2013 Reader Poll: Hydraulic road disc brakes voted best tech innovation

Cyclingnews readers have spoken loud and clear: by a nearly two-to-one margin, hydraulic road disc brakes once again top the list for 'best tech innovation' of 2013.

SRAM's recent recall may have tempered the excitement for some but road riders are still excited nonetheless about the idea of brakes that offer more power, more control, and more consistency over a wider range of conditions than merely squeezing a couple of blocks of rubber against a rim.

Provided manufacturers can work the bugs out, hydraulic road disc brakes also bring them additional benefits, such as fewer heat-related clincher and tubular tire failures, the possibility of lighter-weight rims, and longer service intervals.

For sure there are still some bugs to work out but there's no question that hydraulic disc brakes are coming to road bikes – and probably sooner rather than later.

Wide-profile rims such as from HED and American Classic have clearly caught readers' attention as they landed in second place. There's good reason for it, too, as the broader foundations allow for better traction, improved ride quality, and a more stable cornering particularly when pushed hard. Most major manufacturers are moving in this direction already so it's likely just a matter of time before we see rims as wide as 19 or 20mm becoming the default standard.

Landing in a solid third place are 1x mountain bike drivetrains – a strong signal that MTBers are growing tired of the hassles associated with front derailleurs. Wide-range cassettes, clutched rear derailleurs, and narrow-wide chainrings are making the concept more reliable than ever, and the increasing list of aftermarket players for compatible players is bringing the cost of entry down as well.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
2013 best tech innovation voting:
1Hydraulic road disc brakes28%
2Wide-profile rims12%
31x11 MTB drivetrains12%
4Bluetooth-enabled computer sensors and smartphone apps11%
5Aero road helmets11%
6Internal batteries for electronic transmissions8%
7ICEdot crash sensor and emergency notification system7%
8650b/27.5" mountain bike wheels6%
9Bianchi Countervail vibration damping composite construction5%
10Wahoo Fitness Segments app for virtual Strava racing2%

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1