Brake pads and the rain

[Timmer]

When I ride in the rain my brake pads leave all kinds of black gook all over the rims. anyone know of some pads that don't do that? Mtn bike w/V brakes. Have some kool stops on it they are all black. Thanks

[gclark8]

I got the salmon kool stop from harris cyclery for the wet. :)

[HowardSteele]

I use a BBB all weather brake block,Won my Avid single didget setup.I was considering disks untill i intalled these pads,AFTER two years of cross country ,all weather riding i'm still using them AND THEY ONLY COST ABOUT US$15 :)

[Timmer]

thanks for the replies, but am just looking to not have that black gook get all over when in the rain. pads that prevent the gook would be great! how are disc brakes in this respect?

[mnr3]

disc brakes shouldn't get gooky like that, but you won't find many brake pads that avoid it either, since it comes from the normal wear on the pads and actually the rims. if it really bugs you, try washing down your rims and pads with a little soapy water before you ride to get the brake dust off before it mixes with the rain. seems like the least worrisome area when riding in the rain--I hate the gook that gets thrown up by the wheels, esp. on one's butt and cold feet.

[John M]

When I ride in the rain my brake pads leave all kinds of black gook all over the rims. anyone know of some pads that don't do that? Mtn bike w/V brakes. Have some kool stops on it they are all black. Thanks

Another vote for kool-stop salmon. mnr3 is correct that some of the black is the aluminum of the rims themselves. Disk brakes are better in the mud and rain, but a retrofit of a rim brake bike that does not have disk mounts is not a practical option.

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

...you won't find many brake pads that avoid it either, since it comes from the normal wear on the pads and actually the rims. if it really bugs you, try washing down your rims and pads with a little soapy water before you ride to get the brake dust off before it mixes with the rain. seems like the least worrisome area when riding in the rain--I hate the gook that gets thrown up by the wheels, esp. on one's butt and cold feet.I've been running Kool Stop salmon pads on my cantilevers through two rainy seasons here in Seattle, where it's rainy 3/4 of the year. I've given up solving the black goop problem. While the switch to salmon pads definitely improved my braking with wet rims, probably extends my rim life (for being softer than the stock pads), and almost never gives me that spine-tingling "scraping" of dirty pads on rims, I still get gobs of black goop after a long ride. I occasionally squirt my water bottle on the brake shoes but otherwise just stopped caring.

...and I have to agree with mnr3. Fenders with decent mudguards are a huge plus for keeping me, my frame, and anyone riding behind me cleaner and happier. Don't spray your fellow rainy-day rider. (:

[warrenIsAnIdiot]

Another thing I do if I know its going to rain is the following...
a. Carefully take off the brake pads
b. Clean the brakepads with cleaning solution
c. Wipe them dry
d. Dip them in sugar syrup
e. Reinstall them

This works really well. The pads grip way better than before. The new "gripquid" as I call it does not wash off unless the rain is hot.