Originally Posted by
mrvrsick
It might just be me, but it looks like the rim doesn't have a machined braking surface. If that's the case, getting kool stop pads may not have the drastic increase that you are looking for. I know that I had a bike with rims like that, and it was just stupid. Maybe once the paint/ano wears off, the braking will be better.
Good eye. That could be an issue.
OP, take a look at the specs here:
Road Bikes - Mercier Galaxy
It looks to me as if at the very least the brakeset and wheels have been swapped out with lesser units and both would contribute to poor braking. While the pad upgrade will still help, going back to dual pivot brakes and bare, machined braked surface rimmed wheels should also significantly improve your stopping ability.