Disc Brake Rotors

Disc Brake Rotors make up the braking surface for your disc brakes. Just like any other part of the braking system, these need to be replaced when they wear. Rotors are made from steel, and sometimes feature two-piece design with a ‘spider’ in the middle that’s made from alloy. This helps keep the rotors straight, while also keeping the weight down.

Disc Brake Rotors come in a few different sizes. Road and cyclocross bikes with disc brakes either come with 140mm or 160mm rotors. Mountain bikes will be found with no smaller than 160mm rotors, while higher end MTBs will come with 180mm rotors, and some even with 200mm or 203mm rotors. This is usually reserved for enduro and downhill bikes. You may see that some bikes have a larger Disc Brake Rotor in front, which helps increase braking power.