V brake cartridge pads

[Graham1]

Hi, can anyone recommend a decent set of replacement v brake cartridge pads that don't leave a horrible black gunge over the back wheel when it rains, I am currently using aztec pads and cartridges on deore brakes on mavic 319 rims, I got a puncture last week on my way home from work in the wet and my hands were black after fixing it.

 

[piedwagtail91]

i use fibrax from http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2965
they don't have them in stock at the moment though!
i don't know of any that don't leave a mess on the rims though.

 

[buddha]

Or some Salmon Kool Stop pads. Which are better for wet weather.

 

[ak88]

I've tried Aztecs, the Fribrax and the tectonic ones (3 different mini pads in the cartridge holder - need own cartridge hold for these buy in my ignorance I thought it was universal - a bit of tweaking with a stanley knife made them compatible), but the best I have tried are the Kool Stop salmon pads that most people recommend. They are the best I have tried and I think I will settle on these. Not that easy to find but I bought four pairs off fleabay for a very reasonable amount from the states.

 

[spandex]

Fibrax

 

[Graham1]

many thanks will the fibrax inserts fit the aztec cartridge holder?

 

[piedwagtail91]

many thanks will the fibrax inserts fit the aztec cartridge holder?

not sure, they fit shimano, if thats any help.

wiping the nuts /fixings over with an oily rag stops them rusting.

 

[campagman]

sorry for hijacking the thread but i have a question as I have been replacing my fibrax cartridge pads tonight. It was the first time that I have replaced the pads and struggled to pull out the split pin that helps to retain the pad. Anyway I chewed up one pin. I have put it back together minus pin in one pad do you think this will be ok? the direction of rotation of the wheel will be forcing the pad into the holder so I think it should be ok until I get hold of a pin (probably at York in 2 wks), but then I think if it was ok without a pin then why have them? Thanks for any advice/ experience of this.

 

[campagman]

I bought the cartridges last year and then bought some replacment pads at York from the Fribrax stand. Nobody mentioned pins when I bought the pads. The pads were loose in a box. Is it normal to fit new pins with new pads?

 

[piedwagtail91]

in the dark old days of the 70's we never had the pin or in some cases the small screw through the shoe to hold the pads in. you just pushed the pad in and made sure that the shoe was the right way round.( stopped off end at the front)
so i wouldn't have any worries about using it without a pin.
though in this day and age i will have to add that you do so at your own risk!

 

[mickle]

I ran without pins for a while, then stopped on an incline, let off the brakes a bit to shift backwards a few inches and my pads fell out the back of the brake.

 

[domtyler]

You wont ever get rid of the build up of black brake dust that builds up on your rims, this is mainly aluminium dust that is produced by the wearing effect of the blocks on your rims, combined with the brake block material and road grime.

The one and only solution is to regularly hose down the wheels, spray over with Muckoff and then wipe down with a clean cloth. This will prolong the life of your rims and blocks too.

 

[piedwagtail91]

I ran without pins for a while, then stopped on an incline, let off the brakes a bit to shift backwards a few inches and my pads fell out the back of the brake.

yours must be a lot slacker fit than mine.i have to get the old blocks/pads out using a vice and pliers then gently tap the new ones in with a spanner or hammer.

 

[mickle]

yours must be a lot slacker fit than mine.i have to get the old blocks/pads out using a vice and pliers then gently tap the new ones in with a spanner or hammer.

They were a bugger to get in but happy to fall out. Avid Ceramic pads in Avid Ultimate shoes.

 

[theclaud]

Another enthusiastic vote for Kool Stops. The salmon ones are officially for wet weather, as Buddha notes, but they are in fact good for all weather (or at least all Welsh weather), and you can also get combo salmon/black ones for all conditions. They last ages, don't knacker your rims as badly as any others I've tried, and most importantly have amazing stopping power. Not cheap tho - if anyone can beat dotbike.com's price, I would love to know...