Disk brakes on a folding bike

[yoho oy]

Since you know a thing or two about different brake pads for Brompton, did you had experience with Halt Gooey, Fibrax? What advantages or disadvantages do they offer?
As from my experience 2021 Brompton rim brakes are very powerful. Most of the times I tend to not to squeeze the levers all the way or use different power on front and rear. I am not sure what pads were standard on 2021 nonelectric models.

 

[berlinonaut]

The electric uses Swisstop Blue, the non-electric $something Fibrax. Typically, the softer the pads are the better they break but also the quicker they wear. Personally, if the current brake power is sufficient for your needs, I wouldn't bother to change anything. When the pads are worn and it's time for a change just avoid cheap no-name pads and if you are willing to spend an extra quid going for Koolstop salmon or Swissstop Blue doesn't hurt and does not really harm from a price perspective.
As if I remember correctly you do have an A-Line there's also potential in the levers - the A line is I think still equipped with the older style pre-2013 levers.

 

[yoho oy]

No, my bike model is M6L. I am pretty happy with my brakes. So basically I would like to get the same when the time for replacement comes. I don't feel the need for MORE braking power. I am pretty heavy, don't drive when it rains or on ice/snow so current brakes are really fine. Also I wouldn't mind changing brake pads more often, and preserve rims for longer.

 

[u_i]

Are Swiss Stop pads indeed good? I am aware of their fame, but the couple times I put their pads on a full size bike, their performance was very clearly inferior to KoolStop salmon, so I gave up on using up. However, there may be variation between different compounds used, just like for KoolStop. I think my Swiss Stop were dark green (GHP2 in my record).

 

[berlinonaut]

Don't have personal experience with them yet and happy with Coolstop salmons (or generic black ones) as well for the time being. But I heard a lot of positive from other users regarding the blue ones. https://www.swissstop.com/tech/compounds/bxp/
Also, they seem not to have any green (any more?) in their lineup of brake pads: https://www.swissstop.com/brakepads/rimbrakes/
I remember a test of brakepads on the Brompton from someone in a relative scientific way a couple of years ago. Possibly from Italy. But I do neither remember where I found it back then nor what exactly the outcomes were. But I think they had SwissStop green included in their test lineup.

 

[Kell]

I've used Swissstop sine my OEM pads wore out. The OEM ones didn't fill me with confidence with their performance and wore out very quickly (in around 6 months IIRC) - the worst possible combo.

So, back in early 2016, I made the switch as the Swissstop were highly recommended at that time. I think I'm using blue (I wouldn't swear to it without checking) - it was whatever was recommended for wet performance.

While Berlinonaut has never suffered brake problems, I think the Brompton is truly dreadful in the wet. Perhaps it's the small wheel shedding less water by the time the rim comes back up to the pads. Maybe it's my weight. Maybe it's a combo of the two. I'm not sure, but I know I'm very wary of it now as I got caught out once and almost ran into the back of a car as my brakes were non-existent in a sudden downpour.

One thing I do remember is that last time I ordered, I ended up with loads. As they only show two pads in the images, I thought I'd only get two. But each set is 4 pads. I think I ordered two sets to fit right away and another set to keep in the drawer.

So I ended up with 12.

 

[Kell]

Different culture. More direct.

TBH - this ^^^^

I know I've found some of Berlinonaut's posts over the years a little ...brusque.

But then I put it down to a) Being German and b) making the effort to reply in a second language.

As far as I'm concerned, hats off for even bothering. And please continue to do so.

 

[tinywheels]

reflecting on this thread,I wish we could all agree we have different opinions.
I feel all concerned have valid points, so let's move on.
We are all part of the same cycling family.
Now who said brompton brakes are crap in the wet?

 

[rogerzilla]

TBH - this ^^^^

I know I've found some of Berlinonaut's posts over the years a little ...brusque.

But then I put it down to a) Being German and b) making the effort to reply in a second language.

As far as I'm concerned, hats off for even bothering. And please continue to do so.

We British have a very roundabout way of saying things. A British person would ask, "Could you please give me the salt?". Most other Europeans would say, "Please give me the salt." Americans would probably ask, "Can I get the salt?" which makes no sense at all but has been popularised by Friends!

 

[Kell]

I was in Cuba recently and was chatting with our Air B&B host.

When you say thank you to a Spanish speaker, they will normally reply "de nada" (it's nothing). Which to my British ears is actually fairly dismissive when you think about it.

Whereas he was asking if it's rude to say "You're welcome" as he felt it was. I couldn't get my head around why. To me, "you're welcome" makes more sense. The customer acknowledges that a service has been provided, the server acknowledges the thank you. In Spanish I think the server's response is a bit throwaway. Almost like, I was doing it anyway, I wasn't doing it specifically for you.

 

[ExBrit]

We British have a very roundabout way of saying things. A British person would ask, "Could you please give me the salt?". Most other Europeans would say, "Please give me the salt." Americans would probably ask, "Can I get the salt?" which makes no sense at all but has been popularised by Friends!

As a Brit living in California since 1984 I agree. It still riles me to hear someone ordering in a restaurant with "I want a BLT". When I order with "May I have a BLT?" it makes the waitress smile, but I think they like it.

In English, like most languages, there are 20 ways to say the same thing each with it's own implications of deference, social class, arrogance, etc. It's impressive that Berlinonaut can make himself understood. I wouldn't dream of trying to post on a German language group, even though I speak a little. I wonder how many people I accidently offended while I lived in Hamburg.

OK, OK singing "Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles" was unforgivable. But I was drunk.

 

[mitchibob]

Now who said brompton brakes are crap in the wet?

I didn't say it, but was thinking it recently, but it was really down to just needing new rims and pads. My experience of Brompton brakes has been a lot better than any of the bikes I had in my youth. The best thing is to not try a bike with disc brakes, and you'll never miss them ;-)

Wonder why didn't sturmey archer also create a drum brake option hub, just for a little extra weight? ;-)

 

[tinywheels]

Discs,are of interest to me, but I can survive with the std brakes for now.Its only whilst speeding downhill I wish for better.
Maybe by 2030 Brompton will have caught up
I'll leave it at that,in case I wake a certain teutonic cyclst

 

[ExBrit]

I have never felt my rim brakes were a problem. I'm 100kg and if they can stop me they can stop anyone. I know how they work, I can adjust them, I can bodge them if a spoke breaks. I don't know enough about disc brakes to adjust them mid ride and I certainly can't bodge them if I crash and damage the rotor. I've always felt disc brakes are a solution in search of a problem.

I'm militant old-school, I suspect.

Does anyone here remember physics classes in high-school? (Anyone remember high-school at all?)
Question: Do small wheels provide an advantage/disadvantage/no effect on rim braking effectiveness?

 

[u_i]

Does anyone here remember physics classes in high-school? (Anyone remember high-school at all?)
Question: Do small wheels provide an advantage/disadvantage/no effect on rim braking effectiveness?

Smaller rims heat up more as any location on the rim is more often operated on by the brake.