brake questions

[Kano]

First question --

My road bike has "stock" brake pads -- whatever the LBS installs when they build the bikes, y'know? So I'm wondering if there's diferences in brake pads and I'd get more grip from some other brake pad? These work well enough, I'm sure, for the most part, and I'm probably being a bit silly, but I'd love to feel like they're doing a bit more to slow me down on a serious downhill run. Currently, if I'm on a downhill where I want to slow myself, my poor hands/forearms!

Maybe that's the way of things, but if it doesn't have to be, that would be so cool!

Now, Second question:

My old Trek hybrid has "traditional cantilever brakes." I don't know anything about the quality of them, just that I'm wondering if there's something else I could be installing instead. WAY too often, these buggers need to be adjusted because they're off center and rubbing on the wheels. If the "rules" are "once cantilever always cantilever" then what can I do to make this brake more reliable? I do want to be able to stop, but I also want to be able to GO!

Karen in Boise

[Becky]

IME, it depends a little bit on what the stock brakes are. The pads come with the brakes that come with the bike, so the LBS just assembles what's in the box. I've had very good luck with Shimano Ultegra pads and with Kool-Stop pads. I'd ask your LBS what they recommend for your area.

As for cantis, the ones on my old hybrid were horrible- always rubbing. But the wheels were also pretty terrible- never quite true. So it was a case of the chicken and the egg. The Avid Shorty 6s on my commuter have worked great and rarely go out of alignment, but that bike has better wheels too. It's hard to say what the root cause of the hybrid's brake issues was. I would double-check that your wheels are true and the brakes are set up properly (pads aligned and tight, spring tension, etc.). If that doesn't fix it, maybe it's time for better cantis. I've had good luck with my Avids (though not everyone likes them). The Tektro CR720s get great reviews and are pretty affordable IIRC.

[DebW]

First question --

My road bike has "stock" brake pads -- whatever the LBS installs when they build the bikes, y'know? So I'm wondering if there's diferences in brake pads and I'd get more grip from some other brake pad? These work well enough, I'm sure, for the most part, and I'm probably being a bit silly, but I'd love to feel like they're doing a bit more to slow me down on a serious downhill run. Currently, if I'm on a downhill where I want to slow myself, my poor hands/forearms!

The pads come with the brakes. There are differences in pad compound, some better for wet conditions, some better for dry. There are also big differences in brake quality. Cheap brakes have too much flex in the calipers and don't stop as well. You may find that upgrading the pads doesn't do much but upgrading the whole brake would make a huge difference, depending on what brakes came with the bike.

Now, Second question:

My old Trek hybrid has "traditional cantilever brakes." I don't know anything about the quality of them, just that I'm wondering if there's something else I could be installing instead. WAY too often, these buggers need to be adjusted because they're off center and rubbing on the wheels. If the "rules" are "once cantilever always cantilever" then what can I do to make this brake more reliable? I do want to be able to stop, but I also want to be able to GO!

The canti brakes on most hybrids are fairly low quality. The brakes have a spring on each arm to help center the brakes, but since each arm has an independent spring, the arms don't really work together well. Sometimes those springs do almost nothing, and it's quite common for the plastic sleeve around the spring to break. You can also adjust the centering on canti brakes by moving the pads in and out on their rods that attach them to the arms. And note that the length of the bridge cable can affect the function of the brakes. Cantis really can be a PITA to adjust properly, and sometimes the cheap ones just can't be well-centered. I'd first check if the plastic sleeves around the springs are broken and if the length of post exposed on the pad connectors is even or not. If that looks OK, try adjusting spring tension with the screws on one or both side of the brakes.

[pinkbikes]

This seems like a good place to ask this question...

Ever since I have had mountain bikes with hydraulic disks I have considered my roadie brakes pretty awful. Not sure how I ever used to think they were ok actually!

Currently I am riding 105 brakes on a standard Shimano R500 wheel. The original equipment brake pads were pretty miserable, so DH got a bunch of aftermarket pads for both his bikes and mine and they seemed a little better.

After a few wet rides at events (so no real choice but to keep riding) I have noticed that they are not as good as they were, and indeed when I rode for the first time in a week the other day, I actually overshot the stopping bar at the bottom of our hill! Luckily nothing was coming the other way. And they did feel better as the ride went on.

Then today I was doing our local "epic climb" and on the resulting decent I was a bit cautious about letting the bike run because the end of the descent stops at a stop sign! The brakes were pretty ordinary I thought, and sounded maybe a bit scratchy (?) to me?

I am wondering whether the braking surface of the rims needs to be cleaned up? They look like there is black stuff in streaks on them. Or whether the pads are a bit glazed (like disk pads can) from all the muck they may have picked up in the wet rides? Do I need new pads or should I be giving them a light roughening with some emery paper?

Can anybody recommend good pads for 105 brakes? I'd like to think that they are not the cheapest brakes around and could be decent with the right pads?

[DebW]

Definitely clean the rims and pad surfaces. Alcohol on the rims, emery paper or a metal file on the pads. Glazing does make your brakes less effective.

[pinkbikes]

Thanks DebW.

[lph]

and if they sound scratchy they probably are - you probaly have a little road gunk embedded in the rubber. File them a little until they look fresh and black and rubbery!