what kind of brakes are they? There aren't too many ways that you can really improve the performance of steel rims (the real culprit). Textured steel seems to help, as well as a better alloy brake, if the original brake is steel. Depending on the brake sometimes you can get some scott pads that improve steel rim response...but that technology in general has been surpassed. You just can't compare 'em to dual pivot campy or shimano.