Best Brake Pads?

jacksomd
jacksomd Posts: 49
edited September 2007 in Workshop
Hi,

What do people think are the best brake pads for a road bike?

I currently have a bike with Ultegra brakes that come with the original Shimano pads. Are these the best pads to replace the existing ones with when neccessary or woud I be better off looking at some of the third party compatible pads out there (eg Swiss Stop etc)?

The reason I ask is that I'm doing the Ventoux later this month. I'm not worried about getting up - the training has dealt with that concern! However, I'm not to keen on the decent - I'm not the best decender and I have some "vertigo" issues as well. Hence, just to reassure myself, as I'm sure it will make no actual difference, I want to make sure I have the best stopping power available. So, the question about pads.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Marcus

Comments

  • Titanium
    Titanium Posts: 2,056
    You'll be fine on the Ventoux with normal pads. SwissStops are good, the green or black ones help but the benefits are minimal, stopping distance isn't going to be too different and they're pricey.

    The Ventoux descents are fine, no big sharp corners so it's not something to test your brakes as much as other descents.

    Take warm clothes, it can be cold up there in July.
  • georgee
    georgee Posts: 537
    Kool Stop Salmon pads, much better than stock shimano, wear quicker and they are meant for the wet but but have given me much more confidence in all situations, plus when it does rain they are a god send compared to normal
  • homercles
    homercles Posts: 499
    Might be worth looking at this too for confidence issues - some things to practice beforehand perhaps...


    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/descending.html
    Nail Trail
    Pompino
    CF SLX
  • venster
    venster Posts: 356
    I had Swisstop pads on the hire bike I used for AdH. And I was well impressed with their stopping capability. I'll be swapping to these when the time comes.

    (wish I'd swapped them with mine when I was down there)

    Enjoy the descent, I was worried about the descent but loved it when I got into it. Peaked at 48 mph at one point, gutted I didn't make the 50 !!!!
  • jacksomd
    jacksomd Posts: 49
    venster wrote:
    I had Swisstop pads on the hire bike I used for AdH. And I was well impressed with their stopping capability. I'll be swapping to these when the time comes.

    Were these the black or the green Swiss Stop pads?
  • jacksomd
    jacksomd Posts: 49
    Titanium wrote:
    Take warm clothes, it can be cold up there in July.

    Thanks for the advice! I have been up the Ventoux a couple of times (by car) at this time of year so I know what it's like! Still it pays to be reminded to prepare, particularly when your in Bedouin or Sault and it's 25C - you can easily forget that it won't be the same on the summit.

    What did you take with you for the summit and how did you start out on the ride? I can't help feeling that what I'll need on the summit and for the decent will be a pain to start out with when doing the climb.

    Marcus
  • aarw
    aarw Posts: 448
    KoolStop Dual compound. not expensive and a great job. chain reactions usually have them a good price.

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