Brakes

sketchley

The stock rear brake blocks on the Genesis are almost worn out in like 3 months :shock: The standard pads are not cartridge pads and the brakes are long drop Tektro R358 57mm.

The standard brakes are not great and I was always going to replace them for the winter.

So what do I do?

Just replace the pad with non cartridge ones?
Upgrade the pads to cartridge shoes and pads?
Upgrade the brakes to something else?

Recommendations for products etc most welcome.

UndercoverElephant

I use these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBE-Shimano-D ... 2c5fa9f110

Very stoppy and last for ages. Make sure to copper-slip the screws, though, if you ever want to replace the pads.

EKE_38BPM

Just use your foot on your rear tyre like my old school mate, Danny, used to do.

asprilla

Depending on how much you want to spend really.

If you want to upgrade everything then get Shimano R650 which used to be called Ultegra Long Drop and can still be purchased under that name from some stores. They are £35 a set.

Will cost you about £15-20 a pair (inc generic pads or Shimano pads)

sketchley

Asprilla Where can I get them for £35 a set? Assuming set means pair or did you mean each?

gbsahne001

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=27807

Wrath Rob

Cycle Plus recommend the Miche Primato's as their budget choice, £55 for both front and rear including cartridge pads. Available http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=42&ord=2 (scroll to the bottom and then back up 2)

Was thinking about upgrading the Tektro's on the commuter to them come next pay-day.

sketchley

Wrath Rob wrote:

Cycle Plus recommend the Miche Primato's as their budget choice, £55 for both front and rear including cartridge pads. Available http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=42&ord=2 (scroll to the bottom and then back up 2)

Was thinking about upgrading the Tektro's on the commuter to them come next pay-day.[/quote

But will they fit? The Genesis has 57mm on it these only have 50mm. Guess I need to measure them....

asprilla

Sketchley wrote:

Asprilla Where can I get them for £35 a set? Assuming set means pair or did you mean each?

Sorry, £35 is for each set of callipers so £70 for the pair.

rjsterry

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I use these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBE-Shimano-D ... 2c5fa9f110

Very stoppy and last for ages. Make sure to copper-slip the screws, though, if you ever want to replace the pads.

This. As the shoes as the cartridges tend to get a good soaking and coated in crap, the little screws can seize and with such small heads (usually allen head), you can round them off very easily. Then you've got to twist them out with pliers or similar without scratching the rest of the cartridge and go and find some more screws.

If you've got long drop callipers, this may be part of the issue (longer arm = more flex) but they'll be long drop for a reason. Conventional callipers are likely to be too short. Those R650s look like a good upgrade, but just changing to cartridge pads will help a bit - if only making it cheaper and easier to replace when worn. One last thing, the more hard wearing the pad, the quicker it will wear out your rim (obv) and pads are cheaper than rims.


BTW, you have PM regarding those wheels.

Torvid

I have a set of

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/brake-pads/product/review-bbb-cartridge-brake-blocks-11-45143

waiting to go on the bike when the pads need changing prefer the shoe set up so switching the commuter over to it.

Think i paid about £13-£14 for them.

tgotb

rjsterry wrote:

Make sure to copper-slip the screws, though, if you ever want to replace the pads.

This. As the shoes as the cartridges tend to get a good soaking and coated in crap, the little screws can seize and with such small heads (usually allen head), you can round them off very easily. Then you've got to twist them out with pliers or similar without scratching the rest of the cartridge and go and find some more screws.
[/quote]
Thank you, I've been trying to figure out how to stop them siezing for two years...

If you haven't used copper slip, better to use mole grips on the outside of the screw head than to round off the allen hole (and then have to use mole grips anyway). Easier to avoid scratching the cartridge with mole grips (which you can carefully lock into place before exerting any force) than pliers.

Two questions:
1. Where to get copper slip? I work in the City, so no car repair shops to pop out to at lunchtime...
2. Anyone know where I can get replacement tiny screws (without buying new cartridges)?

bigmat

Sketchley wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

Cycle Plus recommend the Miche Primato's as their budget choice, £55 for both front and rear including cartridge pads. Available http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=42&ord=2 (scroll to the bottom and then back up 2)

Was thinking about upgrading the Tektro's on the commuter to them come next pay-day.[/quote

But will they fit? The Genesis has 5 7mm on it these only have 50mm. Guess I need to measure them....

I have a new and unused pair of Miche Performance calipers (57mm drop) if you want to make me an offer!

notsoblue

I use Green Swiss Stops:
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... CF8Q8wIwAw

I'm looking to replace the PX callipers I have, they don't center properly...

EKE_38BPM

I pulled the trigger on these a few hours ago. I don't know if they'll be any good to you.

Available in black or silver, front or rear.

notsoblue

Actually, whats the general consensus on the difference between entry level calipers and say a pair of SRAM Red Callipers?. Its a *huge* difference in price, even between Red and Force. The difference in weight is only ~50g...

jonginge

SRAM Red are very stoppy. C+ did a group test a couple of months back. They came out on top. Personally I think they work about the same as my DAs on the Scott but the bite and modulation are different and takes a bit of getting used to.

Edit: I've been riding the Pearson the last couple of weeks and the difference between the stock brakes and my other bikes is stark

Torvid

Don't know about hiigher up but basic to mid level is a big jump.

I notice the dif between my ultegra sl breaks and the tektro ones, the Ultegra are a lot more positive, and the feel from the breaks is just better i have alot more confidence with them.

sketchley

One thing is for sure the difference between the stock v-brakes on the Hybrid and the stock caliper brakes on the genesis was and still is marked. Nowhere near the stopping power I had on the hybrid.

EKE_38BPM

Torvid wrote:

Don't know about hiigher up but basic to mid level is a big jump.

I notice the dif between my ultegra sl brakes and the tektro ones, the Ultegra are a lot more positive, and the feel from the brakes is just better i have alot more confidence with them.

FTFY - Breaks/brakes & peddle/pedal really winds me up.

Torvid

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Torvid wrote:

Don't know about hiigher up but basic to mid level is a big jump.

I notice the dif between my ultegra sl brakes and the tektro ones, the Ultegra are a lot more positive, and the feel from the brakes is just better i have alot more confidence with them.

FTFY - Breaks/brakes & peddle/pedal really winds me up.

Sorry put a double I in higher too, i'm dodging auditors so trying not to spend to much time at the desk.

EKE_38BPM

Torvid wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Torvid wrote:

Don't know about hiigher up but basic to mid level is a big jump.

I notice the dif between my ultegra sl brakes and the tektro ones, the Ultegra are a lot more positive, and the feel from the brakes is just better i have alot more confidence with them.

FTFY - Breaks/brakes & peddle/pedal really winds me up.

Sorry put a double I in higher too, i'm dodging auditors so trying not to spend to much time at the desk.

I let the double ii go as one of the typos we all make from time to time.

Paul E

I changed my tektros to 105 and they do fell more positive

bobinski

Planet x seem to have good prices for Sram brakes at the mo...

desweller

TGOTB wrote:

Two questions:
1. Where to get copper slip? I work in the City, so no car repair shops to pop out to at lunchtime...

You can use any grease. The copper in copaslip is only there so something hangs around if the grease gets hot enough to run away.

itboffin

Tektro R538 AG for £24 http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... EKTBRAR230

When those cartridge pads wear replaces just the pads with swissstop

sketchley

itboffin wrote:

Tektro R538 AG for £24 http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... EKTBRAR230

When those cartridge pads wear replaces just the pads with swissstop

Why those? Why are they better than the 358 on the bike? Apart from being 180 higher.

nation

Do all caliper brakes require the same amount of cable pull?

Basically I'm wondering if there are any compatibility issues if I was to change the cheapy tektros on the Giant with something stoppier. Also assuming that mid-level brakes come with (decent) pads it doesn't look like it's worth buying new pads for the tektros when I could upgrade the whole brake.

sketchley

nation wrote:

Do all caliper brakes require the same amount of cable pull?

Basically I'm wondering if there are any compatibility issues if I was to change the cheapy tektros on the Giant with something stoppier. Also assuming that mid-level brakes come with (decent) pads it doesn't look like it's worth buying new pads for the tektros when I could upgrade the whole brake.

As far as I know yes, difference comes with V-Brakes which need different levers or an adapter.

EKE_38BPM

DesWeller wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Two questions:
1. Where to get copper slip? I work in the City, so no car repair shops to pop out to at lunchtime...

You can use any grease. The copper in copaslip is only there so something hangs around if the grease gets hot enough to run away.

Not so. I don't think chainring bolts get hot enough for the grease to 'run away' but its what people are advised to use to stop the different parts binding. Same with pedal threads, seat posts etc.

Normal grease works, but Copper Slips works for longer and for things that are not removed often, it is the grease of choice.

desweller

EKE_38BPM wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Two questions:
1. Where to get copper slip? I work in the City, so no car repair shops to pop out to at lunchtime...

You can use any grease. The copper in copaslip is only there so something hangs around if the grease gets hot enough to run away.

Not so. I don't think chainring bolts get hot enough for the grease to 'run away' but its what people are advised to use to stop the different parts binding. Same with pedal threads, seat posts etc.

Normal grease works, but Copper Slips works for longer and for things that are not removed often, it is the grease of choice.

It wasn't developed for bicycle applications you know! Bike mechanics advise it's use because they don't know any better, by and large. I wouldn't trust the advice of most bicycle mechanics further than I could throw them.

PS If you want a really super-duper high temp/high pressure anti seize compound you can get Alumslip, which really is the business. Totally superfluous for bicycles mind.