are all carbon brake pads crap and expensive?

oldwelshman

Ok. I give up. I have tried 3 lots of carbon pads for my MOST (Corima) deep section carbon wheels and all wear out FAST and are all expensive.
The best performance so far has been with dura ace grey carbon pads for £18 a pair!! but even they look worn after one ride!!
Any suggestions for better durability other than avoiding decents or replacing with conventional wheels?
I also have far less confidence when decending with them due to the brakes, had to pull like hell to get them to stop when doing 45mph on a decent with the T junction coming up on a weekend ride

Al_38

Swissstop Yellow Kings. Expensive but very very good. I get better braking performance with then than i do with dura ace pads on alloy rims.

Monty Dog

Save your carbon wheels for racing and try not to use the brakes! I remember racing in the pouring rain on a hilly circuit with my carbon wheels - there was a big downhill with a 90 degree lefthander at the bottom on a junction. Screaming down the hill, hit brakes - load squealing and not much else! Fortunately as the race progressed, a huge puddle developed across the road so much so that I didn't need the brakes! It was an absolute puncture-fest - two of us left on the last lap to sort out the placings. In response to your question - Swisstop Yellow

Wappygixer

Would you rather your rims wear?
To prevent rim wear something has to give and in your case its the pads, which will be a dam site cheaper than a new carbon rim.

oldwelshman

Wappygixer wrote:

Would you rather your rims wear?
To prevent rim wear something has to give and in your case its the pads, which will be a dam site cheaper than a new carbon rim.

Not a lot of good if it is £20 every other ride though is it?

oldwelshman

I did see the swiss yellow ones, will try those next.
The performance with the dura ace ones is better but still wear fast so will see how the yellow goes.

LardLover

I use the Swissstop Yellow pads, feel great, certainly as good as using normal pads on alloy rims (in my little experience). However, they aren't long lasting, I'll be needing another pair in a month or 2 (2 if I'm lucky). I think all good carbon pads are going to be a much softer compound and as such won't last as long. I might bung the cheaper ones I got with my wheels back on just to see what they're like (I changed them as they squealed like a banshee).