Frank wrote:.

It all sounds reasonable to me, except perhaps the last sentence.

I can accept the advantages of disk brakes for muddy conditions that
grind way rims, or for snowy conditions that freeze up the rims and
brakes. But for all the riding I've done in downpours, I can't
recall
enough problems to justify switching to disks.

My only real problem occurred back in the early 1970s, with chrome
steel rims with dimples. On a downhill in a downpour I found I had
_zero_ brakes. But once I could afford a better bike with aluminum
rims, wet weather braking was simply slower, not nonexistent. So I
plan ahead.

Panic stops are extremely rare for me anyway. I'd dump the disks.

- Frank Krygowski


I may have exaggerated the amount of time that rims are really
slippery when I put it at around 10 minutes out of an entire year's
worth of riding.

But if I'm pushing limits in wet conditions I sometimes experience
prolonged instances when rim-brake pads can't seem to get good grip
on the rim. Usually, when things are wet, there's a delay between
brake actuation and braking action; clearly, the pads sometimes need a
little time to squeegee water off the rim before the rubber of the pad
effectively produces friction against the aluminum of the rim. But if
I'm riding through deep puddles or in extremely heavy rain, it seems
to take forever for the pads to starting getting enough friction on
the rim to significantly slow the bike. When the wheels are really
being doused with water (as when coated with mud) the rim brakes
really are practically worthless.

At the same time, I can say I've always found that slowing to a speed
safe for conditions is an inexpensive and effective adaptation to
extremely wet road conditions. Unless, of course, I admit to the
depraved experience of riding a water-pipe "ten speed" that had those
chrome steel rims with dimples that were supposed to provide more
friction for the brake pads but only held more water so the rims would
stay slippery long enough for the rider to exploit the more reliable
friction coefficients associated with cotton denim on asphalt and the
superior stopping power of parked cars.

I can still see the rusty chrome steel rims, the bloody scrapes on my
hands, and the holes in my wet blue jeans.

/* Seattle Mykal */