Brake Blocks

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Comments

  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Imposter wrote:
    Alex99 wrote:


    Disagreeing. But never mind

    You think they DO work as well in the wet? That's certainly an interesting position to take...

    I think he was making the point that your original reply brought zero value to the thread.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    anyway, i think the Gooey brake pads are the best you can get for the wet, not because they are any better at stopping but because they dont xxxx your rims, they are fairly cheap. setting the block with a mill or so of toe-in helps too but Ugo's post explains why you really dont want great braking power in the wet.
  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    Imposter wrote:
    Alex99 wrote:


    Disagreeing. But never mind

    You think they DO work as well in the wet? That's certainly an interesting position to take...

    Nice try. But, you've just confused yourself.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I just use 'nornal' blocks - No point in swapping to wet weather blocks - if you do - then it won't rain anyway.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Alex99 wrote:
    Imposter wrote:
    Alex99 wrote:


    Disagreeing. But never mind

    You think they DO work as well in the wet? That's certainly an interesting position to take...

    Nice try. But, you've just confused yourself.

    Well your replies are certainly confusing. Try to be clearer.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,491
    Fenix wrote:
    I just use 'nornal' blocks - No point in swapping to wet weather blocks - if you do - then it won't rain anyway.
    You have just sold me on getting wet weather blocks.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • davebradswmb
    davebradswmb Posts: 553
    In my experience changing brake blocks can make a significant difference to wet weather braking performance. Last year I was riding with a friend on a damp day when we had to stop. He had a scary moment as his brakes took a while to do anything whereas I was OK. He was using standard Shimano blocks and I was using Swisstop green. Also I find wet braking performance adequate using these blocks and as a result have never been tempted to change to discs.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    davebradswmb wrote:
    In my experience changing brake blocks can make a significant difference to wet weather braking performance. Last year I was riding with a friend on a damp day when we had to stop. He had a scary moment as his brakes took a while to do anything whereas I was OK. He was using standard Shimano blocks and I was using Swisstop green. Also I find wet braking performance adequate using these blocks and as a result have never been tempted to change to discs.

    Having a scary moment is inexperience. Braking in the wet is poor but it's reproducible, meaning it's always the same, if you know it, you ride accordingly. If your friend did not expect it, surely it is a sign of lack of experience more than anything else.
    left the forum March 2023
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,491
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Having a scary moment is inexperience. Braking in the wet is poor but it's reproducible, meaning it's always the same, if you know it, you ride accordingly. If your friend did not expect it, surely it is a sign of lack of experience more than anything else.
    It could just as easily be a case of changing bikes. My "good" bike has Campag while my foul weather bike has Swisstop. The worst wet braking one would surprise you.
    It certainly did surprise me. :shock:
    As an aside, I am convinced that Campag have changed their compound within the past couple of years. For the better.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • veryslowtwitch
    veryslowtwitch Posts: 321
    Hi, is there any available science on the various compounds?

    I've used Shimano and generic cheapo pads for years They all work if I squeeze hard and early enough. They get filthy and wear out quickly so I've never bothered buying expensive ones. My only concern is making sure they fit in Shimano shoes which some of the really cheap ones don't.

    Some people are very fond of certain brands but I would be interested to know if there is any evidence of benefit from the more expensive blocks.
  • davebradswmb
    davebradswmb Posts: 553
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    davebradswmb wrote:
    In my experience changing brake blocks can make a significant difference to wet weather braking performance. Last year I was riding with a friend on a damp day when we had to stop. He had a scary moment as his brakes took a while to do anything whereas I was OK. He was using standard Shimano blocks and I was using Swisstop green. Also I find wet braking performance adequate using these blocks and as a result have never been tempted to change to discs.

    Having a scary moment is inexperience. Braking in the wet is poor but it's reproducible, meaning it's always the same, if you know it, you ride accordingly. If your friend did not expect it, surely it is a sign of lack of experience more than anything else.
    Perhaps I should have made myself clearer. We were riding side by side, both of us braked at pretty much the same time. I stopped, he didn't. Not totally scientific but good enough for me.

    I find that since using decent blocks that I can be confident of stopping in the wet, something that I wasn't before. My commuting bike has Aztec blocks which while not being as good as the Swisstop are still adequate.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Alex99 wrote:

    It would be good to do a blinded test. But there are at least some reasons to think that the compound could have some effect.

    There might be minor gains to be had, but if a compound was better in the wet, then it's bound to be worse in the dry, otherwise it would be industry standard. On balance, we ride less in the wet than we do in the dry, so I'd rather compromise on wet braking, rather than compromise on dry.
    You have to slow down in the wet anyway, as tyres grip is poor too, in exactly the same places as pad grip is poor, so it's actually good to have pooor brakes in the wet, as the tyre would not cope with good ones.

    I always lock my rear tyre in the wet when I am on disc brakes*... waste of time

    *forgetting that rear braking is not allowed on BikeRadar

    Surely the downside of using a softer compound isn't that they are worse in the dry, it's that they wear down a lot quicker...

    Tried koolstop salmon and didn't think they were any better than anything else.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    davebradswmb wrote:
    Perhaps I should have made myself clearer. We were riding side by side, both of us braked at pretty much the same time. I stopped, he didn't. Not totally scientific but good enough for me.

    Sounds like an advert for diapers that was on Italian TV in the 1980s... one baby gets wet, the other doesn't... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Garry H wrote:

    Surely the downside of using a softer compound isn't that they are worse in the dry, it's that they wear down a lot quicker...


    THey are worse, whichever meaning you want to give to the word worse
    left the forum March 2023
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    I can be confident that - for me - Swissstop BXP blue pads provide significantly less stopping power than Shimano R33C3/4 pads. All my wheels have alloy braking surfaces. The Shimano pads are more abrasive than the aftermarket brands, I believe that they offer more braking performance at the cost of accelerated rim wear.

    Others have a different experience.....

    The Koolstop Salmon pads are pretty soft - I can see how they might be reasonably effective in the wet...

    @ the OP: modern brakes are significantly better than circa 2009 calipers - 5800 are cheap and will out-perform your existing ones. I'd not spend money on after market pads though.
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • joncomelately
    joncomelately Posts: 660
    veryslowtwitch wrote:
    Hi, is there any available science on the various compounds?

    Maybe that Science of Cycling guy could look into it for you?
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Joncomelately wrote:
    veryslowtwitch wrote:
    Hi, is there any available science on the various compounds?

    Maybe that Science of Cycling guy could look into it for you?

    Soft rubber is "stickier" but wears quicker. Hard rubber lasts longer, but is not as "sticky", generally speaking.

    Tried those Salmon ones an didn't think they were any better. Aboout twice the price of something like Swisstop Greens.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Garry H wrote:
    Joncomelately wrote:
    veryslowtwitch wrote:
    Hi, is there any available science on the various compounds?

    Maybe that Science of Cycling guy could look into it for you?

    Soft rubber is "stickier" but wears quicker. Hard rubber lasts longer, but is not as "sticky", generally speaking.

    Tried those Salmon ones an didn't think they were any better. Aboout twice the price of something like Swisstop Greens.

    Eh? You are saying Koolstop Salmon are about twice the price of Swisstop Greens?
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    mfin wrote:
    Garry H wrote:
    Joncomelately wrote:
    veryslowtwitch wrote:
    Hi, is there any available science on the various compounds?

    Maybe that Science of Cycling guy could look into it for you?

    Soft rubber is "stickier" but wears quicker. Hard rubber lasts longer, but is not as "sticky", generally speaking.

    Tried those Salmon ones an didn't think they were any better. Aboout twice the price of something like Swisstop Greens.

    Eh? You are saying Koolstop Salmon are about twice the price of Swisstop Greens?

    They were when I bought them. A pack of two of the salmons wasn't far off a pack of four greens.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Garry H wrote:
    They were when I bought them.

    Ah ok, generally they have been cheaper for years, perhaps that's changed.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Just swap out for discs. Cable tie them on.

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