gsa103

It's possible that Shimano and Avid pad material respond differently to cleaning. With Shimano discs, a quick wipe with alcohol doesn't seem to effect the pad transfer, and removes any oil/grime.

UnfilteredDregs

There's a world of difference between 30mph and over 45mph.

Last time I changed pads, and that's the ONLY time I may clean rotors, I did it right before a century.

Braking for the first 30 miles slowly picked up...hadn't rode down any significant hills yet.

Thinking my brakes were adequately bedded in I got to a certain hill where busting 45mph is real easy, 50 if you try hard...

Well, I had to haul up on those brakes and there was almost no money when it counted. Luckily I only scared the **** out of myself.

The only time you should clean your rotors with any kind of solvent is when you're changing pads, even then it's optional if the rotor has been quiet, (I only clean if there's any noise, whihc is like...never ) otherwise leave them alone.

You're compromising braking power by removing the transferred material...whether you realize it or not.

It's the nature of the system.

noodle soup

How did this become a thread about disc brake maintenance?

fietsbob

Maybe You are never satisfied IDK

Hypno Toad

Right?!

Sadly, I apparently was the cause of this, but only by mistake, I addressed the OP question and that descended into this.

noodle soup

I'm not banging on you.

It's funny because most people will admit that discs give superior performance, but the arguments against them are about necessity/maintenance/weight/"safety".

The OP just wants to see if he can improve his braking on his caliper/rim brake bike.

Hypno Toad

Exactly!

UnfilteredDregs

This is simply not true. Stick with discs, current hydro-mechanicals are leagues beyond the best rim brakes and will only continue to get better.

Bike Gremlin

This gives you poor leverage when braking from the hoods. Each to their own, just pointing out that braking force when braking from the hoods will be poor.

I like V-brakes on flat bars to grip as soon as possible, but for the afore mentioned reason, on road bikes, I avoid getting the pads that close.

nightshade18

Is a good question, not that I mind a little derailment.

In the end I'll be replacing 2 bikes. Winter bike will likely be discs regardless. Summer bike perhaps not. The order of replacement is going to be determined by how much of a PITA my current bike is. If I can easily improve the rim setup above so that I'm confident over the winter then fine. Otherwise a good commuter with discs becomes top priority.

Summer bike I'm leaning towards a caad 8, though it's early days in the decision tree

nightshade18

Would you, or anyone else, expand on this? I didn't realise leverage was effected by pad position...

If so, maybe this is something else I can experiment with for free trying to improve my set up. Is there an optimum gap? Is there an effect on braking from the drops?

36Oly_Rider

Went in to my LBS to check them out and they told me Swissstop is ending the Green GHP2 pads. Sure enough, looking at their new 2017 catalog theres a note "while current stock remains" for ALL GHP2 listed and 1 Yellow King cantilever "Rat" model. Guess I'll have to try the Blue BXP when I need new pads. Supposedly better stopping power in the wet anyway.

Bike Gremlin

When on the hoods, I like to pull levers by about 20 degrees, so my hold on them is better, when they start grabbing and giving resistance.

In the drops it doesn't make a difference, but when holding them from the tops of hoods, it does.

SHBR

What overtaking drivers? There is almost nobody on that road. You were close to the center of the lane, which is good for visibility, however that wasn't enough for the driver you encountered. On an empty road at that speed it would have been easier to cut left and go around them. The only reason there wasn't a collision was because the driver that almost turned in front of you hit the brake, you stopped after the potential point of impact. If traffic is heavy then cutting left could be more hazardous than holding your line. You are correct that those empty roads give drivers a sense of over confidence, leading to these sorts of incidents.

Fox Farm

My Campy Record rim brakes with new shoes (pads) will throw me over the handlebars if I really get on them hard. Not sure that the problems are with your setup. Try a visit to a good bike mechanic.

kbarch

Of course. You'll be happy with rim brakes if you stop riding with disk brakes long enough, and install, use and maintain them as they were designed to be.

Hypno Toad

This post is:

Off-topic: This post is off the topic that was off the topic of this thread (off-topic^2)

Ignorant: Don't not tell me you understand my environment from one 14 second clip.

Now let's get back to the OP's question about his rim brakes.

hogger453

Also, if rim brakes can lock up your wheels, you have enough clamping force. What's the point of disks?

indyfabz

This subject comes up in the touring forum from time to time. People were touring long before disk brakes. They way some people talk today, you would expect to find a long history of people falling off the sides of mountains due to their canti brakes being so inferior. I have descended more mountain passes than I can remember, including some while riding a bike/gear combo weighing 90 lbs. in the rain. (I hit 48.5 mph on that rig coming into Ticonderoga, NY.) Never once came close to wiping out due to not being able to brake sufficiently.

That aside...I have had really good wine on numerous occasions, but I can still enjoy wine that is not as good.

The disk brakes v. whatever discussion in totally played out and, quite frankly, boring.

Scarbo

+1

And, to conclude, the answer to the OP's question is: yes.

SHBR

Too funny, Why did you post that video then? Seems a bit off topic to me, in that video the type of brakes that were used is totally irrelevant. Your video is quite clear at showing the "environment" you are in. Thanks for posting it, this is a constant problem that I deal with here almost everyday. I've probably driven down that road in your video at some point, although suburban areas do tend to all look the same, and not much has changed in the last ten years I suspect.

Back to the original question, I use rim brakes, not that I have anything against disk brakes, in my experience both stop about the same in dry conditions.

Hypno Toad

Read much? 71 posts, 3 pages... I know you can do it I'll even help you skip to my first (on topic) post, and you can go from there, this is post #18 on page 1:

Now, thanks for dragging me into the 'off-topic rabbit hole' ... again. (bad Hypno Toad!)

f4rrest

Dura Ace 7800 calipers are better than even my modern brakes. Got them used on eBay for $100.

Paired with Swisstop BXP blue pads, I'm amazed at how firm and powerful this setup is on my old bike.

hogger453

I also have 7800 on both my road bikes. They are absolutely amazing. That's why I never consider anything else.

Scarbo

Campagnolo Shamal wheelset in combination with their Record brakes with the blue pads--the stopping power is amazing; as good as the SRAM Guide RS discs on my MTB. Again--not all rim brake set ups are the same.