Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: dougal on 28 February, 2011, 01:46:17 pm
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have worn the Shimano blocks down to the nub on my Giant road bike and wondered if anyone would care to offer advice as to what are good blocks at good price at the moment.
normal type of dual pivot brakes, Tektro i think, on normal alloy rims.
It's an "entry level" road bike, the performance of the brakes has never been as good as I feel it should be (not like my Bianchi) so I realise that's not down to the block alone but if a better block is out there i would be prepared to pay more.
thanks in anticipation
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Koolstop Salmon, 'red' (actually salmon coloured).
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The Koolstops can be bought with the shoes (couple of quid more), or without. (I only realised this weekend just how easy it is to carry spare inserts - they're tiny and weigh f-all.) They're the same shoes as Shimano Dura-ace, and probably many others from my limited experience.
Spa seem to be quite cheap for them at the moment.
I love the Koolstops, but wonder if there is something cheaper I could get for the dry-weather bikes? (that isn't totally rubbish, or eat my rims).
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My LBS recommend swisstop. Is that just because they are expensive ???
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I bought some Clarks shoes that came with a set of spare inserts - seemed like a good deal and possibly better quality than the originals (Ambrosio Tektro-lookalikes). When the time came to change them, however, the ultra-cheap allen key bolt that holds the insert in rounded off. On all four blocks. So I had to ditch them all, and one of them ended up being dremeled off because the mounting bolt rounded off as well. Useless.
Now I have one piece shoes/blocks on the winter bike. When they wear out they get thrown away.
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My LBS recommend swisstop. Is that just because they are expensive ???
Probably better to get the more "expensive" blocks than to have to replace rims. :)
I've gone back to swisstop after trying BBB blocks, which wore out horrifyingly quickly and Ashimas which ate the rims.
See here for details... BBB Roadstop Brake Pads (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=29359.msg538139#msg538139)
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I bought some Clarks shoes that came with a set of spare inserts - seemed like a good deal and possibly better quality than the originals (Ambrosio Tektro-lookalikes). When the time came to change them, however, the ultra-cheap allen key bolt that holds the insert in rounded off. On all four blocks. So I had to ditch them all, and one of them ended up being dremeled off because the mounting bolt rounded off as well. Useless.
Now I have one piece shoes/blocks on the winter bike. When they wear out they get thrown away.
I think you were unlucky there Rhys. My Shimano shoes haven't done this, or the cheapo imitations. The little bolt doesn't do much, so really shouldn't be done up tight. :(
Worth knowing that Clarks are in the cheap-and-crap category :thumbsup:
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Koolstop Salmon, 'red' (actually salmon coloured).
I like the salmons but I've been using the dual-compound Koolstops for the last few months and I prefer them - good stopping power in wet or dry conditions, and not as noisy as the salmons in the dry.
I would definitely second the suggestion of getting cartridge type blocks with replaceable inserts. As mattc says, they're largely interchangeable - you can get Koolstop blocks to fit Shimano shoes.
d.
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+1 for dual-compound Koolstops
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Err...£10 to £30 for a couple of bits of moulded rubber... or is this a case of marketing departments coming up with rip-off prices based on what they think people will pay?
They're probably too cheap for some people, but Wilko "BMX Brake Pads", marked "Alhonga", work OK and are more reasonably priced at about 75p for a pair :D
(http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/5412/wilkobrakeblocks.jpg)
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I wouldn't trust those to stop me anywhere near as quickly as Koolstops. Brakes on bikes are one thing it's worth not skimping on.
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is this a case of marketing departments coming up with rip-off prices based on what they think people will pay?
Possibly, to some extent, yes.
But I've used Koolstops for several years and my purely anecdotal experience leads me to believe that they work better than other cheaper makes, so I will continue to use them.
d.
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Nothing comes close to Campagnolo though. Not only good stopping power, but they last for ages. I still have the original pads in a bike I bought in 2008.
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My Decathlon £3.99 red compound V-brake blocks are excellent. I shall certainly get some more when they're worn out.
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Long time happy user of Koolstop Salmons here.
Tried some green Swisstops. The Koolstops went back in after just one ride.
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+1 for dual-compound Koolstops :thumbsup:
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So, if you wanted the grippiest, stoppiest brake blocks and weren't worried about wear rates, what would you buy?
(My GF's town bike seems to have some very slippery rims and whatever blocks I put on it they're never too great)
Clean the rims with brake cleaner till the cloth comes clean, this really improves it from my experience
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Clean the rim with washing up liquid, don't rinse it off. The brakes will squeal like a stuck pig, but you will stop on a dime.
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So, if you wanted the grippiest, stoppiest brake blocks and weren't worried about wear rates, what would you buy?
(My GF's town bike seems to have some very slippery rims and whatever blocks I put on it they're never too great)
Clearly she needs these:
Kool Stop Koolite Brake Pads with Titanium Hardware - £87.49 | Dotbike
(http://www.dotbike.com/productsP5995.aspx)
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So, if you wanted the grippiest, stoppiest brake blocks and weren't worried about wear rates, what would you buy?
(My GF's town bike seems to have some very slippery rims and whatever blocks I put on it they're never too great)
Clearly she needs these:
Kool Stop Koolite Brake Pads with Titanium Hardware - £87.49 | Dotbike
(http://www.dotbike.com/productsP5995.aspx)
Jeez - I'm not that much of a Ti tart to think about spending so much on brake holders.
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Black Koolstops from Chain Reaction.com
Good all-rounder.
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Black Koolstops from Chain Reaction.com
Good all-rounder.
the only ones I can find are the Kool Stop Eagle 2 at 7.99, is that the ones you mean, seems a good price.
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Eagle 2 are not for caliper brakes.
You've got the choice of the basic Continental model, or the more expensive Dura and similar with seperate holders and pads. Dura with Salmon or Dual-compound pads are what I recommend. These are well adjustable, and I find they're the best at not picking up bits of grit and metal, making your rims last longer.
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I have now converted to BBB brake blocks---used in UK and Europe on big hilly stuff. Yes they do wear out more quickly than others---but they are very positive stoppers and are kind to your rims. Highly recommended. Others I find good for winter use are Barradine---cheap and effective. :thumbsup:
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I use kool stops have done for a few years now, normally buy from here
http://www.simpsoncycles.co.uk/product.php/954/kool_stop_continental
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I am tempted to give these a go, anyone got any experience?
http://www.discobrakes.com/?p=464&
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I am tempted to give these a go, anyone got any experience?
Yes, and they less grit and metal embedded in them than all the other makes I've ever tried, so are worth using for that reason alone, IMO. The Salmon compound is best. The Continental model doesn't provide any orbital adjustment, though. The Dura model (with replaceable pads) is expensive but nice.
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I used to have problems with close clearance cantis and the tail on Koolstops. But, that aside (and that bike is, sadly, no more), the only issue is the fact that they squeal like a pig unless you toe them in carefully and are very lucky.
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Another vote for KoolStops Dual compound.
Koolstops are the only blocks I've had on my Brompton that give me any confidence it will stop at the bottom of a hill.
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I used to have problems with close clearance cantis and the tail on Koolstops. But, that aside (and that bike is, sadly, no more), the only issue is the fact that they squeal like a pig unless you toe them in carefully and are very lucky.
It's much louder than a pig! But the squealing problem only happens with the larger blocks, in my experience so far, not the relatively little ones for road bikes. That is unless you get grease on them.
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Err...£10 to £30 for a couple of bits of moulded rubber... or is this a case of marketing departments coming up with rip-off prices based on what they think people will pay?
They're probably too cheap for some people, but Wilko "BMX Brake Pads", marked "Alhonga", work OK and are more reasonably priced at about 75p for a pair :D
(http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/5412/wilkobrakeblocks.jpg)
I'd push out the boat and suggest either Tesco or Asda own brand. Slightly more expensive at around £2 per pair but very effective. I don't really see the need to spend a fortune on two bits of rubber set on a steel bolt.
I understand that their are various rubber compounds and that some will contain more or less grit or be softer or more cured rubber, but apart from that the only benefits of the more expensive blocks seem to be the ability to replace the rubber without adjusting the block.
The rest is just clever marketing. The important thing is the quality of your levers, cables and calipers. Its all in the rigidity of the components not the type of pads you have.
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Use Koolstop V-brake pads on the Dahon Speed Pro and noticed an improvement on whateever Dahon in it's "wisdom" had specified. Happy with them.
The steel hybrid/quasi tourer now has Fibrax on the front cantilevers - cheap and cheerful, got them from the ever-excellent Edinburgh Bike Co-Op.
Tend to think urban biker may be right - once you get away from the clearly cr*p stuff, I find it hard to believe that some premium pads are worth the money - so much mystification and b**sh*t about bikes these days I fear unless you are a racer.
The back cantilevers came from discobrakes at a minimal minimal price and also seem good so far. On a quick glance they looked similar to Fibrax - I must have a closer look.
Magura rim brakes on my Cannondale are truly excellent though I realised considered somewhat passe these days.
Got some
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Having made a few Pennine descents, I do value good brakes and good brake pads very highly.
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I've Koolstops on most of my bikes. They last, don't eat the rims, brake well, and last.
On my Dave Yates (caliper brakes) I've had salmon inserts on for yonks. I can't remember when I fitted them, but it's a high-mileage audax bike which gets used in all conditions and they must have been on there for a couple of years.
Don't get the Koolstop holders, though. They are utterly rubbish. There's about 1 mm of metal to tighten the holder onto the brake, which rounds off as soon as an Allen key is in the same room. I use the pads in some other holders (probably Shimano or Tektro).
On my tourer (v-brakes), the front pads (black Koolstops - I couldn't find the salmon ones) have lasted at least 12,000 miles and possibly 15,000. They're still on there. The rears don't last as long - I fitted a new set in Istanbul and replaced them when I got home, so about 7,000 miles.
I did try some Asda blocks on the rear, which braked well and didn't eat the rims, but they needed replacing after less than 2,000 miles. They also come as a full unit, so replacing them is a bit more fiddly than just swapping out a couple of pads and pins. There's also a slight weight penalty if you want to carry spares.
I haven't noticed the squealing issue, and though six or seven quid for some moulded rubber seems a bit daft, they are economical and effective. I'll keep using them.
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Several well informed and canny YACFers use pads from Discobrakes (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4Pairs-8pcs-Road-Brake-Pad-Inserts-for-Shimano-Dura-Ace-/190662624319?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item2c6460c43f#ht_989wt_1139).
They nicely demonstrate the nonsense of 'premium' brands such as Salmon, Koolstop et al.
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Don't get the Koolstop holders, though. They are utterly rubbish.
:o I like them so much that I have them on all four of my bikes! (Dura model). They're shiny, light, and provide more adjustment than many others, and pads slide in and out easily, unlike with many others. Sheldon Brown was a fan, too.
The main bolts have been beefed up in recent years, with larger and deeper hex heads. Anyway, the older lighter ones only rounded when over-tightened, IME. The tiny little screws to lock the pads in do still round too easily, but you can use alternative screws or threadlock. Tip: for shallow sockets, use basic allen keys rather than chamfered ones.
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I'm glad they've changed them! Mine are in the bin years since..
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Ashima from any good online retailer, eg http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ashima-v-brake-70mm-one-piece-brake-shoe/. Better than the standard Shimano cheapos.
Not that I've tried kool/swiss-stop-tastics, but then the Ashimas can put me over the bars with little effort if set up and maintained correctly so they're good enough for me.
I am considering an upgrade to these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/ashima-v-brake-blocks-one-piece-design-3-function-prod25885/, for my current BSO upgrade (pointless fiddling about sow's ear project) but my prepared-to-be-disappointed-doubt meter needle is twitching at the thought of it.
Still, in for a penny...
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Ashima from any good online retailer, eg http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ashima-v-brake-70mm-one-piece-brake-shoe/. Better than the standard Shimano cheapos.
Not that I've tried kool/swiss-stop-tastics, but then the Ashimas can put me over the bars with little effort if set up and maintained correctly so they're good enough for me.
I am considering an upgrade to these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/ashima-v-brake-blocks-one-piece-design-3-function-prod25885/, for my current BSO upgrade (pointless fiddling about sow's ear project) but my prepared-to-be-disappointed-doubt meter needle is twitching at the thought of it.
Still, in for a penny...
Sorry, but I wouldn't touch Ashima (again) with a barge pole, see post on page 1 of this thread.
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On my tourer (v-brakes), the front pads (black Koolstops - I couldn't find the salmon ones) have lasted at least 12,000 miles and possibly 15,000. They're still on there. The rears don't last as long - I fitted a new set in Istanbul and replaced them when I got home, so about 7,000 miles.
I've just twigged that salmon refers to the colour! :facepalm: In which case I'm not sure I've ever seen them anywhere.
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They all end up brake-coloured soon enough... :)
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On my tourer (v-brakes), the front pads (black Koolstops - I couldn't find the salmon ones) have lasted at least 12,000 miles and possibly 15,000. They're still on there. The rears don't last as long - I fitted a new set in Istanbul and replaced them when I got home, so about 7,000 miles.
I've just twigged that salmon refers to the colour! :facepalm: In which case I'm not sure I've ever seen them anywhere.
Wiggle