Rim Brakes Aren't Dead. They Were Just Waiting.

Rim Brakes Aren't Dead. They Were Just Waiting.

Somewhere along the way, the bike industry decided that the future ends in a disc. And most of the time, we agree. Discs are brilliant in the rain, on long Alpine descents and on gravel. But "most of the time" isn't "always", and we've never been big fans of rules nobody bothered to question.

So here's a small confession from the dream bike factory: we still love rim brakes. And we still build for them.

Maintenance you can actually do yourself

No bleeding hydraulic lines. No rotors rubbing after a hot descent. No squealing after the first wet ride. Just a cable, a pair of pads and an Allen key. You can sort it out at the roadside, or at home on a Sunday evening with a coffee in your other hand. Simple is a feature, not a limitation.

A second life for good components

Many riders we talk to have a drawer full of beautiful parts. A groupset that still shifts like the day it was new, a pair of light carbon clinchers they could never bring themselves to sell. A rim brake frame lets you build around what you already own and love. Mixing older components with a brand new handmade frame isn't a compromise. It's a point of view. And it fits the way we think about bikes anyway: built to last, built to be repaired, built to be ridden for years.

A silhouette that doesn't age

Slim stays, a clean fork, nothing hanging off the hubs. A rim brake bike carries the line of the classic road bike, the one you probably fell in love with in the first place. We think it will look just as right in twenty years as it does today. Trends come and go. Good proportions stay.

Under six kilos, if that's your thing

This is where it gets fun. A disc system adds weight in places you don't see: rotors, calipers, hoses, plus a stronger fork and rear end to handle the braking forces. Leave all of that out, pair one of our frames with light components, and you can build a complete road bike under 6 kg. For climbers, hill climb racers, and anyone who simply enjoys lifting their bike with one finger.

The UCI question

Since 2000, every bike in a UCI road race has had to weigh at least 6.8 kg. Disc brakes made that easy to reach. Light rim brake bikes, on the other hand, ended up carrying ballast just to be allowed on the start line.

Now things might be moving. The UCI has opened a review of the Lugano Charter, the 1996 framework that governs how race bikes can be designed. A draft for consultation is expected early next year, with the final version due later in 2027. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the weight limit is on the table for the first time in decades.

If it drops, or disappears altogether, would rim brakes find their way back into the peloton, at least for the big mountain stages? We honestly don't know. But we're watching closely, and we're very curious how it plays out.

Build yours

You can have your rim brake Festka in two models: the featherweight Scalatore, or the Classic.

Like every Festka, your rim brake bike is made to measure and handmade in Prague, with a build time of around three months. Bring your own components or let us spec it from scratch. Either way, it will be one of a kind.

And there's no need to pay for your dream bike all at once. You can split the price into up to six interest-free monthly payments.

Not in the mood to wait? Get in touch. We also have frames in stock, ready to go.