Good wet weather brake blocks?

hopper1
hopper1 Posts: 4,389
edited October 2009 in Road buying advice
New bikes first proper ride yesterday and, it's got to be said that the 'new' Ultegra 6700 brakes in the wet are shocking. :shock:
They weren't too good in the dry, either...
So, I'll give the brakes the benefit of the doubt and put the onus on the brake blocks.

What's the personal recommendations from the forum?
Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    popular vote will be koolstop salmon pads, but i personally rate the ashima triple compound ones.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    I went on my ultegra sl's in the wet for the first time. The braking power wasn't a problem - however the bloks dumped a load of crap on my rims .....any blokes to prevent this ?
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    Having delved a little deeper into this... It appears that the brakes, unlike the rest of the groupset, are not Ultegra 6700, I'm told that deep drop brakes are not available in 6700, so mine are 6500 deep drop calipers, to allow for my mudguards.
    So, will the lack of braking power be as a result of the longer caliper arms?... :?
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • hitthewall
    hitthewall Posts: 114
    First proper outing on the Dunsfold Sportive then.....

    Good wet/mucky weather brake blocks needed on that ride.

    Cant comment on 6700 v 6500 but my Koolstop Salmon block did OK and that's with no-name calipers.
  • canamdad
    canamdad Posts: 165
    I have some long reach Shimano brakes and they work fine w/Kool stop salmon on front and some Swisstop green pads on rear. Kool stop are considerably less expensive though.
    Alloy rims BTW
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    hitthewall wrote:
    First proper outing on the Dunsfold Sportive then.....

    Good wet/mucky weather brake blocks needed on that ride.

    Cant comment on 6700 v 6500 but my Koolstop Salmon block did OK and that's with no-name calipers.

    Yes, wanted to give the new bike a test ride... Should have brought my best bike, as the weather was never that bad, and I wouldn't have had to listen to the mudguards rattling away, especially downhill.
    I think I'll try the Kool Stops. :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    6700 has a different pull ratio to older and all lower end shimano groups. That will be why the braking isn't great with your long drop brakes - however I run 6600 short drop brakes with 6700 STIs and they are OK, not as sharp as a matched pair but still alright.

    Maybe next year shimano will bring out deep drop brakes to match the new dura ace / ultegra 6700 stis (and probably the rest of the range in time too).
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    alan sherman wrote:
    6700 has a different pull ratio to older and all lower end shimano groups. That will be why the braking isn't great with your long drop brakes - however I run 6600 short drop brakes with 6700 STIs and they are OK, not as sharp as a matched pair but still alright.

    Maybe next year shimano will bring out deep drop brakes to match the new dura ace / ultegra 6700 stis (and probably the rest of the range in time too).

    Thanks Alan, that explains a lot. Maybe I should look to alternative manufacturers for a replacement.
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    kingrollo wrote:
    I went on my ultegra sl's in the wet for the first time. The braking power wasn't a problem - however the bloks dumped a load of crap on my rims .....any blokes to prevent this ?

    yes - the koolstop salmons won't leave as much crap on your rims - and they don't pick up aluminium swarf which will wear the rims out either.

    oh - and the braking will be better too
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    Any thoughts on the dual compound blocks? The ones that are half salmon, half black? Are these just half as effective as all salmon or all black?!!
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Jagwire make some red brake pads with ridiculous stopping power. The first time I used them, I almost went over the handlebars. They're much more powerful than the Koolstop pads.
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    gkerr4 wrote:
    kingrollo wrote:
    I went on my ultegra sl's in the wet for the first time. The braking power wasn't a problem - however the bloks dumped a load of crap on my rims .....any blokes to prevent this ?

    yes - the koolstop salmons won't leave as much crap on your rims - and they don't pick up aluminium swarf which will wear the rims out either.

    oh - and the braking will be better too


    My koolstop salmons are full of aluminium swarf.

    Switched over to swissstop
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    really?? - on what rims?

    not a drop on my salmon pads - not from any of my wheels - Bonty SSR's, R561's and Eurus on the posh bike.

    great things.

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