Brake Pads for Carbon Rims

[dgarry]

I recently picked up a set of carbon rims and I was just wondering if
anyone has experience with specific brake pads for carbon rims.. I've
been recommended Kool Stops and Swiss Stops..
Thanks in advance..


--
dgarry

[Gemma_k]

"dgarry" > wrote in message
...
>
> I recently picked up a set of carbon rims and I was just wondering if
> anyone has experience with specific brake pads for carbon rims.. I've
> been recommended Kool Stops and Swiss Stops..
> Thanks in advance..
>
Hi - I have - I've used Corima Cork (red), Kool Stop Carbons (black colour),
Dura-ace Carbons (very dark brown) and BBB Carbon (mid brown).

Any carbon specific brake pads will do OK. The most cost effective and most
readily available locally are the BBB brand in a horrible nuggety chocolate
brown colour. Shimano (Dura-ace) also make them, available locally but
very, very, very expensive. Cork pads are also an adequate substitute -
Corima make them to fit Campy (not cheap either but last well, painted red).
Some people will recommend Kool-Stop Salmons instead of the Carbon
Kool-Stops (black in colour) but I would not advise it - They stop just
fine, but the first hard braking you will do on a steep hill they just
shread into little pieces and melt! (I lost about 1/4 of the pad depth in
about 200m - very frightening!). Corimas and Kool-stops I order in bulk
from the US, too hard to get here and a lot cheaper from overseas.

You will find you will need to swap between brake blocks if you're always
swapping wheels from Al to carbon, because the Carbon pads will pick up
aluminium bits and wreck your carbon rims otherwise. You shouldn't use
normal pads, you can easily melt them.

Depending on what pad holders you are using some pads are easier to change
than others . A trick to lubricating the pads without using dishwashing
detergant (messy) or oil (dangerous!) is to use Power Brakes "PBR" "Rubber
Grease" which works a trick - get from an automotive shop.

Have not used Swiss-stops.

If you have not used carbon rims before be careful on long decents, you will
not believe how hot the rims get...

I've mentioned the colour of the pads for two reasons - for colour
coordinating your bike (important reason No 1), and also because they tend
to leave a slightly coloured strip on your nice carbon rims (important
reason No2).

Gemm

[Gemma_k]

"dgarry" > wrote in message
...
>
> I recently picked up a set of carbon rims and I was just wondering if
> anyone has experience with specific brake pads for carbon rims.. I've
> been recommended Kool Stops and Swiss Stops..
> Thanks in advance..

I forgot to add - none of the pads that I mentioned stop properly in the
rain. If it's raining leave the carbon rims at home.
They go from 'hardly working' to 'locked' veeeerrrrrryyy quickly.
Have fun....

Gemm

[DaveB]

Gemma_k wrote:

> Some people will recommend Kool-Stop Salmons instead of the Carbon
> Kool-Stops (black in colour) but I would not advise it - They stop just
> fine, but the first hard braking you will do on a steep hill they just
> shread into little pieces and melt! (I lost about 1/4 of the pad depth in
> about 200m - very frightening!). Corimas and Kool-stops I order in bulk

Gemma is that problem with the Salmons specific to carbon rims?

DaveB

[Gemma_k]

"DaveB" > wrote in message
u...
> Gemma_k wrote:
>
> > Some people will recommend Kool-Stop Salmons instead of the Carbon
> > Kool-Stops (black in colour) but I would not advise it - They stop just
> > fine, but the first hard braking you will do on a steep hill they just
> > shread into little pieces and melt! (I lost about 1/4 of the pad depth
in
> > about 200m - very frightening!). Corimas and Kool-stops I order in bulk
>
> Gemma is that problem with the Salmons specific to carbon rims?
>
Yes. They are my favourite for Aluminium rims.
Use carbon-specific pads for carbon rims.
Use Aluminium-specific pads for aluminium rims.
Or else it gets messy.

[Gags]

"Gemma_k" > wrote in message
...
>
> "DaveB" > wrote in message
> u...
> > Gemma_k wrote:
> >
> > > Some people will recommend Kool-Stop Salmons instead of the Carbon
> > > Kool-Stops (black in colour) but I would not advise it - They stop
just
> > > fine, but the first hard braking you will do on a steep hill they just
> > > shread into little pieces and melt! (I lost about 1/4 of the pad
depth
> in
> > > about 200m - very frightening!). Corimas and Kool-stops I order in
bulk
> >
> > Gemma is that problem with the Salmons specific to carbon rims?
> >
> Yes. They are my favourite for Aluminium rims.
> Use carbon-specific pads for carbon rims.
> Use Aluminium-specific pads for aluminium rims.
> Or else it gets messy.
>
What about specific pads for ceramic braking surfaces?? The only ones I
have been able to find so far are Swiss Stop ones at Cecil Walker but I am
not real keen in spending $60 on a set of brake pads.

I am pretty sure that the ones on the bike at the moment are just standard
campy pads.......is there any downside to using standard pads such as them
wearing quicker or damaging the rim??

Gags

[Gemma_k]

"Gags" <gags_44nospamatnospamtpg.com.au> wrote in message
...
> "Gemma_k" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "DaveB" > wrote in message
> > u...
> > > Gemma_k wrote:
> > >
> > > > Some people will recommend Kool-Stop Salmons instead of the Carbon
> > > > Kool-Stops (black in colour) but I would not advise it - They stop
> just
> > > > fine, but the first hard braking you will do on a steep hill they
just
> > > > shread into little pieces and melt! (I lost about 1/4 of the pad
> depth
> > in
> > > > about 200m - very frightening!). Corimas and Kool-stops I order in
> bulk
> > >
> > > Gemma is that problem with the Salmons specific to carbon rims?
> > >
> > Yes. They are my favourite for Aluminium rims.
> > Use carbon-specific pads for carbon rims.
> > Use Aluminium-specific pads for aluminium rims.
> > Or else it gets messy.
> >
> What about specific pads for ceramic braking surfaces?? The only ones I
> have been able to find so far are Swiss Stop ones at Cecil Walker but I am
> not real keen in spending $60 on a set of brake pads.
>
> I am pretty sure that the ones on the bike at the moment are just standard
> campy pads.......is there any downside to using standard pads such as them
> wearing quicker or damaging the rim??
>
Both.
You need Kool Stop Greens! Import them from the US to get them cheaper..
Gemm