What brake blocks do I buy?

wimbedon99

Folks,

My bike it fitted with Promax RC-459, long reach brakes but I have no confidence in the brake blocks. I'd like to purchase some Swissstop 'greens' but the choice is not simple (FlashPro, Viking, Rx, Rat).

Can anyone advise the best option that will fit please?

Cheers

sheffsimon

Looking at some images of those brakes, it doesn't look like they have brake block shoes (the metal bit), just a bolt moulded into the rubber?

If so, you need the shoes, so first time around get these...(2 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... ke-blocks/

then next time get just the pads...(4 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... rake-pads/

wimbedon99

SheffSimon wrote:

Looking at some images of those brakes, it doesn't look like they have brake block shoes (the metal bit), just a bolt moulded into the rubber?

If so, you need the shoes, so first time around get these...(2 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... ke-blocks/

then next time get just the pads...(4 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... rake-pads/

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. You have confirmed what I had initially thought but I was put off by a Wiggle 'on-line chat' representative who said just to buy the pads. That didn't seem correct to me hence I thought I'd ask here on the forum.

Very much appreciated

Cheers

sheffsimon

wimbedon99 wrote:

SheffSimon wrote:

Looking at some images of those brakes, it doesn't look like they have brake block shoes (the metal bit), just a bolt moulded into the rubber?

If so, you need the shoes, so first time around get these...(2 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... ke-blocks/

then next time get just the pads...(4 in a pack)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/swissstop-flash ... rake-pads/

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. You have confirmed what I had initially thought but I was put off by a Wiggle 'on-line chat' representative who said just to buy the pads. That didn't seem correct to me hence I thought I'd ask here on the forum.

Very much appreciated

Cheers

No problem. If and when you do get them, before you fit them, remove the little screws which hold the brake blocks into the shoe. They are pointless (the brake force shoves the the rubber further into the shoe and they are a tight fit anyway), and are made of cheese, so when they corrode, they are a pig to remove to swap the blocks.

wimbedon99

SheffSimon wrote:

No problem. If and when you do get them, before you fit them, remove the little screws which hold the brake blocks into the shoe. They are pointless (the brake force shoves the the rubber further into the shoe and they are a tight fit anyway), and are made of cheese, so when they corrode, they are a pig to remove to swap the blocks.

Noted - Thank you again!!

Collecting from Halfords tomorrow

svetty

I've tried all sorts of pads and find the stock Shimano R55C4 ones as good as the more expensive after-market ones.....

keef66

Svetty wrote:

I've tried all sorts of pads and find the stock Shimano R55C4 ones as good as the more expensive after-market ones.....

You'd think so, after all they are what Shimano equip 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace calipers with.

They are what I bought to replace the stock all-in-one moulded jobs on my long drop BR450s.

I was hoping to make them as good as the 5800 calipers I'd put on the summer bike, which operated by 5600 levers are astoundingly good.

So far, not so good. Can't really detect any improvement. Maybe the rims need a really good clean. Or perhaps they need a couple of gritty rides to really bed in...

svetty

The 5800 brakes are so much better that the BR 450s that I wouldn't expect pads alone to make inroads into the difference between then TBH

daechambers88

If you intend to ride in all conditions through the winter I would recommend swisstop green pads - i have found them better in the wet than the stock shimano ones