Bicycle Mechanics - Replacing brake pads

I find that I've ridden so much over the past two years that my brake pads are worn down. I want/need new ones. I have a pair of 2005-ish Xenon caliper brakes. What should I get?

Here's the Probikekit page: Brakes & Spare Pads (http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?cat=Brakes%20%26%20Spare%20Pads). Here are what appear to be my options:

EDIT: Options 1 and 2 are not applicable because Xenon brakes don't have shoes, they only have the pads into which the bolts are screwed.
1. Campagnolo BR-RE600 Caliper Brake Pads for pre 2000 Chorus, Record and Athena
http://www.probikekit.com/_img_100x128/L0011.jpg
Call me a complete doofus, but, erm, does this mean these inserts wouldn't fit into my brake pads?


2. Campagnolo Record/Chorus/Centaur Cartridge Brake Pads
http://www.probikekit.com/_img_100x128/l1047.jpg
Would these inserts work?


3. PBK Campagnolo Cartridge Brake Set (for pre 2004 Campag)
http://www.probikekit.com/_img_100x128/A0063.jpg
Yeah, I'm probably clueless, but will this not work with my Xenon brakes?


4. PBK Campagnolo Replacement Cartridge Brake Set for "2007 skeleton calipers and post 2005 Record and Chorus calipers"
http://www.probikekit.com/_img_100x128/A0062.jpg
What about these?

I like the idea of just replacing the rubber. How do you do that? Do you have to pry the old ones out and then glue the new ones in?

I find that I've ridden so much over the past two years that my brake pads are worn down. I want/need new ones. ....I like the idea of just replacing the rubber. How do you do that? Do you have to pry the old ones out and then glue the new ones in?

If you want to only replace the rubber you need to have brake pads that allows you to do that. If you can see a small pin at the rear end of the pad when looking at it from the top, then the rubber is replaceable. Pull the pin and the rubber can be slid out backwards. There's no glueing, but some prying may be required.

Having looked more closely at my brake pads (I wrote my original post without doing that), it turns out that their construction are simply of the rubber variety without any chrome/metal mounts. So replaceable inserts wouldn't work, anyway.

My next question would be regarding options 3 and 4 above: Wouldn't they both tend to work with Xenon/Mirage brakes circa 2005 or 2006, in spite of the fact that option 3 is indicated as for "pre 2004" only?

There are two types of brake shoes: threaded and unthreaded. The latter might also be called "rod" brake shoes or something. I can't remember. So if you use the threaded type, you can use anything.

I believe Kool Stop are still regarded as very good, and they're not too expensive. I'm happy with mine.

Option 1 is sold out - I tried buying them 'cos they showed up in stock, but they emailed me and said they were out. These wouldn't fit in your current brake shoes anyway.

Option 3 could work, but then if you want to replace the pads in the future, you'd have to search for Option 1. A lot of LBS only carry post 2005 shoes/pads.

Option 2 is what you need if the brake shoes don't need replacing, just the pads.

Option 4 is what you need if the brake shoes need to be replaced.

Replacing just the pads is easy, but it could take some sweat. They slide in and out, but it's really tight- so some kind of pliers are usually necessary to remove them. No glue is necessary to keep them in.

Ah, now I finally get it--the issue with the pre and post-2004 brake shoes has to do with the different pads that go in them. But both options 3 and 4 will fit into my Xenon calipers. I wasn't considering the whole picture.

Thanks, that clears things up!

By the way, my first post in this thread was dumb: Xenon brakes don't have "shoes," they're just rubber pads into which the bolts are screwed, so options 1 and 2 aren't actually options for me, anyway.

:) That's cool, I didn't know anything about Xenon brakes, so oh well...

My Modolo Speedy brake-set(s) are very similar to your Campy Xenons. I used the Kool Stop Eagle's Claw, with the threaded posts and hardware, on them to replace the horrible brake-pads those came with - stock. They work great!