Integrated Disc Brakes

Argon 18 introduced the world’s first integrated disc brakes on the E-119 Tri+ Disc, completely hiding the calipers as well as the hydraulic cables and reservoirs, for a clear aero advantage. As we began the development of these brakes, we could see right away that the main challenge with this design was that the brake caliper was less exposed to airflow and could therefore heat up more than in a normal configuration. Our unique solution is a design that includes an air duct to allow for airflow over the brake pads, ensuring proper heat dissipation and maximum braking power. Using CFD analysis on the front caliper in a comparison of the aero performance of the integrated disc brake against a standard disc brake, we found that the aero improvement of integrated disc brakes offered a 1W advantage on a flat road for a 300W riding power, or a savings of 10 seconds over 100km on a flat road for a 300W riding power. We also found a 25% decrease of CdA, when looking at the caliper, disc and surrounding fork surface.