With the re-introduction of disc brakes into the road peloton in 2017, mechanical support is about to get trickier than ever. With dozens of possible wheel-brake combinations on the market, it may no longer be possible for companies like SRAM Neutral Support to carry enough wheels to support the whole peloton.
The upcoming Tour Down Under may not be the first test for disc brakes. So far the teams contacted by Cyclingnews have said they would be using traditional rim brakes, but as the season ramps up, there will be pressure from bike manufacturers to see their sponsored riders on new disc brake frames.
The wider use of disc brakes could be problematic because there is no industry-wide standard for disc brake equipment, and this is expected to cause significant headaches for neutral support, says Butch Balzano, of SRAM NRS, which provides neutral support for races like the Tour of California.
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Disc brakes come in several different sizes - 140mm and 160mm are the main road sizes on the market - and the wheels are attached to the frame with either an old-fashioned quick release skewer/drop-out or with a more rigid thru-axle. Add in two different sizes of thru-axle (12mm and 15mm) and rear cassettes for Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo and the combinations are too numerous to carry.
"Until the manufacturers settle on some standard (if I can say that without getting in trouble) it's frustrating for the neutral support guys because you can only carry so much," Balzano says. "We carry a heck of a lot of wheels.
"The bikes we use on the cars - the Specialized Tarmac - were all quick release (QR). We were carrying a lot of QR wheels, but you take Focus, they use thru-axle (TA). We saw a couple of Giants that are TA. Not every manufacturer has decided if they're going to use TA or QR."
- Disc brakes to return to road racing in 2017
- The risks and benefits of disc brakes in professional cycling
- UCI suspends road disc brakes in races after Ventoso injury
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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