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New Fondriest TFD Becomes First Disc Brake Road Bike from Italian Brand

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2015 Fondriest TFD disc brake road bike

So fresh they haven’t even added the specs or description to their website, Italian brand Fondriest’s new TFD (TF Disc) is their first disc brake road bike.

It borrows a lot of features from their other top-end TF bikes, including a tapered head tube, internal cable routing and compatibility with both electronic and mechanical groups. Beyond that, the frame was purpose built for discs. Compared to the TF Zero, the TFD’s chainstays run lower before bending upward to meet the dropouts to provide room for an inboard rear brake caliper. The fork is new, too, with an expectedly beefier look. The changes push frame weight up a bit from the top rim brake models, but not too much considering the difference we’re seeing on most new disc brake bikes. Claimed frame weight is 990g and fork is just 380g.

Frame construction is monocoque with 10T UD fibers, which carries all the way through to full carbon dropouts. The bottom bracket is BSA threaded, which should make a lot of mechanics happy.

So far, they’re only hearing of one spec for the complete bike with mention that framesets will also be available. Build will include Ultegra drivetrain with your choice of standard or compact chainrings, Shimano’s RS685 hydraulic disc brakes, FSA Team Issue handlebar and stem, Fondriest carbon seatpost, Selle Italia SL saddle and Metron 30DB wheels. Claimed weight for the complete bike is 7.1kg (15.65 lb) – pretty respectable. Five sizes will be offered with head angles ranging from 72.5º to 73º, putting it on the racier side of things. Available in the U.S. through Albabici.

FondriestBici.com

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26 Comments
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SamSkjord
9 years ago

“errrnuhgud discs r so ugley”
Incorrect, that’s d*mn sexy.

Matt
Matt
9 years ago

Why are roadies so in to disc brakes. As a mountain biker, I appreciate the stopping power but also recognize the significant issues (especially if you have any brakes made by SRAM) that disc brakes seem to have. They just don’t seem like the right application in a road setting and I cannot see myself giving up the simple, yet effective rim brakes for road. Please explain.

Eyal
Eyal
9 years ago

@Matt they need to sell more bikes and new parts, simple biz! Also carbon clincher rims (something else to sell) are hard to drop their weight since they’re saddled with that brake track which sucks/generates heat. In the future carbon clincher disc wheels will drop to 1200g and would be solid, they’ll figure how to do new layups for strength not heat, which are easier/cheaper. Still, I was opposed to the idea of them on road. I’m a campg smitten but sram red22 swooned me.

SamSkjord
9 years ago

Quite simply, rim calliper brakes f***ing suck. In the wet they only get worse.

Not to mention the fact that every time you brake you’re wearing away the material keeping your tyre on the rim, not so bad on alu rims, on carbons a long descent can heat up the rim enough for the expoy holding it together to melt, on tubs you get a buckle, on clinchers you have a blowout and die (sometimes).

Luddites will shout about how rim brakes work fine why do we need change (CHANGE IS SCARY AND I DON’T LIKE IT), downtube shifters worked, single speeds worked, solid rubber tyres worked.

Then they’ll claim that you don’t need all that power and rim brakes can easily lock the wheel, which is true but completely missing the point, a brake with two settings is not a good thing but then most of these people have never ridden decent hydraulic discs so have no idea what real modulation actually feels and works like.

Rico
Rico
9 years ago

Two A**umptions in your manipulative attempt to whine about why we need discs Skjord – 1. people don’t want change – this is just your attempt to corral all folks who don’t want discs into some group you can attack and label. It’s just stupid to say that and hold no water, I won’t waste anymore time on that statement. 2. Roadies don’t ride mountain bikes – many of us started on and still ride mountain bikes. I would be willing to bet more of us roadies have actually raced mountain bikes. Personally I’ve raced mountain bikes on canti brakes, Vbrakes, and all sorts of discs. Discs were an improvement in the woods for sure, I use Magura MT8 on my xc bike which are great. But it’s like comparing apples and bananas with road and mtb.

I don’t think discs are ready for, and don’t bring enough advantage to road racing bikes. They’re boat anchors, they look like sh*t, and they still haven’t been proven in hardcore descents or better yet in a serious racing group descent. If they do become legal to race with it will have to happen across the board, as a mix of discs and rim brakes will cause a mess of crashes in the peloton.

Champs
Champs
9 years ago

Matt: rim brakes are fine on the carbon fiber rocket I only ride for fun under clear skies.

My (would-be) “everyday” bike is a different story. That one is in the stand waiting for a rebuilt rear wheel after seven winters’ worth of grit. So help me if the front wasn’t disc and I actually used brakes on that rim.

And of course if I was a high roller on deep wheels I might think about discs just to avoid the nails-on-a-chalkboard sound of pads on carbon, never mind how they stop.

aaron
aaron
9 years ago

@matt. Don’t take this the wrong way but are you mentally challenged? do i really need to explain myself, the rim can be designed for pure structural and aero capabilities, along with how the tire sets up on the wheel. there will be lighter weights, but more important strength, aero, and zero wear on an expensive wheel set.

1Pro
1Pro
9 years ago

that is an unusually long chainstay on that bike. i mean for a modern road frame with such a tight front end.

Mike Hare
9 years ago

I bought a hydraulic disc road bike about a year ago after an extended test ride (2+ hours). From the first application there was absolutely no way I would not have this bike. The confidence inspired by the brakes is almost beyond description. They are extremely powerful but so easily modulated and controllable that there is never any fear of unintentionally locking the brakes. Coupled with no appreciable fall off in the rain they are hard not to love, just better than the best rim brake I’ve ever ridden, Shimano 9000 on alloy brake track.

Wayne Kent
9 years ago

Mike, I absolutely agree with you I brought my bike 3 years ago with hydraulic disc brakes and they are GREAT!! I think the most problems about disc brakes is the older people
are just not ready for a change. If they ever rode a bike with disc brakes they to would fall in love with them too.

Pmurf
Pmurf
9 years ago

I might be wrong but didn’t Colnago release the c59 disc like 2 years ago? They are Italian, right?

Pmurf
Pmurf
9 years ago

Yup, just realized the context of the statement…carry on 🙂

notapro
notapro
9 years ago

You can go faster if your brakes let you, Matt.

aaron
aaron
9 years ago

@other_aaron
Please don’t be so rude, you’re giving aarons a bad name.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

Disc brakes are an ideal solution for braking on the road, even for racing. There’s less hysteresis in a disc system compared to a rim brake system. That reduced hysteresis results in better modulation. Better modulation results in later, harder braking for corners, thus raising over all speeds. Things get only better if there’s rain falling or the road is wet or dirty since the disc is far from the road and thus road spray compared to a the brake track on a rim brake wheel. Not needing a reinforced brake track means that the wheels can potentially be lighter, and without the need for a flat brake track, the rims can be more aero.

Of course no one is forcing anyone to use disc brakes. If you think that rim brakes on bikes are going to suddenly disappear, it’s time to get a firmer grip on reality. If you don’t intend to use disc brakes, why do you care what others might use?

Ventruck
Ventruck
9 years ago

whoa whoa whoa no one’s thrilled about the threaded BB?

Endurobob
Endurobob
9 years ago

@Ventruck
Thank you! Someone else noticed! That’s honestly what I’m most excited about.

Scott
Scott
9 years ago

Fully agree on the threaded bottom bracket. An old design that performs way better then the current crop of pressfit designs.

Sharden
Sharden
9 years ago

Do you guys really use brakes on a road bike ?

Matt
Matt
9 years ago

@aaron, not sure why you are calling me mentally challenged other than you actually made a mistake on who you were calling out. I asked the first question and have not responded back since. The one explanation that actually resonated and has me considering the advantages of disc brakes is that rim construction can be significantly changed to created stiffer wheels of various configurations (and potentially stiffer axels) that will track much better and flex less under load. Under this assumption I have come to the conclusion that discs may indeed become more common but also believe there is still 3-5 years of working out both the brakes and rim systems before standards and best applications are figured out.

AlanM
AlanM
9 years ago

Alright, let’s copy and paste this discussion for the next road bike with disc brakes.

matt
matt
9 years ago

Are Fondreist bikes any good?

shore
shore
9 years ago

This whole “gimme disc brakes debate” is hilarious to read along side the “don’t take away my threaded BB debate”.

Matt
Matt
9 years ago

Can someone seriously explain which is better between threaded and pressed bb. From a simplistic view, it seems like threaded would have less issue with coming loose or movement causing noises?

ChrisC
ChrisC
9 years ago

@shore

I agree it seems weird to have the same people supporting threaded BB (old tech) and supporting disc brakes (new tech)…

Except that press-fit BB – whether BB30, PF30, BBright, or whatever – was a “solution” to a problem that no one was having, namely flexible BB axles.

Disc brakes are a possible solution to a problem that lots of people were having, namely sub-par braking and excessive heat build-up on carbon rims and concern about excessive wear on those rims.

WannaBeSTi
WannaBeSTi
9 years ago

I don’t use brakes, mountain or road. I use a dropper post so I can drop down and drag my feets…yes I said “feets”, with an “s”.

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