Best brakepads for alloy rims in wet conditions?

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kac
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by kac

Interested in more opinions on the Swiss Stop Green. I've used them for years on KinLin rims and haven't noticed any issues and I live in the Pacific NW (perpetually wet, even though I endeavor to avoid riding in the rain).

KAC

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RC856
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by RC856

I've used Swissstop greens for a while on my Campag Zondas and Shamal Ultras ...less miles though, and I haven't noticed rim wear. Happy with the braking.

Just got some BXP pads for my Shamals but they won't see the light of day until our Scottish weather improves!!

edmundo
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by edmundo

My two pence worth. Used Swissstop Greens for years on Shamal Ultras. I've got the famously bendy KCNC CB1s. Stopping was OK. I try to avoid riding in the wet, but when I did a horrible grinding noise started. This turned out to be bits of aluminium embedded in the pad. A few minutes of digging with a pin and a quick scrub with an abrasive pad would restore silent braking until the next time they got wet.

Fast forward four years. Read a post on here about somebody swapping to Halt Gooey Pads with good results. Decided to give them a go. Swapped out pads .... Hallelujah! Massively improved braking in the dry. They also work in the wet. No grinding noise! Recommended.
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eric
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by eric

Thanks. I've been waiting for some reviews of those pads. A pad that makes CB1s acceptable must be good!

How is pad life?

edmundo
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by edmundo

They've only been on for a few hundred miles I'm afraid, so can't tell. You can get them in fancy colours. I chose black ones because I'm boring.
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743power
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by 743power

The shimano R55C3 pad is really great in all conditions. Kool stop salmons are pretty good too. I would imagine the new Shimano R55C4 will be quite good when they are available.
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Liggero
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by Liggero

I decided to stick to shimano black standard pads, 10€ 2 pairs. Th rest are more expensive, or damage the rims.
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TonyM
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by TonyM

I am also looking for good (or the best) brake pads for aluminum rims in wet conditions (I am living in Canad in British Columbia with lots of rain...).

-What is the difference between the Shimano R55C3 and the R55C4?

I have just looked at the Swissstop and it seems that the best Swissstop brake pads for aluminum and wet conditions are the Siwssstop "FlashPro BXP" or "Flash EVO BXP":

http://www.swissstop.com/brakepads/rimb ... shpro/bxp/


http://www.swissstop.com/brakepads/rimb ... shevo/bxp/


I may try these.....

waltthizzney
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by waltthizzney

shimano ones eat into your brake tracks, never using those again, swiss stop orange ones are great, even if they dont last as long..

froze
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by froze

I like the Kool Stop Salmon pads the best for all around weather. I've used them for years and the don't wear out rims any faster than other pads, but they seem to stop better in dry which supposedly they're more for rain; and as a bonus they last about 3 times longer than any other pad. I tried the Dura Ace pads and they felt a bit mushy for my taste, poorer wet condition braking than the Kool Stops, and they wore out quick.

But probably the best wet weather pad is the Fibrax Wet Weather pad, which look a lot like the Kool Stops but supposedly they're better, but they may be really abrasive so I would only use them only in the rain just to be safe. I've never used these pads but a friend of mine who rides all year round does and loves them when things get wet, but he did tell me he takes them off and uses other pads when it's dry.

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Mockenrue
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by Mockenrue

Another vote for the Kool Stop Salmon.

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TonyM
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by TonyM

Looking at Koolstop salmon I see that they offer two versions, a regular "Dura-Type" and a version "Dura2" (for longer life, has a 7.65 mm contact width for narrow rims).
Which one do you use with which rim size??
(my rims have a size of 20mm outside...)

Sizzler
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by Sizzler

Kool Stop has dual and triple-compound pads. I've been using the triple (salmon, black and gray) for the last couple years on both my road and cross bike with good results. They wear faster than others but it's either the pad or your rims. I also live in the PNW with near daily rain.

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hmai18
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by hmai18

TonyM wrote:Looking at Koolstop salmon I see that they offer two versions, a regular "Dura-Type" and a version "Dura2" (for longer life, has a 7.65 mm contact width for narrow rims).
Which one do you use with which rim size??
(my rims have a size of 20mm outside...)


The contact width refers to the height of the brake track, not the width of the rim. If you have rims with narrow brake tracks, you'll want to get the Dura2s.

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mpulsiv
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by mpulsiv

TonyM wrote:Looking at Koolstop salmon I see that they offer two versions, a regular "Dura-Type" and a version "Dura2" (for longer life, has a 7.65 mm contact width for narrow rims).
Which one do you use with which rim size??
(my rims have a size of 20mm outside...)


Dura2 was designed for rims with narrow brake track (e.g. Pacenti). If you don't own Pacenti then get Dura-Type salmon pads. They are fantastic, soft compound (doesn't eat your rims), superior performance in wet/dry. I threw my Shimano Dura Ace pads in trash.
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