Commuting - Braking Tips

It's raining again in my part of Indiana. On earlier this week I commuted in the rain to find that my brakes are worthless when wet.

I know that most of my problem is probably my cheap pads, but do any of you have any tips for braking when it is wet?

I did find that putting one foot on the ground can help. The only problem is when you bring your foot back up onto your pedals, your soles are really slick from the oil on the roads. (I don't have clipless or clip pedals on my bike. I just have regular metal pedals.)

Keep your rims clean , use detergent to wipe the black oily grime off the sides. You dont have to go all cosmetic, its just a functional thing.
Use good brake pads. Koolstop seem to get the most votes.
When you start out on a ride, use your brakes a few times to wipe off the water. After a few rotations, the braking will improve.

Think ahead about potential braking situations, and use your brakes to clean the rims in preparation.

Originally posted by kobyj
It's raining again in my part of Indiana. On earlier this week I commuted in the rain to find that my brakes are worthless when wet.

I know that most of my problem is probably my cheap pads, but do any of you have any tips for braking when it is wet?

I did find that putting one foot on the ground can help. The only problem is when you bring your foot back up onto your pedals, your soles are really slick from the oil on the roads. (I don't have clipless or clip pedals on my bike. I just have regular metal pedals.)

First, be aware that while a bike's brakes do lose effectiveness when wet, they should definitely not be "worthless." If they truly are, either your brakes are woefully out of adjustment or you're riding a Huffyoid with steel rims. You can get caught by rain on even the sunniest days, and it's not a good idea to be without working brakes!

Yes, definitely clean the rims, and use some very fine sandpaper to clean the pads. Clean out the grooves in the pads with something pointy; if the grooves are almost gone it's time to replace the pads. Make sure the brakes are properly adjusted so that the pads sit no more than an eighth-inch or so from the rims.

If you can brake with your feet it seems very possible that your saddle is much too low. In any case, this is a bad idea; it invites injury and it avoids the real issue.

RichC

Most of those 'huffyoid' bikes have chromed steel rims. Chrome makes an almost useless braking surface, especially when wet.
If your bike has chromed steel rims (do a magnet test if you don't know for sure), I'd leave the bike at home on rainy days.
(Actually, I'd get a better bike, but that's just my opinion)

This is a myth perpertrated by LBSs.
Chrome rims make a great surface for breaking. They rust up by about the third week from purchase, making a rough and 'grabby' surface.

The only thing to do is apply brakes earlier and apply them occasionally until just before they grab to clear the rim.

Keeping the rims and pads clean is top-notch advice.

You may notice that the useless-brake problem is worse in spring when the roads start warming up after the winter season and "giving up it's goo". Your wheels/rims and pads will get greasier faster in spring in the northern climates.

That said, brake your bike as you would a car - with pulses instead of power-braking.

If your pads do not have grooves cut in them, consider cutting grooves into your pads with a saw to allow water to drain from under the pads when you brake in the rain.

I'm not an expert, but my Trek 1200 has no problems braking in the wet at all. My old Schwinn always needed special care. Is it the rims? My current brakes stop very well, indeed, wet or dry.

1) Use high-quality pads. The new salmon-coloured KoolStops (www.sheldonbrown.com) should be good; I currently use the black ones.
2) Aluminum rims do provide better braking than chrome, unless the latter are oxidized. Some of the knurled chorme rims aren't bad.
3) Drag your brakes gently, or pump them periodically, while riding in rain or in mist/fog. It does not hurt to try an occasional brake-check!
4) If you have single-pivot sidepulls, replace them with dual-pivot units.