Claud butler criterium

[Kayjay]

Hi, I have a claud butler criterium, which suits my needs, however before I bought it, the reviews said brakes were inferior.well now I am fitter I have found them virtually useless. How can I improve them, because they are actually dangerous?

 

[Drago]

New cables, new pads/blocks. Koolstop are quite popular.

 

[DCLane]

+1 to Drago's comment.

Or change the brake calipers for better ones as well as the pads. What type are they?

 

[biggs682]

Depending on how old a Criterium it is the could be early exage units , if so they could easily be replaced with some more modern dual action calipers

 

[Cycleops]

I'm afraid its not the old Criterium we know and love but a cheap chinese made budget model with mostly poor components.
You will certainly get an improvement from replacing the pads but you'll get a better result with a decent better designed pair for anything from fifty to eighty quid.