|   v-brake pads...how different are they? | mastafa
Jan 15, 2004 6:53 PM | | how big of a difference can new pads make in my bikes braking performance? Right now I have a relatively stock 2003 specialized epic.
Thanks for the 2 cents. |
| In my experience.... | Ryan C.
Jan 16, 2004 1:46 PM | | not a ton of difference. I've used condition specific pads, like the salmon-colored Kool-Stops (wet conditions). I got more life out of those pads then a set of black shimanos. That's basically what it came down to, more pad life. Not much difference in power. To increase power (or rather the leverage) you could try better levers if you don't already have some. Avid Speed Dial's are a favorite among cable users on this board because they have tool-free leverage adjustment. Increasing the leverage will effectively give you more "power" while increasing the distance the lever travels before engagement and giving the brakes a mushier feel. A mushy feel isn't all bad. It's actually what you usually want with rim brakes (not a lot of "power" is wasted in frame/fork flex before you start to lock up the wheels). To minimize the mushy feel, you can add a bolt on brake-booster, which are usually made of carbon or aluminum and resist this flex, giving a firmer feel with higher leverage. Other than that, there isn't much else you can do if you want power comparable to say, a disc system in all conditions. Rim brakes do fine until its starts to get muddy and wet, or after a prolonged downhill that can cause the softer pads to fade more quickly.
-Ryan |
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