Improving braking

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BigAl68

Über Member
Location
Bath
Hi,

Just starting to put the bigger mileage in on my ken bird and I love riding it but descending scares me stupid. Living in Bath I don't have many little hills so I was wondering if changing the brake blocks would make much difference? The brakes are golden arrow and currently have standard shimano blocks. I see there are modern pads but mine are one piece block and pad. Can anyone recommend a new block that may give me a bit more confidence as I don't want to stop going up and back down hills.

Thanks

Alan
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
Try koolstop salmon pads always seem ok to me
 
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BigAl68

BigAl68

Über Member
Location
Bath
So I need to buy some shoes that can take the pads then @biggs682? I see you can buy campagnolo, weinman and mafac blocks by koolstop so I will see if I can get the shoes to match. I am sure there all pretty much similar and around 40mm, would this be correct?
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
I think a lot of it is down to where you have the levers set up. I just looked back at the pics and they are far too high up on the drops, I'd want a full 4 finger grip on those old brakes and there is no way you can get at them to do that.
 
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BigAl68

BigAl68

Über Member
Location
Bath
I am awaiting delivery, possibly tomorrow of a set of giro italia bars and a longer stem so I will see if they could go down a bit when I got them. Having to change as the sweep on the criterium bars aren't for me and the stem has always been too short.
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
@BigAl68 all the koolstops i have bought came with the backing plates
 
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BigAl68

BigAl68

Über Member
Location
Bath
OK I will do some Google searching in the morning. Hoping to get out early on the bike and see if I can do 50 miles or a 100km if I feel good. Did a 45miler today and need to start building up over the next few weekends looking to do a 100km every weekend on the steel otherwise I will never manage the 100 mile at Eroica.
 

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
I upgraded from old stock pads to salmon koolstops on my 1960s Mafac Racers, and was very pleased indeed with the imporvement. They are definitely the first upgrade I'd try. Otherwise I remember seeing an article somewhere (perhaps Sheldon Brown's site) about how to fit a small "bridge" over the caliper to stiffen things up and improve braking performance, which might also be worth a go?
 
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BigAl68

BigAl68

Über Member
Location
Bath
DSC_1291.JPG
I haven't tracked any better pads down locally but did spend the morning swapping over the criterium bars and short stem to the giros and 120mm one. I also dropped the levers a bit @raleighnut and I am off out into the easter sunshine for a gentle 30 miles.
 

midlife

Guru
Great bars the giro! Lots of positions to keep the hands, elbows and shoulders moving. Especially on the tops :smile:

I'd have them a little more tilted down so the bottom of the bars are horizontal with the road but that's just personal preference b:smile:

Have a good ride, very misty Cumbria way!

Shaun
 
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