Pat Lamb <
[email protected]> writes:
>> I have a set of the black Kool stop pads on my road bike, generic
>> (probably Techro) brakes but they work fine and the Kool stop pads
>> make a difference. Kool Stop markets the Salmon colored as for use
>> in wet weather, but Sheldon's site/Harris Cyclery like the Salmon
>> pads for all use. All comments welcome on those that have used
>> both the black and salmon pads on a road bike.
> I don't change brake pads when it rains or when it stops. Don't
> have any experience with Kool Stop black pads, but put some salmon
> pads on 4-5 years ago. Unlike Shimano and Pyramid pads, they don't
> chew up the rims. Takes a couple of wheel revolutions to squeeze
> the water off the rims when they're wet. This "slow stopping"
> happens frequently when there's dew on the grass as I start in the
> morning, but only twice on the road in that 4-5 years.
I use Kool-Stop Continental Salmon red and have done so for many years
mainly for two reasons. The brake pads cannot be dislodged by a wheel
change and the material does not build up metal shavings as most
others do. It was Mafac and Campagnolo brake pads that inspired me to
look for a material that would not chew up rims in the rain, where
small grit particles become embedded in the brake pad and subsequently
machine metal from the rim that snowballs into serious rim damage...
and loss of braking.
http://www.koolstop.com/brakes/
(bottom of the page)
I notice that Kool-Stop has modified the description of the
continental pad:
..Completely molded brake pad and holder
..Built in heat sink
..Reasonably priced Kool Stop quality and performance
..Compounds: Gray for normal conditions, Salmon for any riding condition
mother nature can throw your way. Will work for steel or alloy rims
because our Kool-Stop compounds are Rim Friendly ®
The heat sink item tells me that they are still unclear on where
braking heat goes. It does not go into the brake pad. The pad is an
insulator whose "built in heat sink" is like Matthauser's cooling fins
on the back of his pads, imaginary.
As for wet braking, that is mostly myth. The way to assess that is to
ride through snow so that the inner circumference of the front rim is
packed with snow. Then on a clean part of a descending road apply the
brake and notice that braking is nearly absent until the last bit of
snow has melted from the rim. At that time the braking surface can
dry to restore effective braking. While riding in rain, useful
braking comes form partial drying of the rim brake track and depends
on braking heat, as little as there is up till that point. Water is a
good lubricant!
Jobst Brandt
