors, and repairs add up
Through-Axle Hassle	Slower wheel changes, more frustration
Roadside Fixes	Hope you don’t need to fix your brakes mid-ride
Heat Issues	Warps rotors, especially for heavier riders
Rim Brakes Were Simpler	Less drama, fewer headaches

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The Brutal Truth

Disc brakes aren’t all bad. In the rain, they work better. They give you more stopping power. But for the average road cyclist? They could be overkill.

We were sold a dream of “better braking,” but what we got was a system that requires constant tinkering, a degree in engineering, and an unhealthy tolerance for screeching noises.

Some of us have already gone back to rim brakes. Some of us are just gritting our teeth and pretending we don’t hate them.

And a few—just a few—are still out there, insisting that “you just need to set them up right.”

Good for them.