The controversies surrounding the use of disc brakes in the pro peloton continue. Adam Hansen claims that Specialized is forcing its sponsored riders to publicly throw their support behind the technology, despite opposing them personally.
“I maintain that they are not dangerous. I’ve dared to stop a wheel at 60 kilometres an hour with my hand”, responded Boonen. It’s absurd. Disc brakes seem at the moment to be the biggest problem in the world.” Het Nieuwsblad newspaper put Boonen’s theory to the test. A video shows Veranda’s Willems Crelan team mechanic, Tim Dejonghe, stopping the wheel at full speed with no injury to his hand.
Boonen added: “I can’t understand the fuss. A crash involving 30 riders with broken legs and arms isn’t news. But one abrasion, allegedly caused by a disc brake, is worldwide news.”
