Lovegasoline

A year back, I was loaned a mid 1980’s Motobecane Grand Tourer. It’s my only bike and daily ride here in NYC and I’ve been riding the hell out if it. It’s been made clear that this loan is now a gift and I’ve recently started (my first ever) complete bike overhaul, which I plan to do in stages. It has 27” Weinmann concave aluminum rims and Weinmann #610 center pull brakes and what I assume to be the original brake pads, now 25 years old. (Please see actual pics attached below – pardon the dirt, I’ll post a separate photo thread in the near future).

I want to upgrade the brake pads. My plan is to buy Kool Stop brake pads with the salmon color rubber compound based on reading a succession of glowing reviews. But which model pads?

In reading through catalogue info on the Harris Cyclery site, the model called ‘Mountain Salmon’ (formally called ‘BMX’) is recommended as the best brake shoe for road use. However, as I review Kool Stop’s brake pad lineup I see a profusion of models and I’m not at all certain if the ‘Mountain’ model is compatible with my vintage Weinmann brakes and 27” size rims. Can you vintage bike folks lead me to the best Kool Stop pad that will fit trouble free?

FYI: the Sheldon Brown/Harris Cylcery Kool Stop link:
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html#bmx

(I'll probably buy on Amazon as I have a gift card).

Thanks a bunch!

old's'cool

I believe the model of Kool Stop that fits those Weinmanns is called "Continental". I have two sets for two bikes; they fit and work well. If you need further clarification via pics let me know and I'll take some & post.

Capecodder

Yep, the Continental pads are the ones you need and they are great. Here they are on my Bertin.....

Capecodder

BTW, those tire savers are on backwards.......

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I prefer the "Supra 2" model.

Capecodder

If you choose the (Supra 2) be sure you have enough fork clearance.......

Lovegasoline

Kool Stop
What's the difference between the 'Continental' and the "Supra 2'?
Amazon doesn't seem to have the Continental clearly listed for sale.
Do they both work with the Weinmann center pull brakes pictured?


Tire Savors
I was going to make a separate post about these.
I was wondering if they work? I haven't had a flat in NYC but hard to say if the tire savor contributed or not.
How are they supposed to be mounted...does it make a difference? The rear one makes a rubbing/buzzing sound which is a little annoying.

This bike as purchased to ride cross country in the 80's then eventually garaged. I'm not certain if the tire savers came stock or were added. Other than the tire savers, the bike looks to be stock except for tires (at least the rear one which I recently replaced) and a Brooks saddle.

Here's the rear one:

Capecodder

The front should be mounted just like the rear one is. Yes, they do work. They knock off glass, thorns, and 'pieces of metal before they become imbedded in the tire and punture the tube. Just spin the front one around and your good.

As far as the Supras go, you would have to try them to see if they will clear the fork or not. I know the conti's work, and they look vintage.

frantik

i had a bike with those tire saver things.. i just took them off..

and i wish cool stop pads didn't have to be so fugly.. why can't they look more stock

Charles Wahl

I'm using the ThinLine shoes on my NYC commuter. They're long, on the front wheel extending into the space between fork blades, but they fit just fine, and they're quite good in the stopping department. The big difference between these and other shoes is that they have a couple cupped washers that allow limited rotation of the shoe in all three axes. A little tricky to set up with proper toe-in so that they don't squeal, but once done, they're quite silent, and they hold the adjustment well.

Lovegasoline

Looks like all three styles will fit???

Maybe I should have rephrased the questions, "which Kool Stop threaded pads will not fit"?

I forgot to mention that I use a quick-release skewer on my wheels and I remove my front wheel several times a day for locking the bike in NYC. I wonder if any of these pads might make wheel removal more difficult? I also have a pair of Tektro RL340 Aero brake levers that I will soon mount in place of the Wienmann levers. The Tektro's have some sort of quick-release feature that I've read is based on the Campagnolo design and is claimed to make wheel removal easier?

The salmon color is a little out of step with the overall bike aesthetics, anyone know if the salmon rubber compound is much different in performance than the Kool Stop in black?

Their website is pretty much useless.

Capecodder

The Salmon is great in wet weather and dry, the black is not as good in wet weather. There is no way to tell if all three will fit (YOUR) bike, but the Continentals will for sure.

Chris Chicago

does anybody besides kool stop make salmon pads?

ColonelJLloyd 

Velo Orange makes pinkish pads.

You can pretty much use any type of caliper pad with the Weinmanns depending on the width of the rim. I like Dura Ace type holders, but I've used Supra 2, Jagwire, VO threaded MTB shoes, and others with fine results.

Grand Bois

The other colors that I've tried work fine for me, but I don't ride in the rain. The ingredient that gives them the salmon color is iron oxide (rust) and it seems to me that it may wear down your rims faster, but I have no evidence to back up that theory.

frantik

how much better are kool stops (orange or otherwise) than your average brake pads when not riding in wet conditions?

DiegoFrogs

I have a set of the Eagle 2 pads on a bike. I adjusted them so that they almost hit the fork legs when open, and they work well. But it'll depend on rim width and fork spacing, along with the brakes and levers themselves.

mkeller234

If you are interested in a more factory look - I was able to use the kool stop inserts with the Original Weinmann pad holders. It took just a tiny bit of work to get it right, but I haven't had any issues with them.

Bad picture, but here you can see the salmon pads in the Weinmann holders:


I also have the thin line pads that Charles Wahl mentioned. I would say the thin line pads are superior in adjustability and maybe performance . They look a little out of place, but not enough to bother me.
Again... a bad picture.

nlerner

+1. I've also replaced just the pads in the original holders, whether with Kool Stops or Mathauser pads:

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...tyle-pads.html

Neal

Lovegasoline

Thanks for all the great replies.
It appears there are more ways to skin this cat here than I originally imagined.


Capecodder:
The Continental look like they’ll work, but Amazon doesn’t have a clear listing for them.
I appreciate the head’s up on the tire savers. Do yours make any noise? Your tires are closer to a true slick; mine are road tires with tread and my rear tire saver makes an annoying hum.


CharlesWahl:
Thanks for the feedback on the Thinline. They look a little funky, but frankly the all-salmon colored pads all look funky, less so on the orange bikes though.


ColonelJLloyd:
What model pads are you running there on your pretty Motobecane? The aesthetics of the metal holder keeps the clown colors to a respectable minimum.


Mkeller234 & nlerner:
How do you insert the pads into the stock pad holders? Do you fold the rear end flange down, insert, then refold?
Maybe the Thinline have superior stopping power due to additional surface area?

ColonelJLloyd 

VO Dura Ace style pad holders with the included VO squeal free pads. I built it up, but it's not my bike.

Capecodder

I do not use tire savers on my bike, but I do know how they should be installed. Just buy the pads from Harris Cyclery and you will get what you need.

Grand Bois

Bend the metal part of the tire saver so that it doesn't quite touch the tire. It doesn't need to rub on the tire. If it does, it won't last long.

nlerner

I use a bench vise to hold the whole shoe, pry open one end with a flat-bladed screwdriver, slide out old pad, slide in new, and fold that end back up with the vise.

Neal

mkeller234

+1, that sounds about right. The Weinmann holders had a couple prongs on the backside, and I had to make a recess in the back of the pad for the to fit correctly. It was easier than it sounds. I have pads similar to ColonelJLoyd, but I bought the kool stop brand. They are spendy, but they look great and are very adjustable... which is really the only reason I spent the extra on the. I also have the continental pads, they are great but are also noticeably thicker. The continentals were too thick to fit modern dual pivot brakes... which is not an issue for you.