A bloke's back brake block broke - user error or manufacturing error

[KneesUp]

I'm assembling another bitsa-bike for a bit of fun.

Having fitted the brakes and new "Tri-zones 900 v-brake pads" (swish, I know!) from Decathlon, I realised that fitting some of the mounting hardware for the rear mudguard would be much easier without the wheel in place, so I took it off. For the nth time (where n is the number of times I've taken a wheel off) - I forgot to slacken off the brakes first, so when I hoiked the wheel it stopped when the tyre hit the brake blocks, as they do.

On this occasion, the brand new brake shoe fell apart - the shaft just snapped and I heard a tinkle of washers and conical adjusters scatter on the floor. It was like a wind chime.

My question is, is this a badly made brake block, or have I just been lucky not to have done if before because they're not designed to take load in the direction the wheel-pull applied it?

Image of the inside of the shaft (stop if @Fnaar) which doesn't look as 'metal-y' as I'd have imagined.

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[fossyant]

I think it was 'wazzed' up too tight, but I'd question any brake holder that's fako carbon, or even real carbon = cheap shoot.

 

[KneesUp]

Oh god the carbon is fake as. I think it’s paint. I just wanted black not silver!

 

[Cycleops]

Those brakes would make a Halfords Apollo bike look positively up market.

 

[fossyant]

Clarkes pads, not flash, just WORK.

 

[KneesUp]

Those brakes would make a Halfords Apollo bike look positively up market.

They’re not that bad! Obv they’re supposed to look flash for some reason, and they are not, because they are cheap brakes. I just wanted black carriers, and decathlon was convenient. I’ve had the ‘normal metal colour’ version on another bike for a few pad changes and they’ve been fine.

 

[I like Skol]

Zoom in and look at the fractured metal, it actually looks like some kind of styrofoam!
There's a reason why cheap shoot is cheap and you don't compromise on safety.
We have the same problem in the Landrover world. Parts are dead cheap, but if you go cheap you might end up dead! We call it bluebox roulette!

 

[Arrowfoot]

Decathlon states "carbon finish", no carbon. Its metal.

 

[Twilkes]

My mum's mate's mucky Muddyfox mech made my mudflaps melt.

 

[keithmac]

Clarkes pads, not flash, just WORK.

I use them on mine, got 4 pairs on the spares shelf. Never had a problem stopping in the wet or dry.

 

[Dogtrousers]

This has taken an early lead in the "thread title of the year" competition

 

[freiston]

That looks plain "wrong" to me - it looks like it's hollow filled with some sort of packing material. If it can shear when hit with the rim on wheel removal, what would stop it shearing on hard braking?