Carbon Wheels and brake pads, the real story?
 

Now that I actually have a set of carbon wheels I've become a bit more concerned with brake pads.

The consensus here on BF seems to be that if you have carbon wheels you *must* run cork pads, but BF-opinions are like a**holes, everybody has them and they all smell.

I understand the need to keep whatever brake pads you're running clean and free of debris whilst using carbon wheels, but will rubber pads (that are clean) actually damage carbon wheels?

The wrenches at the LBS where I work (just started this week, w00h00 Employee Purchase!) swear that using rubber pads is fine if you're ok with the "pulsing" action.

My Cat1 friend says that he rocked rubber pads all last season (he has Aeolus 6.5s) and just cleaned/sanded the pads when switching between aluminum and carbon wheels. But he also races every weekend, and this season he's rockin' cork pads.

So, is it *really* necessary that I get a pair of cork pads specifically for my carbon wheels, and change pads every time I change wheels? Can't I just run cork or rubber pads all season and sand/clean the pads anytime I switch to my carbon wheels (which is only when I race)?

I run the zipp pads that are good on either alum or carbon.. I havent had any issues in a little over a year of switching back and forth.. I just wipe off the pads when I make the change.. they have good bite on the carbon, fair on the alum.

http://www.all3sports.com/imageserve...ig/ZPPPADS.jpg

I'd rather not gamble with my silly-expensive wheels.

The coolstop yellows I'm running stop the bike with such ease that I'm happy to have these pads if for no other reason than their stopping powah.

-L

Leonard Zinn did an article on this subject on Velonews.com. Go search their site and he'll give you the scoop. Bottom line, run carbon specific pads. As for the Zipps going both ways, I won't run the pads I use on my al wheels on my carbon wheels due to the fact that they pick small pieces of al and can damage the carbon wheels. I bought some spare brake pad holders and just swap out the whole unit when I run the carbon wheels. This takes about 5 minutes and is worth just for the piece of mind, my carbon wheels weren't cheap!

Takes less than 1 minute to just switch the brake pad instead.....

I run SwissStop Yellow. The Zipp pads that I originally used lacked both grip and durability.

You can R&R all four of your brake pads in one minute? Man you are good. I find it easier to just remove the bolt and put in the new holder.

I have Reynolds wheels, and they say specifically to not use cork pads. I use SwissStop Yellow King Race 2000 pads, designed for Carbon wheels and they work great. I was swapping pads out for aluminum wheels, but now I just clean them when I put my carbons on.

Kool Stop carbon specific on most of mine, manufacturer provided in the other. None of them are cork. On the rear brakes I usually run the Kool Stop salmon/black combo pads, I like the decreased stopping power on the rear for better modulation.

Yeah..... wasnt trying to be a forum prick (this time). Have tried it both ways and find it easier to just switch just the pads. Def agree that its a big risk to run the same pads on both alum and carbon rims....

It depends on the brakes you have I guess. I have zero-g's and the pads are near impossible to change. I just got spare holders and swapped out the whole thing.

I think it depends on the carbon rims. The LBS owner I ride with often has a set of Bontrager carbon wheels and had their cork pads work well and last for a couple years.

Reynolds says only Kool-stop or Swissstop, nothing else. And when I tried the Koolstops they shredded during a single ride with no descents to speak of. A club-mate had a set of Reynolds rims delaminate and they asked him to send back the brake pads he was using in addition to the wheels, so it sounds like they take their pad recommendations seriously.

+1 Zipp pads

Expensive, but worth the $ if you're running carbon and aluminum braking surfaces. Just make sure after you use your training wheels that the pads are free from any metal debris -- even the slightest trace will gouge your precious carbon rims.

Funny story: I bought a pair of Reynolds Attacks last year through a club deal and they came with cork brake pads. I then read on their website that they would not honour damage/crash replacement if the rider had been using cork pads. :lol:

+1 I was running cork pads but switched to the SwissStop Yellow's. They have a little bit better braking power than the cork pads. They also say that they can be used with both carbon and aluuminium wheel's but I wouldn't risk it. If you do end up running them between 2 set's of wheels I would MAKE SURE they're clean and re-surface them with a bit of sandpaper.

with as expensive as the wheels are, I switch out the pads. Maybe not one minute, but certainly no more than three (it is exactly four turns for me and I never cinch the screw tightly...heck, campy doesn't even USE a screw, so they can't be THAT important unless you are often braking while going backwards).

I have used Kool Stop and Zipp, and I like them both...whatever I can get on sale. :)

This thread prompts me to mention that while I love my new Vuelta 50 mm tubulars (the group buy wheels), the pads included with them SUCK. They grab and chatter if you try to modulate them at all, and squeal (although the squealing comes and goes, weirdly). They look like cork to me (brown, fairly hard).

So boil this down for me: which Kool Stop pads work well in the wet, will modulate, and won't squeal?

With all the annoying noises I hear in packs with carbon rims and the bother of changing pads, I'm going to be a die hard fan of aluminum rims for years.

I have Reynolds carbon wheels.

For a few years I raced and sometimes trained on my tubulars without changing pads (Ultegra calipers with OEM Ultegra pads). When I started looking for some matching clinchers, I saw a lot of notes in descriptions re: "no brake pad wear". I checked my tubulars. Arg, brake pad wear. Luckily it was winter.

I got some clinchers and got some SwissStops (after reading CyclingNews's review on Reynolds before and after the SS pads).

If you have Campy pad holders, you use a small screwdriver, insert behind brake pad from rear, twist. Pad pops out. Slide new pad in, tap into place. Takes a couple minutes to do all four, including balancing the bike if you don't have a stand (you have to take the wheels off, sort of).

For the OP, since you work at a bike shop, the pads won't cost you too much. And you'll have a stand to use when you swap back and forth. I bet you can get the pad swap down to under 60 seconds :)

cdr

Same with Campy holders. When I had carbon wheels, I changed out the whole unit. A lot easier that way. Shimano holders are easier that you can slide the pads in and out but you may still have to adjust them anyway. I'd still just change out the whole unit.

As far as pads, I've tried Zipp and Kool Stop Carbon. They both work really well. I've also used standard rubber koolstop pads and they work too but a little more grabby (on/off). I've heard that Swiss Stop Yellow is also very good (but very expensive)

My cyclocross bike came with Aksiums and the Mavic fine print explicitly mentions no 'cross racing if you expect to have warranty coverage. I guess bike manufacturers just fudge the books or take a hit on any RA'd Aksium wheels from 'cross bikes? *shrugs*

expensive/ painful lessons only have to be taught once....

I thought you were done with all of this?



Thanks for all your input guys!