New road bike brakes. Any ideas?

[jay clock]

I have a Trek 1.2 which I use as a winter road bike. The ONLY bad point is the brakes - ok with new pads and immaculately clean rims and pads, but not at all good after that.

The changers are 2200 Shimano (triple) with a Sora rear mech, so low level

Presumably there are three things that could affect the braking

1) brake levers - far too expensive to replace
2) brake pads - already done a couple of times
3) brakes themselves.

Am I right in assuming that upgrading the brake caliper units it will improve things? They are silver coloured no name ones at present. If so what does anyone recommend as good value (the bike was £400 new so I am not looking at adding Dura Ace!)

 

[jay clock]

just looked them up - the no-name brakes on there are Promax RC459- which when I google I only find as listed on very cheap bikes!

 

[gkerr4]

new calipers will make a big difference - as will an upgrade to the pads themselves - I love the Koolstop 'salmon' pads - they made braking much stronger on all my bikes and don't pick up aluminium swarf which will wear your rims away.

you can get a pair of tiagra calipers quite cheap these days - £32 from ribble (sora are £20!) these with the koolstops will give you brakes which are about as good as it gets from dual pivot calipers.

 

[PpPete]

I've some spare Tiagra calipers you can borrow if you want to try them out. Bit scruffy, bought them on fleabay a while ago, but turned out to be too short a drop for the current project.

 

[jay clock]

thanks for the kind offer. Do you want to sell them?

 

[PpPete]

Not actively trying to sell them as I've possibly a use for them - eventually, next project after the current one, but it will be many months before I get to that one, hence suggestion you could borrow for a while.

OTH if you want to make me an offer....