What do you think of Shimano ditching rim brakes in 105 and higher?

[otherself]

Shimano released the new 12 speed mechanical 105 groupset this year, which is Hydraulic disc only. I personally don't think its a good idea to ditch rim brakes when there are hundreds of millions of bikes on the road made of carbon, steel and alloy that can only fit rim brakes. Ultegra and Dura-Ace phased out rim brakes a few years ago.

Tiagra 4700 still comes in rim but its got kinda heavier components. Wouldn't surprise if the next Tiagra is disc-only in a few years. This will leave only Sora and Claris which are low end groups and not high performance.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I have zero interest in discs after having had three disc equipped bikes.

 

[novocaine]

Nice of them to open up the market for Chinese competitors really, what good eggs.

 

[grantoury]

Disappointing but I think we could see this coming a while now. Get them from TRP, Dia Compe or Tektro.

 

[Takingabreak]

Unfortunately rim brakes are now obsolete so stock up while you can. Also, as grantoury says above, tektro will become the rim brake provider.

I do wonder how the drive for ever more complexity of a bicycle will end.

 

[Woz]

I'm going to write to my Euro MP once I find out who the fcuker is and remove the advertised Tiagra ST-4600 from my Ebay listiings.

 

[Russell]

Genuinely couldn’t care less.

It only impacts purchasers of new bikes.

Given that we are still able to buy brakes and brake parts from the ‘90s, I dont see an issue for at least 35 years, I’ll be long gone by then and hydraulic disc brakes will be retro anyway.

 

[Gtpulse]

I’ve not liked the look of any of the later rim brakes anyway. The most modern Shimano rim brakes I like the look of are 7400 so unless they suddenly got retro with new brake sets I’m not bothered that they won’t be producing more. Realistically we’re only going to wear out brake blocks and eventually rims. Blocks I’m sure there will be a healthy aftermarket supply, rims I’m not so sure. If it goes like the MTB world some rims in 26” flavour are getting difficult to get hold of so I’d be concerned about rims not brakes to keep those rim brake machines on the road.

I do have a bike with 105 hydraulic discs, it’s the one I ride by far the most. It’s not a gravel bike but a road bike with the widest knobblies I can fit. I’m pleased to have disc brakes on it this time of year. On a ride last week straight from flat road to flooded bridleway my bike was ready to ride at the end of the trail while it took us a while to get all the mud out of my mates rim braked bike albeit those were v-brakes!

 

[synchronicity]

Disc brakes are alright for mtbs and hybrids.
Road bikes, I don't think they look right.
I won't comply.

 

[hamster]

Unfortunately rim brakes are now obsolete so stock up while you can. Also, as grantoury says above, tektro will become the rim brake provider.

I do wonder how the drive for ever more complexity of a bicycle will end.

I disagree, they are not obsolete, they don't suddenly work any worse than they did 5 years ago.

However, as you say, Shimano is trying to drive lots of extra pointless complexity.