Brake pads/blocks
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Frannybobs
Posts: 741 Member
Hi all
I love my road bike, Giant Avail 1, that I got a few months ago...however the braking isn't solid enough for me. I want to know that when I'm going down a hill at 35mph and the traffic suddenly slows that I ain't flinging 175lb worth of person over the handlebars onto the car roof in front!! It had a service which has sharpened it up a little, but the brake blocks just don't grip enough for me.
They are currently Tektro TK-R540....any recommendations for better ones? I should be able to fit them myself....I think - have a manual and tablet with YouTube, will maintain :laugh:
All advice and recommendations very welcome!
Cheers,
Fran
I love my road bike, Giant Avail 1, that I got a few months ago...however the braking isn't solid enough for me. I want to know that when I'm going down a hill at 35mph and the traffic suddenly slows that I ain't flinging 175lb worth of person over the handlebars onto the car roof in front!! It had a service which has sharpened it up a little, but the brake blocks just don't grip enough for me.
They are currently Tektro TK-R540....any recommendations for better ones? I should be able to fit them myself....I think - have a manual and tablet with YouTube, will maintain :laugh:
All advice and recommendations very welcome!
Cheers,
Fran
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Replies
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I use Kool Stops (Black): http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kool-stop-dura-aceultegra105-pair-of-cartridge-inserts/
Don't forget, if you're a British Cycling member, you can get 12% off with Wiggle!
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Can't remember, but if the brake pads are a metal carrier, then a rubber block held in with a screw at one end, I've got a set of pads you can collect on Sunday, and try and see if that sharpens things up... If it does, get some good quality pads like the ultegra/dura ace or Swiss-stop ones...0
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Thanks for that - just seen them on Wiggle and a great price, especially with the British Cycling discount :-)
Being thick (I know) I guess I need to work out if it's a whole brake pad or cartridge inserts I need....d'oh!0 -
Yeah I think they are a rubber block just with a screw, TBY, you answered my question before I'd even asked it! That'd be great as long as you're sure you don't mind??? Sounds like a good plan to try before I buy :laugh: You guys are good to me
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they're carrier and pad ones... some of the real crappy cheap ones are actually just a block of rubber with a bolt moulded into 'em.
I've got a pair of nearly new pads that should fit, remind me on Sunday and I'll give you 'em
(they're bright Blue, and my OCD flared up every time I looked down and saw 'em... so I had to buy some others instead!)0 -
Them's the badgers!! That'd be great, as long as you're sure you don't mind? I'll wing them back to you when I've tried them and got my own replacements if it fixed the problem :happy:0
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no need to return 'em - they're part-worn, and so hideous looking I can't bear to have 'em on the bike, but they MAY help you find if they are what you need or not...
And it's not Instagram mucking with the colours, they REALLY are that awful...
Dead easy to fit, just loosen the small allen-bolt on the carrier body until you can slide the pad out of the open end of the carrier, slide the new one in, and tighten bolt again. 5 minute job - 3 of which is probably finding the right sized allen key...
(ok, they're taped to the frame of the Turbo, so I don't forget to hand 'em over... Things I have to do to cope with the bad memory that old age brings to the party!)0 -
Oooo... VERY blue :huh: :laugh:0 -
They were SUPPOSED to be a dark blue (that'd match the colour of the PX frame) but some little irish chap at CRC picked the wrong shade, and as I'd worn the originals to a shred, I HAD to stick these on or miss out on a ride or two - so I fitted them, and ordered some Dura-Ace one's from Merlin.
these - http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/road-parts/road-brakes/road-brake-pads/shimano-dura-ace-replacement-brake-cartridges-for-alloy-rim-r55c3-pair.html0 -
no need to return 'em - they're part-worn, and so hideous looking I can't bear to have 'em on the bike, but they MAY help you find if they are what you need or not...
And it's not Instagram mucking with the colours, they REALLY are that awful...
Dead easy to fit, just loosen the small allen-bolt on the carrier body until you can slide the pad out of the open end of the carrier, slide the new one in, and tighten bolt again. 5 minute job - 3 of which is probably finding the right sized allen key...
(ok, they're taped to the frame of the Turbo, so I don't forget to hand 'em over... Things I have to do to cope with the bad memory that old age brings to the party!)
That's great, thanks for that! Yeah think I can cope with changing cartridges from your description !! :-)
I've seen good reviews for the Swisstop Green Pro pads on Wiggle, so if these do improve things I may order some of those, they're pricey but have excellent reviews and I need a bit more confidence as at the moment I'm a bit nervy when getting any speed up in traffic in case I have to brake quickly!0 -
That blue :noway: :noway:
Trust you will love the new brake pads, Fran!0 -
That blue :noway: :noway:
Trust you will love the new brake pads, Fran!
Shocking aren't they... they're actually pretty good pads from a stopping point of view, albeit a bit soft compound, so they wore pretty quickly, but the colour was just unbearable - I couldn't even stand to have 'em on the back brake, out of sight, because every time I got the bike "off the rack" I spotted 'em and got a shiver :noway: :noway: :noway:0
