Replacement pads for Shimano brakes

gussyboy81

I'm finding it hard to understand what replacement rim brake pads I should buy for my girlfriends and my bikes.

Her bike is a Specialized Doice Elite 2013 which came with Shimano Tiagra breaks and my bike is a Cube Agree GTC 2013 which came with Shimano BR-R561 breaks (I don't have a clue what set these are, im guessing 105's).

I've been looking at Kool Stop and Swiss Stop pads as I believe they're better than Shimano's pads. However I don't know which ones I need to purchase as theres so many out there.

Anyone got an suggestions/thoughts?

wishitwasallflat

The main difference is do you already have cartridges which look like this - i.e. you have shoes that hold the pads

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-br-6700 ... -set-pair/

if so you just need to upgrade pads

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kool-stop-dura- ... e-inserts/

or do you have pads with no shoes which fit into the calliper directly only at the moment

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m-syste ... ke-blocks/

in which case if you replace them with shoes and pads you will get a far far more effective upgrade

gussyboy81

Thanks for the reply, so having read around this forum, it would seem the my brakes, which are BR-R561's are in fact non-series brakes, even though I can't find them on the Shimano techdocs website (http://techdocs.shimano.com/techdocs/index.jsp).

Having read this forum post (viewtopic.php?t=12893683&) people are suggesting that the BR-R561 is made and finished to the same standard as BR-5700 brakes. Therefore should I be getting the as suggested above.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kool-stop-dura- ... e-inserts/

More importantly with regards to the brake pads attached to my girlfriends bike, she only has Shimano Tiagra callipers which are blocks and not shoes with replaceable pads. Is it possible to replace them with some shoes and replaceable pads? I've searched the web and can't find anything to say yes or no, but every replacement pads I find are just blocks.

Is it possible to fit the below? as ideally I'd prefer her bike to have shoes than blocks.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-br-6700 ... -set-pair/

or

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... OgodBwcASw

(I can't really work out the difference between these two types either).

If this isn't possible can anyone suggest some blocks are that better than Shimano's ones as they're pretty shocking. Do Kool Stop or Swiss Stop make anything that would fit?

mister p

Yes, you can replace her one piece blocks with shoe and cartridge pads. Either of the ones you link to will fit. The cartridges are the same, the shoes are different colours.

crankycrank

gussyboy81 wrote:

If this isn't possible can anyone suggest some blocks are that better than Shimano's ones as they're pretty shocking. Do Kool Stop or Swiss Stop make anything that would fit?

Here is what you need. Koolstop "Salmon" pads with cartridges to fit her Shimano Tiagra brakes http://www.koolstop.com/english/road_pad.html The Koolstops S's are designed for wet and dry conditions and stop better than the Shimano OEM pads. Swisstop also makes very good pads (some say better than Koolstop) and can be purchased with cartridges as well. http://www.swissstop.ch/Road.aspx The Green "GHP ll Flash Pro" are what you need or the new, and more expensive, Blue BXP's which are supposed to stop even better but I have no experience with them.

gussyboy81

crankycrank wrote:

gussyboy81 wrote:

If this isn't possible can anyone suggest some blocks are that better than Shimano's ones as they're pretty shocking. Do Kool Stop or Swiss Stop make anything that would fit?

Here is what you need. Koolstop "Salmon" pads with cartridges to fit her Shimano Tiagra brakes http://www.koolstop.com/english/road_pad.html The Koolstops S's are designed for wet and dry conditions and stop better than the Shimano OEM pads. Swisstop also makes very good pads (some say better than Koolstop) and can be purchased with cartridges as well. http://www.swissstop.ch/Road.aspx The Green "GHP ll Flash Pro" are what you need or the new, and more expensive, Blue BXP's which are supposed to stop even better but I have no experience with them.

Awesome feedback crankycrank, thanks very much.

I'm going to get some of the SwissStop BXP pads, having done some googling people are claiming they're amazing.

I'm persuming they'll fit some Shimano BR-5700 R55C3 105 brake shoes right.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... OgodBwcASw

Both my girlfriend and I are pretty odd when it comes to our bikes. We both want black brake shoes and not the standard silver ones that SwissShoe provide for they're aluminium rims.

crankycrank

gussyboy81 wrote:

I'm going to get some of the SwissStop BXP pads, having done some googling people are claiming they're amazing.
I'm persuming they'll fit some Shimano BR-5700 R55C3 105 brake shoes right.
Both my girlfriend and I are pretty odd when it comes to our bikes. We both want black brake shoes and not the standard silver ones that SwissShoe provide for they're aluminium rims.

Yes, they'll fit the Shimano cartridges. Since you're planning on spending the money for the black Shimano cartridges you may as well give their pads a try before shelling out for some Swisstops. Some of the newer and higher end Shimano pads aren't too bad and you may find them an improvement over what you have now. The BXP's will undoubtedly be even better if you don't mind spending the money.

gussyboy81

crankycrank wrote:

Yes, they'll fit the Shimano cartridges. Since you're planning on spending the money for the black Shimano cartridges you may as well give their pads a try before shelling out for some Swisstops. Some of the newer and higher end Shimano pads aren't too bad and you may find them an improvement over what you have now. The BXP's will undoubtedly be even better if you don't mind spending the money.

I've already got some Shimano BR-5700 on my bike, they're good but im looking for something better. Cheers for all the advice.

dj58

I purchased the Swisstop BXP blue pads from here:
http://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-bra ... 87978.html