Bustedknuckle said:
Pretty inevitable, with 'everybody else' at 11s. As a self proclaimed 'innovator', surprised it took them so long. BUT rim hydro? How so 1980s..haven't they done the search on Magura? PLUS they now gotta 'encourage' the big boy frame makers to make hydro compatible disc frames.
I can see the logic in offering hydraulic rim brakes in terms of sales pitch. Rim hydro offers an upgrade path for people who don't have a disc compatible frame/fork. They can get the 11sp hydro levers with rim brakes they can use now, and upgrade to discs later when they change frame/fork without having to get new shifters as well.
The big boys will start making the frames anyway, there's a hole in the market to fill. Witness the
Specialized Roubaix disc in the VN article.
[Incidentally, either Specialized were in the dark about the final specs of the SRAM hydros, or they disagree with SRAM about the minimum size disc to use. In the pictures, the frame and fork both have post mounts for 140mm discs, spaced out to 160mm with a fugly standard adapter. Also very surprised to see they haven't put a forward facing dropout on the fork.]