Carbon rim brake squeal

campagone
campagone Posts: 270
edited July 2017 in Workshop
Is it normal for carbon rims to squeal/screech when they heat up under braking, say on descents? I've got Vittoria tubs and I'm using Swiss Stop Black Prince pads and they're fine under normal flat road braking, but on descents they start to screech when you get heat build up and I mean high pitch ear piercing stuff. The braking performance is good but the noise is a bit unnerving and I'm beginning to resent using them on hilly rides, and I don't think I'd have the confidence to use them in the mountains of Europe.

Comments

  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    try different pads, clean the rims and toe the pads in a bit. normal things really common to any rim. squeal has nothing to do with braking performance it is just pad vibration.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • trivial_poursuivant
    trivial_poursuivant Posts: 1,136
    You need to 'toe' them in. The leading edge of the pad should be angled in slightly. Loosen pad with an Allan key and stick sometime like a credit card under the rear of the pad while holding on the brakes. The leading edge should come in contact with the wheel first. This can help eliminate the squeal.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Alternatively, you might not get rid of it at all. My carbon rims were always scrubbed clean and the brake pads toe'd in, but I suffered with brake squeal all the time, particularly under heavy braking.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • campagone
    campagone Posts: 270
    Ok, I must admit the pads arent toed in, so I'll give that a try to see if it makes any difference
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Yes, carbon rims are loud...
    left the forum March 2023
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,148
    ^^^this

    when braking hard on descents... squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...is pretty common, if you follow the tdf you can often hear it

    may vary with brake track construction, but if it has 'exposed' weave i'd think it's going to squeal
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    sungod wrote:
    when braking hard on descents... squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...is pretty common, if you follow the tdf you can often hear it

    its going to be awesome when half the pack are on discs and the other on carbon rims

    SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK .. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK .. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK ..HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Yes, carbon rims are loud...

    Mine aren't - Wiggle LifeLine blue's £4.99 for 4.

    No squealing or grabbing, work really well in the wet. Much better than my aluminium winter rims. Fit and forget for a couple of seasons so far... and still loads of life left.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    joe2008 wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Yes, carbon rims are loud...

    Mine aren't - Wiggle LifeLine blue's £4.99 for 4.

    No squealing or grabbing, work really well in the wet. Much better than my aluminium winter rims. Fit and forget for a couple of seasons so far... and still loads of life left.

    yeah i tried these pads recently, instead of campag ones, they were incredibly loud (toed in) and in 3 or 4 mountain descents and they are half worn (wet weather) i guess in the UK they d be fine.
    but braking was smooth and powerful, they are cheap but like the swisstop are rubber, pads like the campag ones are very quiet and more fibrous but 5 x the price.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    mamba80 wrote:
    joe2008 wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Yes, carbon rims are loud...

    Mine aren't - Wiggle LifeLine blue's £4.99 for 4.

    No squealing or grabbing, work really well in the wet. Much better than my aluminium winter rims. Fit and forget for a couple of seasons so far... and still loads of life left.

    yeah i tried these pads recently, instead of campag ones, they were incredibly loud (toed in) and in 3 or 4 mountain descents and they are half worn (wet weather) i guess in the UK they d be fine.
    but braking was smooth and powerful, they are cheap but like the swisstop are rubber, pads like the campag ones are very quiet and more fibrous but 5 x the price.

    I'm honestly surprised. I've used them on Exmoor, very hilly (at least 1000 feet per 10 miles average) with incredibly steep descents and in two seasons I can't see much wear on them. Maybe they suit my carbon rims. And, they are very quiet.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    yep dont get me wrong, these are amazing vfm and i d still use them, the Pyrenees in the wet is a tough nut and i think any soft pad for carbon or alloy would wear, the braking itself was far superior to alloy wheels.
    before swapping i didnt have any means of cleaning the rims, so maybe the noise would nt be there if i had.
  • trivial_poursuivant
    trivial_poursuivant Posts: 1,136
    I've always been fine on Swissstop Yellow King pads. Never squeaked even on heavy braking descents

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