Originally Posted by
CyclinYooper
I ride a lot of hills/mountains in NM. I'm finding that I can't really slow my bike down quickly ... and, I'm actually kinda scared to tackle more [COLOR= #ff0000]windy[/COLOR]/steeper hills as a result.
I have a GT GTR Serie 4 road bike (specs just say dual pivot brakes). Is it possible to increase my braking power? Is it more an issue of the shifters/brake levers? Or the brake calipers? Or the pads? I currently am using Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels (don't know if that makes a difference).
I definitely saw some improvement after cleaning and gently sanding my pads. But, I've read that higher end brakes can almost "lock up" a wheel. I can't even
imagine that kind of braking force!
Are you talking about [COLOR= #ff0000]windy[/COLOR] conditions OR winding roads (
i.e., switchbacks)?
If you are concerned about the wind, then you may have to move to another part of the country OR try to finish your rides before 10am ...
OR, are you talking about coming down from the Crest? South 14? Elsewhere?
WHERE are your hands normally placed when you are using the brakes?
- post a picture of your bike as it is currently set up
What is the gap between your brake pads & the rim's brake surface?
- post pictures which show how your brake pads are set up relative to the rims
How close are the brake levers to the handlebar when the brakes are fully closed on the rims?
As already noted by others, BOTH the actual brake caliper AND the pad compound
can make a difference --
Shimano brake calipers & pads have probably set the benchmark for other manufacturers for the past 20+ years ... but, I have to say that I feel that [COLOR= #0000ff]
almost ALL calipers which have been available in the past several decades can adequately slow-or-stop a bike if they are set up properly[/COLOR] ... only some of the
weight weenie calipers may be suspect ... so, IMO, not only should Campagnolo (!?!) and Tektro calipers work well enough for most people in most riding situations, I even chose to install a set of 70s vintage MAFAC Racer calipers on one of my bikes because I
think that I am familiar with their limitations after having used a set for about 10 years + I
think-or-hope I know how to set them up so that they will slow-and-stop the bike how-and-when I want them to!
On the other hand, the best brakes & pads can be handicapped if they are not set up properly ...
- BTW. I think most people set up their brake pads with too much toe-in -- the less brake pad contact, the stopping resistance.
[SIZE= small]Regardless, if you feel as though you are having problems adequately closing your brake calipers then one thing that you can do which may remedy the problem would be to simply [COLOR= #ff0000]
LUBE your brake cables[/COLOR] (it doesn't hurt to lube the derailleur cables, too, at some point) EVEN THOUGH the housing may theoretically be pre-lubed. [/SIZE]
[SIZE= small]You can use a thin layer of WHITE LITHIUM grease applied directly to the cable as the lubricant.[/SIZE]
- [SIZE= small]you can test to see how much resistance is in your cables by disconnecting the brake cable from the caliper, holding the disconnected end with one hand and pulling on the lever with the other -- resistance should be minimal to non-existent.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= small] [/SIZE]