Poor braking

[chillyuk]

The braking on my 90's Raleigh roadbike is abysmal and a close call yesterday has emphasised the need to do something about it. I have new wheels, new cables and housings, and new unbranded blocks from a carshop that also doubles as a LBS. The side pull brake calipers are Raleigh branded. For what good the brakes are I might as well have blocks of wood in the caliper because that is what it feels like when I brake. There seems to be an enormous range of blocks (stud and nut fitting) and a range of prices from cheap to rip-off. Can anyone recommend decent brake blocks at a sensible price, preferably from experience. Also £50 a caliper isn't an option. Thanks for any help.

 

[Herzog]

Before you get more expensive blocks, it may be worth roughing up the existing ones with some sand paper.

 

[BSRU]

I'd recommend KoolStops.

 

[Kestevan]

+1 on the Koolstops.

But I've recently fitted some of these
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=45697

And they seem almost as good as the Koolstops, and about 1/2 the price.... time will tell how well they last, but they're looking Ok at the moment

 

[YahudaMoon]

Koolstops

 

[chillyuk]

thank you all. Looks like Koolstops are the ones to try. No point asking advice and not taking it! Most of the Koolstops I have seen come with domed washers for alignment. Would I need to use these with normal calipers. My existing blocks just butt up to the brake arms and are secured by a flat washer and nut?

 

[BSRU]

thank you all. Looks like Koolstops are the ones to try. No point asking advice and not taking it! Most of the Koolstops I have seen come with domed washers for alignment. Would I need to use these with normal calipers. My existing blocks just butt up to the brake arms and are secured by a flat washer and nut?

Finding the right one's can be a pain, you can buy flat washer versions as well as domed washer one's. My hybrid has domed washers and my road bike has flat washers. I would assume that the washer type stays the same as it did on both my bikes when I replaced the pads, but remember "assumption is the mother of all f*** ups"

 

[chris-s]

As an alternative to the Koolstops, I recently replaced the standard pads on my Bianchi with Clarks Gold Road Triple from SJS, boy are they good and about half the price plus a spare set of pads too.

Chris