Is there such thing as very bad v-Brake pads for bikes?

[itaa]

I'm not sure if this makes sense, however, my cheapo mtb has got just terrible rear brakes and I have no idea why, there is plenty of meat still left on the brake pads (mind you they are the age of the bike, at least 8years old and I doubt their sale value when new has ever been more than 50p)

I have changed the cables on the bike, adjusted the brakes at least 3x , there is a very very good pressure grab and action ,however they just barely stop you. The front brakes are fine and stop good.
Is this a thing or I have something else wrong?
I tried searching for replacement pads,however all I can find in the 55mm size I have are some very cheap poundshop quality ones,seems like the standard are 70mm? But I guess I need the 55mm size If I already have that,or is it possible to use larger size as well? Also what's a good brand I should be looking at?

 

[NickNick]

Have you had a look at the surface of the pads? With my cantilever brakes sometimes the pads glaze up, when you have a look at the surface its changed into a hard shiny surface and the breaking gets noticeably worse. Its easily resolved by giving it a rub down with some fine to medium grain sand paper until the glaze has cleared off. Its a long time since I've had a bike with v-brakes so not 100% sure if the same can happen to them but it might be worth a look.

Are the pads at the rear the same as those on the front? There is quite a difference in breaking power between really cheap pads and better quality ones, but if they are same front and back then the quality of the pad is probably not the issue.

Only other thing I can think of is you might have got grease or something like that on the rim surface. I managed to mistakenly get some wax on my rear rim last time I gave the bike a thorough clean which led to the rear brake barely working. Sorted it out by giving the rim/breaking surface a good wipe down with degreaser and rubbed down the pads a bit to get rid of any contamination on the pad surface.

 

[NickNick]

Forgot to add, you can use either 70mm or 55mm, the important thing is matching up the fitting/metal bit of the pad to your type of brake. As far as I am aware 70mm is the normal size for v-brakes so I would go with those and spend a couple of quid extra and get something better than pundshop ones.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

New pads are worth a try. You've said it's a cheap bike - how cheap? If it's got pressed steel brake arms, these can be quite hard to set up so they work well.

 

[XC26]

I'm not sure if this makes sense, however, my cheapo mtb has got just terrible rear brakes and I have no idea why, there is plenty of meat still left on the brake pads (mind you they are the age of the bike, at least 8years old and I doubt their sale value when new has ever been more than 50p)

I have changed the cables on the bike, adjusted the brakes at least 3x , there is a very very good pressure grab and action ,however they just barely stop you. The front brakes are fine and stop good.
Is this a thing or I have something else wrong?
I tried searching for replacement pads,however all I can find in the 55mm size I have are some very cheap poundshop quality ones,seems like the standard are 70mm? But I guess I need the 55mm size If I already have that,or is it possible to use larger size as well? Also what's a good brand I should be looking at?

My experience of V-brakes has been much the same on every bike I’ve had that was equipped with them. My commuter’s rear V-brake was so bad that I bought some really expensive pads that claimed to have really good grip. They did, so much so that they cut through the alloy rim in a matter of months. You can fit any length pad, as long as it physically fits. I prefer the shorter 55mm ones as they exert more pressure - though presumably they wear faster. Shop around for Clarks, they seem as good as most. Some folk rate the more pricey Kool Stop dual compound pads.

Other considerations are make sure your brake levers are V-brake compatible; cheaper levers and calipers can be spongy which can aborb the force you apply, reducing braking power.

Generally, the trouble with V-brakes, like all rim brakes, is the pads wear quickly, performance is impaired when wet and your soft alloy rim gets eaten. I eventually switched to drum brakes for my commuter as they perform consistently in all conditions, require very little maintenance, last for ages and don’t wear your rims. The brakes are hardly worn after 8 years of commuting - previously I was buying V-brake pads every couple of months and new rims about once every 2 years.

Finally, don’t rate brake pad life by distance travelled - it’s dependent on how much braking you do and the weather conditions, rather than the length of your commute.

 

[Lonestar]

Yes.I bought some brake pads from a foreign county a few years back and in the wet they failed.Although they were worn and a few other factors led to a low speed collision.

Crap cheap brake blocks oil on rim and new rim led to the incident of needing more distance to stop in the wet.

Never had a problem beforehand or since,since I ditched them.

 

[davidphilips]

Since its the back brake thats not great my first though has to be some oil or something on the brake pads or rim ? If you have the time you could clean the pads and try the pads round from the front to the rear to try and find the problem, but another thought have a look at the bike seat stays(frame where the brakes are mounted) to see if theres a lot of flex when the brake is applied i had a giant alloy mtb a few years ago and there was a lot of flex i fixed the problem with a brace from ebay (china) cost 99p and that included delivery.

 

[itaa]

My experience of V-brakes has been much the same on every bike I’ve had that was equipped with them. My commuter’s rear V-brake was so bad that I bought some really expensive pads that claimed to have really good grip. They did, so much so that they cut through the alloy rim in a matter of months. You can fit any length pad, as long as it physically fits. I prefer the shorter 55mm ones as they exert more pressure - though presumably they wear faster. Shop around for Clarks, they seem as good as most. Some folk rate the more pricey Kool Stop dual compound pads.

Other considerations are make sure your brake levers are V-brake compatible; cheaper levers and calipers can be spongy which can aborb the force you apply, reducing braking power.

Generally, the trouble with V-brakes, like all rim brakes, is the pads wear quickly, performance is impaired when wet and your soft alloy rim gets eaten. I eventually switched to drum brakes for my commuter as they perform consistently in all conditions, require very little maintenance, last for ages and don’t wear your rims. The brakes are hardly worn after 8 years of commuting - previously I was buying V-brake pads every couple of months and new rims about once every 2 years.

Finally, don’t rate brake pad life by distance travelled - it’s dependent on how much braking you do and the weather conditions, rather than the length of your commute.

Thanks Son for the Info, ordered some ''CLARKS ELITE TRIPLE CONTOUR brakes '' for £2.95 from fleabay
At that price, I think you can just stick a new pair on instead of faffing with the old ones if I have already wasted some time with them,
Wish my Car brake pads were £2.95 and some 10mins to fit

 

[itaa]

Got the Clarks pads, fitted in under 5mins and Hoooly FUUK! Stops on a dime now, I have to be careful not to engage them too much or I send my rear wheel drifting.
Awesome,changed my bike totally!