Cartridge brake pads - beware!

[Shut Up Legs]

Cheap and nasty ones, perhaps! The Campagnolo brake cartridges on my Basso are 14 years old and have been ridden in all weather conditions for tens of thousands of miles and still look immaculate.

Same here, my brake cartridges are as brand new, after long distances cycled using them.

you must of fitted them wrong way round .

That's not even possible with my brakes, because there's only a notch in the brake pads near one end.

 

[ColinJ]

How can I convince you all that I do have a CQ (Cycling Quotient) above 44?

The pads were the ones that came with the cartridges. I didn't pick them under separate cover. Who can say how it came to pass but I was either thick in a high-CQ manner or it was no fault of mine. But it wasn't just a stupid mistake on my part!!

Perhaps the manufacturer supplied the wrong ones?

I'm just saying that mine are hard to get in and hard to get out. There is no way that they would just fall out.

 

[User6179]

Same here, my brake cartridges are as brand new, after long distances cycled using them.

That's not even possible with my brakes, because there's only a notch in the brake pads near one end.

I don't mean the pads in the holder , I mean fitting holder wrong way on caliper once the pads are in it , they are one directional , fit the wrong way with screw out and the pads will shoot off under braking, fitted correctly you could run with screw out no problem on most types.

 

[Amanda P]

How can I convince you all that I do have a CQ (Cycling Quotient) above 44?

The pads were the ones that came with the cartridges. I didn't pick them under separate cover. Who can say how it came to pass but I was either thick in a high-CQ manner or it was no fault of mine. But it wasn't just a stupid mistake on my part!!

Relax, Cyclist33. I've also bought cartridge pads that were a loose fit in the cartridges they came with. V-brake geometry being what it is, the face of the pad doesn't always wear squarely. If you remove and refit a wheel, especially a rear, and it's not exactly where it was before, the slight mis-match between the angles of the rim and the angle at which the pad approaches it can mean that there's enough force under braking to push the pad out of the cartridge - not forwards against the closed end of the shoe, but sideways. If it's a loose fit, it could pop out.

This could also happen with cantis, but would be unlikely, I think, with dual pivots or side pulls.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

@classic33 I'm asking a question based on a mistake I made with fibrax slide in & cotter pin ones (I'm not doubting your intelligence) were they properly located into the runners on top & bottom? I managed to half miss one of the runners replacing a set once & only spotted it was wrong on my last check over before test riding. It was a bit grippy but I could pull it out by hand. I guess it'd have stayed in place for a bit when in use but not permanantly.

 

[User6179]

How can I convince you all that I do have a CQ (Cycling Quotient) above 44?

The pads were the ones that came with the cartridges. I didn't pick them under separate cover. Who can say how it came to pass but I was either thick in a high-CQ manner or it was no fault of mine. But it wasn't just a stupid mistake on my part!!

Admit your mistake and move on





Only joking

 

[User6179]

Relax, Cyclist33. I've also bought cartridge pads that were a loose fit in the cartridges they came with. V-brake geometry being what it is, the face of the pad doesn't always wear squarely. If you remove and refit a wheel, especially a rear, and it's not exactly where it was before, the slight mis-match between the angles of the rim and the angle at which the pad approaches it can mean that there's enough force under braking to push the pad out of the cartridge - not forwards against the closed end of the shoe, but sideways. If it's a loose fit, it could pop out.

This could also happen with cantis, but would be unlikely, I think, with dual pivots or side pulls.

Possible , put a wider rim on and pads can catch the tyre when braking .

 

[classic33]

Did you mean @Cyclist33 ?

@[B]classic33[/B] I'm asking a question based on a mistake I made with fibrax slide in & cotter pin ones (I'm not doubting your intelligence) were they properly located into the runners on top & bottom? I managed to half miss one of the runners replacing a set once & only spotted it was wrong on my last check over before test riding. It was a bit grippy but I could pull it out by hand. I guess it'd have stayed in place for a bit when in use but not permanantly.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

@classic33, I did mean cyclist33, apologies I saw the 33 and thought of you.

 

[classic33]

@classic33, I did mean cyclist33, apologies I saw the 33 and thought of you.

Your not the first & I doubt you'll be the last to do it.

 

[andrew_s]

you must of fitted them wrong way round

I didn't. The pad still fell out.

It can happen.
I've done it when I used the brake to stop the bike when I wheeled it backwards with heavy panniers on. I noticed at the time and learnt the lesson.

 

[ColinJ]

It can happen.
I've done it when I used the brake to stop the bike when I wheeled it backwards with heavy panniers on. I noticed at the time and learnt the lesson.

That's an interesting point! I never thought about using the brakes to hold position on a steep climb, but that would be a potential problem. I wouldn't normally do that, but I know a few steep approaches to junctions where I might.

 

[Dangermouse]

Hmph!

Cycling down to the shops this evening, along a short cobbled street, heard a sound like a tube popping, so pulled up a few yards later, checked tyres, no probs, carried on to shops, when I got to car park and braked, the rear lever had a LOT of give in it and I realised there was almost no braking at the back.

I got off and checked and the pad had disappeared from the cartridge - twas this that I heard dislodging and hitting the street earlier. Turns out the little screw holding the pad in the cartridge must've worked loose and dropped out.

As it was nearly dark I opted not to go looking for a 5mm long screw on a cobbled street, so there's another item for the bike stuff shopping list!

But a timely reminder perhaps to check screws are snugly fitted on these vital bike parts, especially on the greasy winter roads this time of year.

Stu

I have a full set in polished alloy if you need em, no brake rubbers though

 

[crazyjoe101]

I've just swapped the front ones around as they were in the wrong way (amongst other chores). I was looking at the bike and thought "the front and back pads are facing opposite directions... one of them's wrong." The crews, however, appear to be holding tight, I definitely don't grease those ones.