Brake pad compositon vs. rim composition

[Rex Kerr]

Recently I complained of the brake pads on my new Trek 520 picking up
a lot of AL flakes and making horrible grinding noises. Anxious to
get it back on the road (quietly) I stole the nearly brand new
KoolStop dual compound pads off of my fixie and gave it the Avid pads
instead. I immediately noticed that the Avid pads stopped much better
on the fixie rim than the Kool Stops did, they no longer pick up metal
pieces, and are quiet (whereas the Kool Stops squealed), yet the Kool
Stops stop my Trek 520 much faster without the noise and without
tearing up the rims.

I guess I have to conclude that any one pad suggestion isn't perfect,
it also depends on what type of rims you have...

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

Rex Kerr wrote:
> Recently I complained of the brake pads on my new Trek 520 picking up
> a lot of AL flakes and making horrible grinding noises. Anxious to
> get it back on the road (quietly) I stole the nearly brand new
> KoolStop dual compound pads off of my fixie and gave it the Avid pads
> instead. I immediately noticed that the Avid pads stopped much better
> on the fixie rim than the Kool Stops did, they no longer pick up metal
> pieces, and are quiet (whereas the Kool Stops squealed), yet the Kool
> Stops stop my Trek 520 much faster without the noise and without
> tearing up the rims.
>
> I guess I have to conclude that any one pad suggestion isn't perfect,
> it also depends on what type of rims you have...
>
It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
cantilevers.

 

[Artoi]

In article <45dc1e59.0@entanet>,
Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:

> It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
> Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
> toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
> cantilevers.

Interesting comment. They work very well without any toe-in with Record
calipers.
--

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

Artoi wrote:
> In article <45dc1e59.0@entanet>,
> Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
>> Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
>> toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
>> cantilevers.
>
> Interesting comment. They work very well without any toe-in with Record
> calipers.
> --
Same here with a 105 dual pivot.

 

[Michael Press]

In article <45dc1e59.0@entanet>,
Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:

> Rex Kerr wrote:
> > Recently I complained of the brake pads on my new Trek 520 picking up
> > a lot of AL flakes and making horrible grinding noises. Anxious to
> > get it back on the road (quietly) I stole the nearly brand new
> > KoolStop dual compound pads off of my fixie and gave it the Avid pads
> > instead. I immediately noticed that the Avid pads stopped much better
> > on the fixie rim than the Kool Stops did, they no longer pick up metal
> > pieces, and are quiet (whereas the Kool Stops squealed), yet the Kool
> > Stops stop my Trek 520 much faster without the noise and without
> > tearing up the rims.
> >
> > I guess I have to conclude that any one pad suggestion isn't perfect,
> > it also depends on what type of rims you have...
> >
> It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
> Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
> toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
> cantilevers.

I have given up worrying about brake squeal, because it
goes away.

Also, I do not think people should bend their brake
arms, as they risk fatigue fracture.

--
Michael Press

 

[Mark Hickey]

Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:

> Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:

>> It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
>> Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
>> toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
>> cantilevers.
>
>I have given up worrying about brake squeal, because it
>goes away.

Are you certain it's not just hearing loss?

>Also, I do not think people should bend their brake
>arms, as they risk fatigue fracture.

Yikes. Remind me to never send you a bike for a tune-up. I'd
recommend keeping the little fold-out "how-to guide" that comes with
the brakes next time - sounds like it'd be instructional.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
Mark Hickey <[email protected]> wrote:

> Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> It also depends how much slop there is in the brake mechanicals. Kool
> >> Stop salmon pads work well with a rigid brake, but need prodigious
> >> toe-in to stop them squealing on a more floppy setup, like my Tektro
> >> cantilevers.
> >
> >I have given up worrying about brake squeal, because it
> >goes away.
>
> Are you certain it's not just hearing loss?

What?

> >Also, I do not think people should bend their brake
> >arms, as they risk fatigue fracture.
>
> Yikes. Remind me to never send you a bike for a tune-up. I'd
> recommend keeping the little fold-out "how-to guide" that comes with
> the brakes next time - sounds like it'd be instructional.

Yeah, I toed in some Universal model 59. Ten years
later it failed. I learned my lesson.

--
Michael Press