Brake blocks

[bpsmith]

Personally I cannot help but be a bit doubtful about some expensive pads supposedly vastly superior performance.

I check/clean my pads and rims pretty regularly.

Everything stops well enough for me.

Bye the by, I also suspect that with some brands, despite online theorising about the different performance of different colours, with some at least they are pretty much the same. But different colours.

I tend to favour black.

I had a brand new set of Ultegra pads on my new bike recently. Braking was ok, but the best way I could describe them was that they felt sticky and modulation was therefore trickier with them. Swapped to the Swissstop BXP and even better braking performance and no stickiness to them. Great for feathering the brakes and gradually applying more pressure where needed, without locking the wheels up.

With respect to the colour, I could care less, but the attributes definitely hold true.

Edit: In terms of cost, the Shimano ones are £11.99 a set online, with discount. I got the Swissstop BXP in the 10% off flash sale at Halfords. 10% BC discount when collecting and a further 8% off by using a gift card scheme via work. Therefore paid £14.15 for the set. I don’t think that’s expensive tbh.

 

[Blue Hills]

is a set 2 or 4?

tho you do seem to have used multiple "clever" discounts.
can't remember how much mine cost - will try to check.

Must admit I tend to think they are bits of "rubber" which you just need to keep an eye on.

 

[bpsmith]

is a set 2 or 4?

A set is 4. 2 is a pair.

 

[bpsmith]

tho you do seem to have used multiple "clever" discounts.
can't remember how much mine cost - will try to check.

Must admit I tend to think they are bits of "rubber" which you just need to keep an eye on.

What’s wrong with being “clever” with spending?

My employer is “clever” about what they pay me and the shops are “clever” about how they profit from my purchases.

 

[Blue Hills]

Just checked

I got

20 V brake pads about £5.75 including postage.

sometime late last year.

Braking fine so far.

 

[bpsmith]

Just checked

I got

20 V brake pads about £5.75 including postage.

sometime late last year.

Braking fine so far.

Aren't V brake pads cheaper than dual pivot type usually?

At £1.15 a set, that sounds extremely cheap tbh. Will your rims last long I do wonder though?

If you’re happy, then that’s all that matters. I am not trying to convince you otherwise, just stating my experience of the Swissstop.

 

[BianchiVirgin]

I found the Swisstop too soft and wore out too fast. Great for rims but not for my wallet so I switched back to Koolstops ;-)

I prefer to stop rather than get too worried about the wallet in this instance!

 

[bpsmith]

I prefer to stop rather than get too worried about the wallet in this instance!

Always a bonus with brakes.

Or perhaps @HLaB puts his wallet between wheel and frame when he really needs to stop.

 

[HLaB]

I prefer to stop rather than get too worried about the wallet in this instance!

Perhaps that was the wrong choice of words, its not really a wallet issue with Koolstops as they stop equally as good as swisstop just more maintenance friendly or lack of maintenance friendly. Good luck with your Swisstop, they will stop you and are a lot cleaner than shimano

 

[Blue Hills]

Aren't V brake pads cheaper than dual pivot type usually?

At £1.15 a set, that sounds extremely cheap tbh. Will your rims last long I do wonder though?

If you’re happy, then that’s all that matters. I am not trying to convince you otherwise, just stating my experience of the Swissstop.

Rims are fine and dandy as far as I can see. Pads made by folks who have been making them for donkeys' years. I'd like to standardise all my bikes on v brakes - simple, effective.no set up complications.

I use more expensive pads for the expedition bike as that often carries an absolute ton of stuff and I like the pads to last longer, saves faff.

 

[slowmotion]

Get some bog standard Clark ones. I pissed away £18 on Koolstops once and thought they were absolute rubbish. Never again.

 

[Blue Hills]

To clarify, slowmotion, how many pads/sets was that for?

 

[slowmotion]

To clarify, slowmotion, how many pads/sets was that for?

Four.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kool-stop-d...95uk&pgrid=17507338382&ptaid=pla-121245541022

 

[hoopdriver]

Get some bog standard Clark ones. I pissed away £18 on Koolstops once and thought they were absolute rubbish. Never again.

That is a very unusual statement. I have used Koolstops (salmon) for years on my tourers in all sorts of weather, hills and a lot of winter riding and found that they perform superbly and reliably and wear quite well. Most other tourers I know also use Koolstops - or Swisstop, although these tend to be more expensive and perhaps not quite as long wearing. I have never heard of anyone having any troubles with Koolstops, let alone dismissing them as "absolute rubbish".

 

[slowmotion]

That is a very unusual statement. I have used Koolstops (salmon) for years on my tourers in all sorts of weather, hills and a lot of winter riding and found that they perform superbly and reliably and wear quite well. Most other tourers I know also use Koolstops - or Swisstop, although these tend to be more expensive and perhaps not quite as long wearing. I have never heard of anyone having any troubles with Koolstops, let alone dismissing them as "absolute rubbish".

Let me re-phrase it then. I was totally under-awed. Anyway, I'm glad you like them.