Halfords launches 26 Carrera bikes with 28mm tyres and disc brakes for all road models

You’re a twat then.

Because customers who don't clean their bikes and keep an eye on their brake pads will only destroy a disk rather than their wheels within 6 months

Carrera Zelos wheels will be trash after a couple of months of commuting ie well before brake pads would have worn down the rims.

for a commuter, no, Id pick disc every time now, lot less hassle, rim brakes at that price point, and my commuter bike came from Halfords fwiw via C2W, are awful you just spend all your time having to constantly re-adjust them and clean them in winter, discs you just drop the pads in and occasionally turn an adjustment screw when the brakes feel long

Cheap Cable disc brakes on a £300 bike are almost as crap as cheap v brakes in terms of stoping power and they too need periodic adjustment same as a caliper brake which most people in this customer group seem incapable of doing.Plus you're carrying half a ton of extra monkey metal on an already heavy bike😂

It seems that casual cyclists now firmly believe that disc brakes are safer and stop better. In the same way that they believe Gatorskins are good tyres...

As you rightly state, cheap cable disc brakes are no better than V brakes or rim brakes and are more hassle in terms of maintenance.
 
Hopefully one day someone will work out how to make a cheap, STI hydraulic shifter so that the pricing is in line with how cheap hydraulic disc brakes are on flat bar bikes now.  

Joe Totale wrote:

It seems that casual cyclists now firmly believe that disc brakes are safer and stop better. In the same way that they believe Gatorskins are good tyres...

 

Explain your issue with Gatorskins? I have run Gatorskins for the last 5 years, 15000miles, and ive had 3 punctures total.

• Terrible grip, especially in the wet
• Loads of rolling resistance, they feel sluggish
• Very rigid so a horrible ride feel, they seem to exaggerate any rough surfaces
• A pain in the ass to remove so when you do get a puncture putting a new tube in is a big hassle. I've been on so many club rides where the guy with his 'puncture proof' Gatorskins gets a puncture and we're there for ages as they struggle with fixing it. 
• Not really any more puncture proof than other all season tyres suc as 4 seasons:
  https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews

  I'll stop at 5

Well personally i cant fault them. 

• In the wet, no issues.
• Cant say ive noticed sluggishness
• Yes, they are tight to put on, but 3 punctures in total, means i havent had to do that very oftern
• 3 punctures in 15000 miles. Id take that as a good track record.

Racer Joe you must be missing your sportiffs. Rolling resistance such an issue for the masses.

Rolling resistance is an even bigger issue for the masses... linear vs. quadratic &c.

I used Gatorskins for several years commuting in London.  They were awesome - I only had 2 punctures in 3 years (so about 10,000 miles) on one pair.

I never had a problem with grip that some people complain about.  The only problem was that, when I did have a puncture, they were an absolute pig to get off and back on my Campag Vento rims. Real thumb twisters.

Zigster wrote:

I used Gatorskins for several years commuting in London.  They were awesome - I only had 2 punctures in 3 years (so about 10,000 miles) on one pair.

I never had a problem with grip that some people complain about.  The only problem was that, when I did have a puncture, they were an absolute pig to get off and back on my Campag Vento rims. Real thumb twisters.

Have Gatorskins on my winter wheels, 4 years and only puncture due to drawing pins! No they're not as fast as my GP4000s, but certainly dependable.

I use Gatorskins on my winter bike. They are very dependable as you say. It's about horses for courses. In the winter I want puncture resistance and longevity. Which they give.

A complete pain to get on the rim. I recently had my wheels rebuilt with a Kinlin 22xr rims to replace Mavic Openpro. I broke two plastic tyre levers getting them on. Never done that before in 30 years of riding. 
 

However, I took one off a few weeks ago to see if they had 'stretched' a bit as the winter bike was having its summer strip down and service. I know I am a glutton for punishment!. Luckily for me they had as to remount it was significantly easier.

Joe Totale wrote:

It seems that casual cyclists now firmly believe that disc brakes are safer and stop better. In the same way that they believe Gatorskins are good tyres.....

Well said sir!  For a while there I thought I was the only Gatorophobe in England but if you dig a little deeper there are many of us, united in our disapproval of the hateful things.

The worst thing is that Conti charge a real premium for Skaterskins, at least most other bad tyres are cheap. 

Maybe Road.cc can come to the rescue and do a dispassionate comparative review of the various brake systems, dry and wet. Down Hardknott Pass.

but that would only prove which one had the best stopping distance Im guessing is why you picked a steep down hill. My view is there is more to choosing a particular braking system than stopping distance alone.

and as I dont commute via Hardknott Pass, either up or down it, how a brake system works on it is of no consequence or value to my choice of brake system on a commuter bike

You used to work there - gosh, you poor thing.

Karbon Kev wrote:

You used to work there - gosh, you poor thing.

oi Kev there’s a great article on sportiff bikes on here for you. Or do you think you need the latest aero, carbon, look what I’v bought into bike like the masses of middle aged new bike riders.

Halfords are just providing what most people want, not everyone thinks they are in a bike race when ever they raise a leg over a cross bar. Or when they pay their there 50 quid to ride mass participation bike even, telling everyone they are racing at the weekend.

You used to work there - gosh, you poor thing.

You used to work there - gosh, you poor thing.