Tandem Tom

I just built up 2 Long Haul Truckers and used Avid V-Brakes. I was wondering if the Kool Stop pads are really that much better that it would be worth swapping them out right away.

ThermionicScott 

They are great, but if the stock pads do the job, I wouldn't rush to change them.

surreal

+1

Dfrost 

I just rode 15 miles with brand new stock black Shimano pads in Ultegra BR6500 calipers. They stopped a bit better a few miles after installing the caliper when any molding compound was gone. When I got home, i put in Kool Stop salmon pads instead - much better stopping the next day in dry conditions, and vastly better in wet. BTW, I had ridden the 15 miles before that with the same Kool Stops in Dura Ace single pivots to pick up the Ultegra calipers. They worked but the brake feel with dual pivots is also huge improvement.

Years ago when my son first started riding a dropped bar bike, he could barely stop with stock Shimano pads on dual pivot brakes at the bottom of a 10% hill leaving our neighborhood. I switched to Kool Stop salmons in the same calipers and the next ride down that hill (a few days later) he was able to stop very easily.

rowebr

Kool-Stops are great, especially in wet conditions. Try out the stock pads in the rain, if the performance isn't what you'd like then I would get the Kool-Stops.

Garthr

KoolStop Salmon, Yes.

Before I used them , I said no. Now that I've used them, Yes. The compound is softer, doesn't scour the rims like many pads do. In the rian they work better, but are no "saviour" for ill preparing yourself for longer stops.

ben4345

I prefer kool-stop pads for my reasons.
They are local to me, made in Lake Oswego, Oregon;
They do seem to work better than the the black tektro pads that usually come with almost every damn bike these days;
They seem to not only last longer than other pads, but they also seem to do a lot less wear on your rims.
I also, find them a little more predictable in both wet and dry conditions. Like what garthr said, they are not going to instantly stop you in close call very wet weather, but they will be much better than tektro or shimano pads that I have used.

noglider 

I've used some pads that are as good, but none that are better. And those that are as good cost a lot more. There are a few Shimano pads that are very good, but it's hard to say which one. To me, Kool Stops are a no-brainer at $8 per pair. I believe I have them on all my bikes.

It's hard to get the studded ones in salmon. I have the black ones on my bike that has Mafac brakes. They seem just as good to me, but I haven't done any scientific comparisons.

gregjones

To answer the OP question----yes.

I couldn't figure out it I needed salmon or black compound. So I got the dual compound pad.

Couldn't be more happy.

wernst

It seems like every time I remove non-Kook Stop pads from a bike, there are always little pebbles and other debris embedded in those pads, scraping the rim surface. Never seen that in any Kook Stop pads.

Plus, you know, they work really well in wet or dry.

-Warr

ben4345

What the heck are kook stop pads?

Davet

Very emphatically, yes.

wernst

They're just like Kool Stops, but kookier. ;-)

-Warr

Dan Burkhart 

That's the fat finger version.

Al1943

I use KoolStop salmon pads on all my bikes. In the past some of the Shimano pads were way too hard and scratchy.

Danielle

Swiss stop are good too. I stopped using te shimano pads years ago. I would always see slivers of aluminum in the pads eating away at my brake tracks. I use kool stop and Swiss stop and have never seen that happen again. The only thing I don't like about kool stop is that they are kind of big and are finicky getting centered correctly onto the brake tracks.

Garthr

Yes, I know what you mean. With the smooth post canti type I use, I finally had enough of the overly long pads in the front as they prevent the brakes opening fully. The tires come out fine, but cleaning the pads you pretty much have to take the front wheel off. So I said, what they hey, heavy duty scissors to a brand new pair of salmon pads ! I cut them where the notch is at the rear-ish of the pad. I discovered they have an internal frame that stops right at that spot ! Whew ! But I needed to file just a mm or so off the end and make it smooth, and now perfect ! I can open the brakes fully and have the great pads And no ... if anyone is wondering, the loss of length makes no difference in braking. They do not need to be so long.

HillRider

+1 There is no advantage to extra long pads. I used to have a bike with Avid SD-7 V-brakes and could NOT quiet the front brakes. No amount of toe, cleaning, realigning, etc. kept them from squealing both with the OEM and Kool Stop Salmon pads. The final cure was to substitute Kool Stop's Dura Type road brake pad holders and pads for the original pads and holders. The shorter pads and holders sacrificed absolutely nothing in braking power but silenced the noise.

sreten

Hi,

Put them on the front and keep the fronts as spares for the rear.

rgds, sreten.

JanMM

Have been satisfied with the performance of the stock Avid black pads on the Single Digit 5 V-brake on the front of our tandem. 2200 miles paired with a rear disc brake.

Danielle

Swiss stop are my favorite.

FastJake

I have Avid pads on one bike, I like them as well. They stop great and don't seem to be hard on the rims. But I agree, if I am buying pads, I only buy Kool Stop salmon. I have other pads that are just as good, but Kool Stop is the obvious choice for me.

In my experience the old Dia Compe pads from the late 70s - early 80s still work great, the ones that are also salmon colored. I have some on my commuter right now and despite being 30 years old, still feel awesome.

I can't agree more with Shimano pads being garbage. I love most Shimano products but their brake pads suck. Especially the ones from the 90s. Every bike I come across that has them, they are rock hard and full of aluminum chips from the rim.

niuoka

My bike had kool stop black on it when I got it, nearly worn out, but was impressed with the brakes, so got the dual compound, did not notice much difference, until the first rain. The dual compound is better then the solid black
for me anyway

MEversbergII

What are the differences between the compounds?

M.

HillRider

Next time try the all-Salmon pads. The work even better in the wet, sacrifice nothing in the dry and their durability is fine.