Touring - Are Sora brakes just crap or somehting else?

I've noticeed a HUGE difference in braking performance between my Fuji Roubaix, equipped with 105 brakes, and my Ridgeback audax which comes full Sora components including brakes. The braking with the Sora kit is appauling no matter how much I tighten and adjust, it seems to take huge pressure and an age to stop. The 105's seem much much better...they grip instantly and apply a much greater braking force to the rims. I can stop with barely an effort with them.

My question is, should I expect this sort of performance difference just because of the component quality? I know allot of folks here would dispute the difference in quality between group-sets but my experience seems to contradict this.

It is possible that it is the brake pads. More likely though you should first try to very lightly sand the Sora pads and then use some steel wool on the rim braking surfaces.

Also check the brake toe-in since the usual cause of poor braking that isn't attributable to the surface layer on the brake pad is WAY too much toe in that only allows a small percentage of the pads to strike the rim.

well the brake pads on the sora's have alreay been replaced and adjusted several times, so can't be the pads. i also swapped to the same pads as i use on the 105 brakes to see if that improved matters...nope.

i'm coming to the conclusion that there's a real discernable diff in braking performance from sora -> 105 groupset.

I have SORA brakes with Sora brifters on an old Giant Kronos frame. Grab a handful of brake and the result can be nose over the bars on a good road lol.
I also have a new ride with all 105. they are every bit as good and they look better too.

I'm wondering if the levers aren't the right ones for the sora brakes?

My sora brakes are AWFUL on my Trek 1000. But I am certain that it is the pads. The things sound like they are made out of paper. I'll be replacing them soon. On the upside, they are sort of like antilock brakes so you don't have to worry about locking them up.

well i'm really puzzled by the performance difference. i thought it could also be the rims but i've changed wheelset on the ridgeback recently and still get same crappy braking performance.

the shifters, brake levers and shoes are all Sora.