Modifications include ban on 90-degree sharp edges along perimeter of rotors
How new are disc brakes to the pro peloton? So new that mechnics haven't yet pulled off the safety stickers (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The UCI officially announced Thursday that it will recommence the trial of disc brakes, which will have no 90-degree sharp edges, in road events beginning January 1, 2017. According to a statement from the UCI, the trial will be closely monitored and formally reviewed every month.
The decision to reinstate the disc brake trial came after months of discussions with teams, riders and industry representatives, along with the support from Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA) and Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels (AIGCP).
"Following extensive examination of the equipment and a detailed safety report, it has been agreed with manufacturers that the trial will restart on January 1st 2017 exclusively with discs which should be modified to ensure the perimeter edge of the brake rotor does not contain any 90 degree edges but are smoothed or chamfered," the statement read.
Disc brakes were first introduced in road events at the end of the 2015 season and into the beginning of 2016. The trial was halted after a series of complaints from teams, riders and organisations, such as the CPA and the AIGCP, that felt their use was unsafe because of their blade-like edges.
By April, Harald Tiedemann Hansen, the President of the UCI's Equipment Commission, confirmed that the UCI suspended the use of disc brakes in professional road races after Spaniard Francisco Ventoso suffered a deep gash from running into another rider's rear brake rotor in Paris-Roubaix.
It was reported in May that the UCI considered reinstating the disc brake trial in June following key modification to the brakes for safer use in the road peloton, however they have not made another appearance this season.
The original goal was to run a second phase of disc brake use in road events this summer and to then allow men and women professional riders to use the braking technology in races from January 1.
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At that time the UCI stated that the goal was that "if the experience is satisfactory, disc brakes will be officially introduced to the UCI WorldTour in 2017. The aim is to eventually introduce disc brakes to all levels of road cycling."
