Cycling New Wheels: Carbon Wheel Maintenance and Fear of Damage Over Time

phtan

Hello everybody,

This year I got some nice Shimano carbon wheels for a great deal after riding aluminum clinchers for three years. They feel great and look great! 8)

However, I don’t know how often should I clean the brake pads.

I read on some forums that sometimes the rim gets worn down/damaged and has to be replaced, leading to expensive costs, because of the brakes. My worst fear is investing in some nice wheels and having them slowly deteriorate because of poor braking maintenance.

So, my question is: how often should I clean the brake pads and wheels? How should I?

I really like my new wheels and I always feel anxious squeezing the brakes because I feel it eats the rim slowly.

I am relatively new to carbon wheels, so please no fire throw at me please. Also, first time on this site. Glad to be here with all you guys.

Any insight? How to ease my troubles? Thanks!

dodgy

I'm not saying this is how it must be done, but this is what I do on my rim braked bike. I clean the brake blocks by picking out any alloy shards / grit etc whenever I've been out in the rain and also if they just sound noisy. If they're noisy, it's usually the sound of your expensive rims being machined away.

This is the primary reason why I'm gradually moving over to disc brakes (not starting a rim vs disc war, I couldn't care less what others use or prefer).

Matthewfalle

Carbon wheels last for years - they aren’t actually very fragile at all.

Clean the wheel rims and pads when cleaning the rest of the bike - I use a soapy sponge then rinse off with a hose.

If using in wet gritty conditions just hose down the rim and the pads after use and All will be well.

Every now and again just pop the wheel off and have a look at the pad.

Never had any problems at all doing it this way on either ali rim or carbon rimmed wheels.

trivial_poursuivant

Only ride uphill. That way you don’t need to brake. Gravity does it for you.

phtan

Matthewfalle wrote:

Carbon wheels last for years - they aren’t actually very fragile at all.

Clean the wheel rims and pads when cleaning the rest of the bike - I use a soapy sponge then rinse off with a hose.

If using in wet gritty conditions just hose down the rim and the pads after use and All will be well.

Every now and again just pop the wheel off and have a look at the pad.

Never had any problems at all doing it this way on either ali rim or carbon rimmed wheels.

Just how often do you clean the rim/pads? I rarely ride in rainy conditions by the way.

phtan

dodgy wrote:

This is the primary reason why I'm gradually moving over to disc brakes.

Hmmm, I actually don't know how disc brakes work. They look like a really good alternative over rim brakes.

Matthewfalle

phtan wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

Carbon wheels last for years - they aren’t actually very fragile at all.

Clean the wheel rims and pads when cleaning the rest of the bike - I use a soapy sponge then rinse off with a hose.

If using in wet gritty conditions just hose down the rim and the pads after use and All will be well.

Every now and again just pop the wheel off and have a look at the pad.

Never had any problems at all doing it this way on either ali rim or carbon rimmed wheels.

Just how often do you clean the rim/pads? I rarely ride in rainy conditions by the way.

Once every couple of weeks when I clean the bike.

Chain cassette chains rings once a week, good old soapy hand job every two weeks. Turtle Wax car shampoo after degreasing the whole bike with Jizer and a paintbrush.

Matthewfalle

phtan wrote:

dodgy wrote:

This is the primary reason why I'm gradually moving over to disc brakes.

Hmmm, I actually don't know how disc brakes work. They look like a really good alternative over rim brakes.

Exactly the same as a motorbike disc brake.

Just an alternative over rim brakes - whether they are really good or not is not a discussion to have here.

trivial_poursuivant

Matthewfalle wrote:

phtan wrote:

dodgy wrote:

This is the primary reason why I'm gradually moving over to disc brakes.

Hmmm, I actually don't know how disc brakes work. They look like a really good alternative over rim brakes.

Exactly the same as a motorbike disc brake.

Just an alternative over rim brakes - whether they are really good or not is not a discussion to have here.

Especially considering you can’t use them unless you get a new bike and new wheels to replace the shiny new carbon ones your so desperately trying to keep nice.

phtan

Trivial poursuivant wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

phtan wrote:

dodgy wrote:

This is the primary reason why I'm gradually moving over to disc brakes.

Hmmm, I actually don't know how disc brakes work. They look like a really good alternative over rim brakes.

Exactly the same as a motorbike disc brake.

Just an alternative over rim brakes - whether they are really good or not is not a discussion to have here.

Especially considering you can’t use them unless you get a new bike and new wheels to replace the shiny new carbon ones your so desperately trying to keep nice.

8)

Matthewfalle

N+1 ......

cougie

Wheels are consumable. They'll wear out eventually but you'll probably have got bored of them before then.

My best bike doesn't go out in crappy weather unless it has to. Grit will wear things down so if you've been out in crappy conditions then wash the rims and pads down when you wash the bike.

svetty

Don't Shimano carbon wheels have alloy braking tracks - in which case they don't need to be treated any differently than any other wheel set?

Matthewfalle

His post intimates that he has got carbon braking surface

mamba80

Used mainly in the dry, in the UK they ll last you decades

i clean the rims with Acetone, bought from a Hair dresser supply shop, 1l will last you a few years, Carbon pads tend to be very soft, so any grit doesnt stay in the pad for long, i d say the Campag RED pads (for carbon) are better than anything shimano make, based on using both.

phtan

mamba80 wrote:

Used mainly in the dry, in the UK they ll last you decades

i clean the rims with Acetone, bought from a Hair dresser supply shop, 1l will last you a few years, Carbon pads tend to be very soft, so any grit doesnt stay in the pad for long, i d say the Campag RED pads (for carbon) are better than anything shimano make, based on using both.

Thank you sir.

Matthewfalle

Swisstop yellow pads also rock

mamba80

phtan wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

Used mainly in the dry, in the UK they ll last you decades

i clean the rims with Acetone, bought from a Hair dresser supply shop, 1l will last you a few years, Carbon pads tend to be very soft, so any grit doesnt stay in the pad for long, i d say the Campag RED pads (for carbon) are better than anything shimano make, based on using both.

Thank you sir.

Just a quick one, different wheels respond differently to different brake pads, so MF likes Swisstop yellows but i found them awful (on some DA c35 tubs) maybe the newer black prince are better?
Lifeline ones are dirt cheap, slightly grabby in the dry, good in the wet , super soft but wear very quickly, however they are very very cheap! (on vittoria carbon tubs)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-perfor ... pack-of-4/

Just remember DA wheels are warrantied for 3 years (by shimano europe) if you make any sort of claim, remember you only ever used shimano pads!!!

Matthewfalle

mamba80 wrote:

phtan wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

Used mainly in the dry, in the UK they ll last you decades

i clean the rims with Acetone, bought from a Hair dresser supply shop, 1l will last you a few years, Carbon pads tend to be very soft, so any grit doesnt stay in the pad for long, i d say the Campag RED pads (for carbon) are better than anything shimano make, based on using both.

Thank you sir.

Just a quick one, different wheels respond differently to different brake pads, so MF likes Swisstop yellows but i found them awful (on some DA c35 tubs) maybe the newer black prince are better?
Lifeline ones are dirt cheap, slightly grabby in the dry, good in the wet , super soft but wear very quickly, however they are very very cheap! (on vittoria carbon tubs)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-perfor ... pack-of-4/

Just remember DA wheels are warrantied for 3 years (by shimano europe) if you make any sort of claim, remember you only ever used shimano pads!!!

As a mamba says completely correctly - pads are very wheel and personal preference.

I love Swisstop yellow but hate the black whereas I also have BBB white jobs at £9 for four on two bikes and have no problems with them.

Koolstop are also very well rated.

Too many decisions,