Hmmm... new brake blocks...

[Tim Dunne]

Hi folks

I always appreciate the advice I get here.

The front blocks on my Dawes Ultra Galaxy are worn out - I've picked up good
things lurking here about Kool Stop salmon pads, which I'd really like to
try. There's just one snag - I don't know which to order.

The bike has Avid Shorty 4 brakes, do I need the thinline or road style, V
or Canti fitting? The thinline look most like what I have on now, but I'm
not sure.

Thaanks in advance

Tim

--
Sent from Birmingham, UK timdunne at blueyonder.co.uk
'God's electrician sparked up the heavens once again, heading northbound
on the 7:10. And the lord said let there be commuters...' - Thea Gilmore
Look, mum, an anorak on a bike! Check out www.nervouscyclist.org

 

[James Thomson]

"Tim Dunne" <[email protected]> wrote:

> The bike has Avid Shorty 4 brakes, do I need the thinline or road
> style, V or Canti fitting? The thinline look most like what I have on
> now, but I'm not sure.

You can use the Thinlines or Mountain Pads, V-style fitting (i.e. with a
threaded post).

James Thomson

 

[Tim Dunne]

"James Thomson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> "Tim Dunne" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > The bike has Avid Shorty 4 brakes, do I need the thinline or road
> > style, V or Canti fitting? The thinline look most like what I have
> > on now, but I'm not sure.
>
> You can use the Thinlines or Mountain Pads, V-style fitting (i.e.
> with a threaded post).

Thanks. Is the fact that my current ones are symmetrical about the fixing
(lenthways) versus the kool stop not being so, significant?

Cheers

Tim


--
Sent from Birmingham, UK timdunne at blueyonder.co.uk
'God's electrician sparked up the heavens once again, heading northbound
on the 7:10. And the lord said let there be commuters...' - Thea Gilmore
Look, mum, an anorak on a bike! Check out www.nervouscyclist.org

 

[Tim Dunne]

"Tim Dunne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

> Thanks. Is the fact that my current ones are symmetrical about the
> fixing (lenthways) versus the kool stop not being so, significant?

Well, good old Sheldon came good in the end. Having ridden a bike with
Roller brakes for years, I forgot about how rim brakes used to be. There
must be too much **** in my head these days because I'd forgotten about the
threadless style of fixing.

The write up on the Kool Stops on the Harris Cyclery site is far better than
the one on the Kool Stop site. Something wrong there somewhere...

Thanks

Tim


--
Sent from Birmingham, UK timdunne at blueyonder.co.uk
'God's electrician sparked up the heavens once again, heading northbound
on the 7:10. And the lord said let there be commuters...' - Thea Gilmore
Look, mum, an anorak on a bike! Check out www.nervouscyclist.org

 

[davek]

Tim Dunne wrote:
> The bike has Avid Shorty 4 brakes, do I need the thinline or road style, V
> or Canti fitting? The thinline look most like what I have on now, but I'm
> not sure.

I think it doesn't really matter which style of blocks you choose, as
long as you don't get threaded when you need post fitting, and vice versa.

I have "Thinline" blocks on one bike and "Mountain" on the other and
both are excellent.

d.

 

[Tim Dunne]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> Tim Dunne wrote:
> > The bike has Avid Shorty 4 brakes, do I need the thinline or road
> > style, V or Canti fitting? The thinline look most like what I have
> > on now, but I'm not sure.
>
> I think it doesn't really matter which style of blocks you choose, as
> long as you don't get threaded when you need post fitting, and vice
> versa.
>
> I have "Thinline" blocks on one bike and "Mountain" on the other and
> both are excellent.
>
> d.

Thanks

Tim
--
Sent from Birmingham, UK timdunne at blueyonder.co.uk
'God's electrician sparked up the heavens once again, heading northbound
on the 7:10. And the lord said let there be commuters...' - Thea Gilmore
Look, mum, an anorak on a bike! Check out www.nervouscyclist.org

 

[[email protected]]

Tim Dunne wrote:
> I've picked up good
> things lurking here about Kool Stop salmon pads, which I'd really like to
> try.

now it has started being wet again my thoughts start to turn to braking
effectiveness. I have been using clarks shimano compatible cartridge
pads (GBP3 or 4 /pair) for dual pivot calipers. I find that if the
rims are very wet then braking affectiveness is greatly reduced. The
bike also gets covered in black slime which attracts small childrens'
fingers.

I splashed out on a set of salmons. My initial impressions are that
the snow plough at the front means that the pads need to be further
from the rims and the levers feel more spongy (which i dont like but is
not unnacceptable). Braking performance is not strikingly different
(brakes still fade when rims are very wet). Looks like the black
sludge may be better but the evidence is not conclusive yet.

Overall I am slightly underwhelmed. OTOH they are not very much more
expensive so I don't feel ripped off. We shall have to see how rim
wear rates go

best wishes
james

 

[Pete Biggs]

[email protected] wrote:

> I splashed out on a set of salmons. My initial impressions are that
> the snow plough at the front means that the pads need to be further
> from the rims and the levers feel more spongy (which i dont like but
> is not unnacceptable).

Snow plough can be filed off if you like.

> Braking performance is not strikingly
> different (brakes still fade when rims are very wet). Looks like the
> black
> sludge may be better but the evidence is not conclusive yet.
>
> Overall I am slightly underwhelmed. OTOH they are not very much more
> expensive so I don't feel ripped off. We shall have to see how rim
> wear rates go

*All* brake blocks fade and become much less effective in heavy rain, in
my experience. But the Kool Stop salmons I use are good in dry weather
and light rain, last well, and, uniquely, don't (or hardly ever) pick up
bits of aluminium from the rims.

~PB