Bicycle Mechanics - Questions About Ceramic Rims & Brake Pads

What do ceramic-coated rims look like? How can I tell if I have them? Will using "regular" brake pads on a ceramic rim cause a squeal and will using a "ceramic" brake pad on a regular rim screw it up? When I sanded the braking surface on my MAVIC 521D SUP rim the dust was like a white powder. My rim has a satin dark gray finish with possibly some kind of clear coat over that. I'm the guy with the squealing front brake and I'm thinking that if I have a ceramic rim then I'm using the wrong pads.

If it is ceramic, it will almost surely say ceramic on it somewhere. They will be dark gray and not show brake wear other than maybe some dulling. Pads for ceramics are very hard to keep wear down. Using a pad for a ceramic rim on a regular rim shouldn't hurt anything it just might not stop as well.

Thanks Rev.Chuck. Are ceramic pads harder or softer than regular pads? Also, are ceramic pads more or less abrasive than regular?

The pads are harder. I don't think they are more abrasive, Abrasive pads are for regular rims used in the wet.
Most brake pads for ceramic rims are a flat green color.

Would using the ceramic (green) pads on a regular rim mess it up? I'm not sure if I have ceramic rims or not.

I don't think so, but they ae so hard that you might not get good braking.

I'm willing to sacrifice some braking power in return for some SILENCE!!! Right now, it's so easy for me to fly over the handle bars with the brake power I have. Will have to order "ceramic" pads fron the internet as LBS here don't stock these pads.

You know what you need? You need a fixed gear, hey, no brakes, no shift problems, no gear clatter, no deciding on what gear to use for this attack. You can also do cool, skipping rear wheel slides when you stop.
It is my job to convert all people to the way of the fixed.

Jim B,
Your LBS should be able to get those pads east enough. Tell them you want the Kool Stop ceramic pads. The primary difference in ceramic rims and pads is they resist heat.

Thanks for the advice. With what the LBS charges over here plus shipping I'd be better off just getting the ceramic pads from PerformanceBike or SuperGo. I'm going to give the pads a try and see (or rather, hear) what happens. And Reverend, no fixed gear for me.....I have a steep uphill to climb about a mile long to get home from work and I need the low-low to make it. If I had some devine intervention (like a 80 mph tailwind on demand) I'd think about it.

Let's see here. In the Pacific, a steep climb, a mile long. I think I saw your house in "Doctor No"