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Exclusive Tune Project Disc Sheath preview – road disc rotor covers from the lightweight specialists

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The engineers at lightweight specialist Tune have been working to address the ongoing concerns of road disc brakes in the pro peloton for quite some time, and are getting ready to make their solution official. It seems that rotor guards are going to be come a real thing as a result of a few very vocal professionals. Tune have just shared with us a series of images of their most recent prototype disc brake rotor safety covers in what they are calling Project Disc Sheath. Thinking about a way to offer protection to calm the ongoing debate between the CPA & UCI, Tune is proposing a versatile safety cover that will work with a number of frames & forks to quell some of the fears about the dangers of hot, spinning rotors in the event of pile-ups in the peloton. Spin past the break with us to get a good look at Tune’s solution…

Tune’s Disc Sheath is designed to work with the 160mm rotors that have been agreed for use by the pros, and provides wrap-around protection of the sharp top edge of the rotors as well as extended protection from the side for the lower portion of the rotor. We asked them about 140mm rotors, and Tune tells us that they see less & less of the smaller rotors being spec’d on new bikes, but are open to working with pro teams or OEMs that see the need for a protection solution for other rotor sizes.

The Disc Sheaths work by simply mounting in between the flat mount brake mounts and the actual brake calipers (after you install a set of special alloy brake mount washers that ensure you can properly torque your brakes.). This moves the brake pads about 2mm further from the frame or fork, which may effectively reduce pad contact with the rotors by around half that distance. Tune sees that as a reasonable compromise to offer an almost universal fit to any frameset using the flat mount standard. This mounting style also allows for a bit of lateral adjustability so they can be tuned to perfectly fit around a variety of tube shapes and then secured in place with the brake caliper.

The design and layout also means that keeping their fixing point away from axle and wrapping around only on the upper portion of the rotor, quick wheel changes can happen with out the disc cover getting in the way, making them race friendly for both professional and amateur cyclists.

The covers are designed in a shaped way to offer stiffness to remain stable in the wind so they do not make noise on their own or allow enough flex to rub the rotors even when you get out of the saddle to climb or sprint. The covers themselves also get a strategically perforated design that minimizes their aerodynamic impact on the bike, while still providing ample airflow over the rotors for cooling.

These images are of course of their most up-to-date 3D printed prototypes, which have been developed to refine the complex shaping before the final models will be produced in molded carbon fiber to deliver the light weight and stiffness that Tune specializes in. No retail pricing has been set as that will depend a lot on the final carbon materials selected and the amount of labor that will be required to produce each one. Tune did have a production timeline in mind though, anticipating that final versions will be available to consumers and pros alike at the start of September, just after Eurobike.

Tune.de

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BMX
BMX
6 years ago

Undecided if covers are actually necessary but these look very nice, from the first photo I did think they were machined alloy though.

Ebbe Nieuweboer
Ebbe Nieuweboer
6 years ago

Ah yes, I’ve been waiting for this solution. Finally somebody had the smarts to attach the fairings/covers to the caliper mounting brackets. Now all that is needed is some slightly redesigned mounting brackets (they’re just simple pieces of aluminium after all) and there’d be no alignment issues. You actually don’t even need to sandwich them in between the bracket and the frame, just add a pair of tapped holes to the bracket to screw the fairing/cover onto.

Having said that, obviously these kinds of fairings/covers are complete overkill now that the latest versions of rotors are rounded. But if it helps with adoption, so be it.

VazzedUp
VazzedUp
6 years ago

Seems they have moved on from complaining about sharp edges, to hot rotors.

ebbe
ebbe
6 years ago
Reply to  VazzedUp

Yeah, and that makes even less sense 😉

BanBladedSpokes
BanBladedSpokes
6 years ago
Reply to  ebbe

Hot rotor burns are actually a thing (unlike rotor cuts, which just aren’t). Brake rotors can get freaking HOT after a descent. I’ve received minor 1st degree burns from a rotor on my mtb and have seen a couple 2nd degree burns (not in person though)

Of course, depending on what plastic they used, this may just mean melted plastic on your skin.

Justin White
6 years ago

But they didn’t have the smarts to put them on the other side of the mount, so the pad contact won’t change. Don’t even need extra tapped holes, just a bit of the thinks.

Patrick Fowler
6 years ago

Wag the dog

Mandatory fenders for glass on the road
Mandatory fenders for glass on the road
6 years ago

If you want to be happy the rest of your life, never make a pretty bike your ride. So, from my personal point of view get an ugly bike to ride for you.

jg
jg
6 years ago

lol roadies…disc covers, seriously?

Arne
Arne
6 years ago

This is the reason why I’d never use any Tune-product save their coffee mug.

This sheath will

– reduce pad contact
– reduce heat dissipation

which means

– less braking power
– worse modulation
– more fading

This is one extremely stupid solution to a non-existing problem.

myke2241
myke2241
6 years ago
Reply to  Arne

Boom! And for most people, completely unnecessary!

Anon
Anon
6 years ago
Reply to  Arne

So you obviously have intimate knowledge into the testing and r&d that has gone into this. Please tell us more!

sad
sad
6 years ago
Reply to  Arne

you forgot – increase aerodynamic drag significantly.
love how they tried to solve the heat issue by adding holes and consequently making it draggy anyway while not cooling much better.

Justin White
6 years ago
Reply to  Arne

Yes, why didn’t they just make it sit on the other side of the mount (ie: between the bolt and mount, instead of the mount and frame)?? This reeks of form over function and plain stupid designing.

Jake
Jake
6 years ago

Late April fools joke?

Cherk Chup
6 years ago
Reply to  Jake

More than 200 hrs time zone difference.

Greg
Greg
6 years ago

with some wind tunnel work, I’m sure someone can come up with a shield that is a net aero benefit while also having ducting that cools the rotor better than having no cover at all.

Tomi
Tomi
6 years ago

I’m surprised that after the 2016 Ventoso debacle the industry didn’t introduced most of their 2017 disc models with integrated covers and some charts showing how much watts or seconds you save on a 40 miles course. Or was it too late to include them on the new chinese molds to be ready in october ?

If fairings have to be introduced they will be integrated in the frame, a standalone solution that move the pads further back won’t appeal to anybody.

Taylor
Taylor
6 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

Pictures from Ventoso’s injury are still impressive, fairings can make sense for peloton riders and maybe a bit less for solo riders.

Dinger
Dinger
6 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

The 2016 Ventoso “debacle” was all but proven to not have been caused by a brake rotor.

Another video has been produced where it is demonstrated that a brake rotor cannot cause the kinds of damage that people are afraid of.

This is all a non-issue.

shawnonymous
6 years ago

Please tell me you’ll make pink and pastel color options to match our kits! You could save at least .5 grams by cutting linear ovals on the edge cover and increase the weight of the font…

Bmanx
Bmanx
6 years ago

I thought that April Fool’s day jokes were over on April 1st. Seriously this is a solution to a problem that does not exist. People have been riding disc brakes for decades with no issues. Now that they are on road bikes more it is a problem.

Flux
Flux
6 years ago
Reply to  Bmanx

This has been discussed a thousand times why it is more of an issue with road bikes / road racing.

Rixter
Rixter
6 years ago

Those are hideous! Seriously?

Glen
Glen
6 years ago

I see some advantages to road disc, maybe not for everyone but in some circumstances they make sense. But the covers are hideous and ridiculous, I refer to every version I’ve seen not just these. Might as well throw some reflectors and a big plastic spoke protector on there, maybe one of those 6 foot fluorescent yellow pennants attached to your seatstay while we’re at it.

Pillbug
Pillbug
6 years ago
Reply to  Glen

Pictures please! This sounds fredtastic!

Pillbug
Pillbug
6 years ago

AUGH! NO I.S. MOUNT?!?!?!?! I’VE BEEN WANTING THESE FOR MY CODA BRAKES!!! Seriously. Tune doesn’t advertise here. Stop giving them coverage unless you are telling them to shut the heck up and go away. This sh!t has to stop. If you are worried about the dangers of discs in a group crash, don’t ride in that group. It’s the actual people crashing that causes problems, not the very difficult-to-contact rotors. In addition, I (and many folks in my informal and utterly non-sceintific polling over the years) have multiple chainring scars on my person, no disc scars at all, whether from slices, heat, or mystical interference.

bob marley
bob marley
6 years ago

These are great. Looks very MX. That said they should really go between the bolt and caliper not caliper and fork. The latter will not affect pad position in relation to the rotor. I think it looks great, would love wind tunnel data and seeing how its safety cover and not “a fairing” it might be a cheap way for the pros to get more speed.

kbark
kbark
6 years ago

Another source of possible annoying noise that I don’t know how to fix.

Didn’t know these were wanted.

Flux
Flux
6 years ago

LOL @ everyone getting their panties in a bunch. No one is ever going to force you to put a cover on your disc brakes, so stop worrying about it. If the pros are gonna whine about disc brakes, and they want covers, then it’s up to them to use these or not. It’ll be just like taking off the dork disk from your rear wheel, if disc covers become factory installed. Everyone just back away from the ledge, it’s a non-issue.

lemont
lemont
6 years ago
Reply to  Flux

I missed the posts about mass suicide because of this. People can have an opinion and the comments are here to share them.

alvis
alvis
6 years ago

Total market size UCI Pros. Not a good business model.

Allan
Allan
6 years ago
Reply to  alvis

Yes, well manufacturers are desperate to put these bikes in the pro peloton, so what these guys whine about, they get.

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago
Reply to  alvis

Tune getting their stuff in the pro peloton without having to pay major sponsor dollars? Sounds like an excellent business model.

Paul Burnett
Paul Burnett
6 years ago

These would look killer with some Hokey Spokeys.

Pete
Pete
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul Burnett

Or playing cards.

redbarn
redbarn
6 years ago

The future: Disc guards added to the pile of OE cassette spoke guards littering bike shop dumpsters everywhere. The new Cat 4 mark is a burned crescent scar on your calf also…

FFM
FFM
6 years ago

Why aren’t pros speaking out about the safety concerns surrounding potholes, cobbles, team cars, spectators, bad weather, heat exhaustion, sprint finishes, or riding bikes? Focus on the real problems here people!

Pete
Pete
6 years ago
Reply to  FFM

Yes, never mind all the motor vehicles running you over, and/or killing you.

Zibi
Zibi
6 years ago

Aren’t rims (especially alloy) the biggest rotors possible? What about hydraulic rim brakes, I think they were a fantastic idea.

Mortimer
Mortimer
6 years ago
Reply to  Zibi

Yep. But it discs on road bikes is less about pragmatics and all about promoting a new fashionable look that one “has to have” and hence create sales of new bikes. I hear the next trend will be 32″ wheels – gotta keep redundancy going.

Curt Shelman
Curt Shelman
6 years ago

First the top of my head blew off and now my pants are on fire!

Jones
Jones
6 years ago
Reply to  Curt Shelman

You win.

Six3Too
Six3Too
6 years ago

These have existed for a few years already in the bike polo realm.

Once again, the industry “comes up with” and idea that we’ve been figuring out in the trenches for years.

Go home, bike industry. You’re drunk….

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