Tandem Cycling - Kool Stop Tectonic Brake Pads?

Anybody tried these?
I read a lot of good reviews on them.
I am still trying the cure the chronic sqealing from my Avid V brakes.
I have been using the kool stop black pads.
Tried everything from new rims to adjusting the angle of the pads.
They grab alot too which is down right dangerous.

I would be interested to know how those work also. I never could get the Kool-Stop blacks to stop squealing and finally replaced them with "generic" mountain bike pads from the LBS that don't have quite the amount of stopping power but are a lot easier on the ears!

Anybody tried these?
I read a lot of good reviews on them.
I am still trying the cure the chronic sqealing from my Avid V brakes.
I have been using the kool stop black pads.
Tried everything from new rims to adjusting the angle of the pads.
They grab alot too which is down right dangerous.

Haven't tried the part black/part salmon pads, but do use the straight salmon. They are actually the same compound as the old Scott/Matthauser block, as Kool Stop manufactured them for Scott. Love the braking power on my singles, but I still didn't think it was enough on the tandem.

As for squealing .... I've been setting up brakes of all types since 1972, and I went from a steel canti fork to a Woundup carbon canti fork with Avid Shorty 6 cantis, Tektro Vs, and finally Deore Vs, a variety of Shimano and Kool Stop brake blox, etc, and couldn't stop the squealing. I finally added a brake stiffener with the Woundup fork, the Deore Vs and salmon blox, and it stopped.

I was amazed that even a $600 Woundup carbon tandem fork needed a brake stiffener, but it did. I've since gone back to a stock carbon/aluminum fork with an Ultegra caliper and salmon blox. Of course, no squeal right from the git-go there.

Our tandem came equipped with the Kool Stop pads (1/2 black, 1/2 salmon). I've only noticed an occasional squeal and overal the stopping power seems very good (with rear disc brake). BTW our daVinci with a Woundup CF fork did come with a stiffener. Can't compare to the stock fork, but the CF fork does seem to absorb most road vibration.

Had the same problem and tried a few different pads. The Kool Stop red pads have solved my problems with brakes and I find my rims are easier to keep clean now.

Anybody tried these?
I read a lot of good reviews on them.
I am still trying the cure the chronic sqealing from my Avid V brakes.
I have been using the kool stop black pads.
Tried everything from new rims to adjusting the angle of the pads.
They grab alot too which is down right dangerous.



Grab the top of the Avids and see if they move on the brake boss - fore and aft. That's what they did on our Woundup. I couldn't get them to sit properly with no movement. It caused squealing and shuddering no matter what pads were in there. I switched to XTR's which fit much better with no fore and aft movement and no shuddering or squealing. I use the Shimano severe condition brake pad because - being a bit thicker they last longer.

We had problems with loud brakes. I think I traced it to brake pad material transferring to the rims (skid marks). I have to periodically clean the rims off with a ScotchBrite pad & alcohol.

The front V-brake on our Burley is a chronic squealer and I tried a variety of thing, including a booster, without lasting success. I recently switched to Swiss-Stop green pads and so far (about 150 miles) there is no squeal. They are rather expensive pads, but if the problem stays cured I am happy to pay the price.

I just decided to replace the pads with the Kool Stop black / salmon combo pad and so far the squeal is gone and braking feels better. Usually whenever I do something to fix it the squealing returns sometime later. Well see.

I just decided to replace the pads with the Kool Stop black / salmon combo pad and so far the squeal is gone and braking feels better. Usually whenever I do something to fix it the squealing returns sometime later. Well see.

That was my experience, as well! Every brake pad change, brake change, even fork changes and the squeal would go away for a little while, but then reappeared!

As I stated, what finally fixed mine was a brake stiffener, but with every similar account I've read on three different tandem lists, it invariably ends up being something entirely different that works on each bike. :notamused: