Custom build to do (nearly) everything...

the main benefit of the cable discs is actually getting a normal sized, ergonomic and good looking hood

Yes, this....

At risk of further poking any hornets nests - anyone got any good or bad experiences with TRP Hy/Rd or Juin tech R1??

Also once you go disc brakes you can consider carbon wheels

That's precisely the sort of thinking I'm trying to avoid!!

I have a set of post mount juintech R1 to sell :). They were ok, better than spyres but not as good as full hydro

Juin tech R1

My juintech we're better than my spyres, which were better than my bb7s, but they were worse than my full hydros. They're definitely the best if you insist on cables, although you kinda lose the apparent advantage of being more reliable as you could brake a cable or need a bleed kit all on the same bike, never had any problems though.
Also if you've not decided on who you want to build it and don't mind a bit of Ti then someone I work for can help.

Thanks for your input all, this is potentially a tough call with 3 options emerging....

1) Fully commit to cable.
External routing, minimum cable outer (compressionless where used) cable stop locations for minimum cable bend. Then get BB7s or Spyres, decent rotors and pads and work out how to dial them nice.

2) Commit to hydraulic - a spendy solution that ends up with big fugly ergos and 11speed or more...

3) Try cable but keep the door open to hydraulic
Internal routing may compromise cable performance and some day when the smooth lines of an ultegra hydro are at winter-bike kit level make the change...

Internal and full compressionless is fine with cable if done not awfully.

This is good to know, thanks

Juin tech R1 are .... ok not good but not bad, Shimano Hydro are significantly better.

I have two bikes presently one with Juin tech and one with Ultegra Hydro, the Ultegra brakes harder, more consistently and after 3 years has required zero maintenance beyond cleaning.

Juin tech has also just released a new model GT1 (?) which apparently is better.

I have one of these albeit in silver if you'd like?

Try cable but keep the door open to hydraulic

This is me having just gone to disc and 12mm about 6 months ago. Have raced cross on my spyres and set them up myself with no bother. They were easier than most cantis to get good performance, I found. I can't remember what cable outer I have...

Just before lockdown Mrs RVL and I had our grubby noses against a local mamilemporium admiring a...

Hahaha, I already knew where you were talking about before clicking the link! Run out of time on the loo now, coming back later to read the rest of the thread.

Try cable but keep the door open to hydraulic

Buy cheap buy twice

Your first post says you are an engineering director, yet you want to have a custom frame built around a post mount fork and cable disc brakes? This makes absolutely no sense.

It’s probably best you just buy the Moots you were looking at.

Don’t you know Engineering does their best work with pre constraints from product and design? This is no different lol

Sub'd
what about building the frame yourself via Geoff Roberts frame building course?

If I were considering this type of thing, which I am beginning to, I'd take a look at Fern - https://www.fern-fahrraeder.de/arbeiten/chacha-disc-kindernay-xiv
https://www.fern-fahrraeder.de/arbeiten/digineur

Also Speedvagen and Stelbel

interested to see where this goes!

big fugly ergos

Are they even that ugly anymore? RS505 yes sure, but the current gen aren't so bad and the Di2 Amey posted is nice enough. Also GRX does 10 speed hydro

On reliability I have shimano br505 (with the ugly rd505 stis), that I bought second hand, i just get it serviced once a year and i've had no problems. you don't have to adjust them for wear either.

Fair comment.
I'm pretty relaxed about not having state of the art tech on my builds. My 2 existing gravel bikes have mini-V and Sturmey drums so I'm guessing that whatever I end up choosing will be an improvement.
Essentially I'm building a winter bike that I can use off-road in the summer and part of me still thinks that a winter bike is basic/simple/cheap.

This is how I separate my personal and professional life...

Despite the naysayers, if the build is going to involve some parts bin shifters (?) I don't think you've got much to lose by trying cable disks. At worst, if they really are terrible, you have to sell on the disk calipers for a small loss and waste a few quid on cables. Your wheels, frame and rotors will still work

framebuild course is potentially on the cards

This is where I'm probably going - particularly given that compressionless/internal works ok

if u want a post mount, cable disc bike u should build it imo,

if we all rode what was optimal with no account for personal taste, weird superstitions and prejudices, little comment we read 4 years ago which sticks in our mind, we'd all ride canyons and it would be a very dull place.

it doesn't sound like you're building this for out and out performance, you just want something "nice"

I totally get it if you just want to build up a cost effective winter bike based around what you have lying around, but having a brand new bespoke frame built to specifically accommodate now defunct standards is just plain crazy talk!

I’m actually surprised anybody still makes cable disc callipers TBH!

plain crazy talk!

This is a really good point. A PM fork can be swapped out if I end up needing the full force of hydraulics or whatever but a frame should be more futureproof (FM, internal routing, thru axle)

The reason for bespoke geo is not to accomodate obsolete standards but just to get a more aggressive geometry at a sensible price point.

london road/walcot street from 1995-2006

IIRC the latter part was a grim period for the pubs, i think only the Bell survived!

On discgate we put Spyre's with Swissstops on my partner spanking new Condor build as A. she's light, B. we wanted the smaller STI units for her hands. Honestly, they were awful, so bad that on a touring trip with a lot of descending we had to stop to let her hands recover. It killed the joy of riding an expensive bike so in the end we forked out for the 7025 levers that are designed for smaller hands and look a bit less bulky with MTB calipers. The difference is night and day and since then she hasn't once smashed into the back of me on my rim brake bike.

These are my hydro shifters. Smaller than my sram mechanical

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