Brake Pads for wet/winter weather

Gunnsie
Gunnsie Posts: 171
edited October 2013 in Road buying advice
After completing the Box Hill Sportive yesterday I have realised that my brakes are rubbish on descents when the roads are wet.
I have still got the original pads on that came with the bike. I have Tektro calipers.
Can anyone suggest some decent pads that will help me regain my confidence on descents in the wet/bad weather please?

Thanks!

Comments

  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    Swissstop green pads are probably the most recommended on the site for aluminium rims. If your Tektro's have a pad holder, then you just need the pads, if not you will need the version with pad holder for a couple of pounds more.
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    I'd certainly recommend Swisstop Greens - I've used them for about 3 years now and they just perform superbly in all conditions, year round. I also get very high mileage out of them (but don't weigh very much, so may not be typical).

    I trust them enough to tackle continental mountain descents with as much gusto as the size of my testicles allows me.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    Almost agree with southdownswolf and marcusjb but I would say its a close run thing between Swissstop Greens and Koolstop Salmon for recommendations for the best pads for wet (and dry for that matter) braking on Al rims. Personally when I changed from the OEM pads I got Koolstop Salmons; I was delighted with the improvement and so have never had any reason to try anything else. I expect both types are very good and either would definitely be way better than what you have right now.

    PS - If choosing between them on price I think the Swissstops come in packs of 4 (i.e. two pairs) but Koolstops are pairs only.
  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    No problems with Koolstop Salmons being recommended, they are also very good and as wishitwasallflat says, probably up there with the Swissstops.
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    wishitwasallflat wrote:
    Almost agree with southdownswolf and marcusjb but I would say its a close run thing between Swissstop Greens and Koolstop Salmon for recommendations for the best pads for wet (and dry for that matter) braking on Al rims. Personally when I changed from the OEM pads I got Koolstop Salmons; I was delighted with the improvement and so have never had any reason to try anything else. I expect both types are very good and either would definitely be way better than what you have right now.

    PS - If choosing between them on price I think the Swissstops come in packs of 4 (i.e. two pairs) but Koolstops are pairs only.

    I've plenty of friends who use Salmons with good results as well (i.e. none of them have fallen off a mountainside).

    The point about the pack size is important - plenty of people end up thinking greens are massively more expensive than salmons.

    Slightly OT - have any regular green users tried the new blues (the new top Swissstop Alu rim pad - confusingly they used to have a blue for carbon rims!)? I assume they are even more powerful, but at the expense of longevity.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Swissstop FlashPro BXP for me - got them in my SRAM Force calipers
  • Gunnsie
    Gunnsie Posts: 171
    Thanks everyone.... will have a look at the suggested pads when I get home tonight.

    Chris
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I just ordered some Swissstop greens myself, always used stock shimano pads on all bikes until now but they weren't so good in the wet today so I thought I would give Swissstop a go. CRC seem to be the cheapest.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • antikythera
    antikythera Posts: 326
    +1 on the recommendations for swissstops and koolstops.

    Use the swissstops on the go fast bikes and the koolstops (salmon and the black/salmon combination) for the commuter.

    Although you might want to consider only upgrading you front brakes and leaving the "cheaper" options on the rear. A set of four swissstops will go twice as far :-).

    Sheldon Brown's article gives a good coverage on the subject
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    Another thumbs up for the green Swissstops. Perhaps stating the obvious but I recommend running a rag around the rims after being out in the wet to remove the 'grinding paste' which tends to get left behind as the rims dry out. Doing so improves braking next day and helps prolong rims and brake pads.

    Peter
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Putting my greens on tomorrow. The stock 105's are great in the dry but in the wet it's a bit like someone has stolen my brakes.
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    Had same problem yesterday, my previous bike had a set of salmons which were awesome. New bike has 105's which have been fine up until yesterday where they were useless. Salmons will be on order this week, my look at the Swiss stops greens before ordering though
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Russyh wrote:
    Had same problem yesterday, my previous bike had a set of salmons which were awesome. New bike has 105's which have been fine up until yesterday where they were useless. Salmons will be on order this week, my look at the Swiss stops greens before ordering though

    I was very surprised the difference the wet made to the 105's like you say they went from very sharp to useless.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    ceramic rims and the correct pad really make a difference
    M.Rushton
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Fitted the Swisstop Greens and in the wet the brakes were fine again. The 105 pads just did pretty much nothing !

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