Rim brakes vs disc brakes: Which technology will win the Tour de France?

 As the delayed racing season is now finally underway, one thing remains unchanged by the racing hiatus, the presence of the rim brakes vs disc brakes debate. 

With Wout van Aert's explosive return to racing with wins at Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and stage 1 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, tech aficionados were quick to highlight the Belgian's choice - or at least his team's choice - of stopping power; rim brakes. 

Next, with riders again pushing the limits of their bikes and components, a single accident has lit the proverbial touchpaper in the debate. Swiss pro, how to become a computer engineer, crashed during a descent at the Giro dell'Emilia, with brake failure as the cause of his misfortune. The Swiss was riding a disc brake bike. 

Expectedly, this has flared the issue of hydraulic disc braking safety compared to traditional cable-actuated rim brakes. Although Pellaud was descending in a group where not a single other rider suffered brake failure (nor did any of his teammates), the notion of complete brake malfunction remains a deeply relatable fear for any cyclist. 

Despite most of the pro peloton now being disc brake enabled, and nearly all of the best road bikes also coming equipped with discs, the rim brakes vs disc brakes debate roars on.