Yogurt

Is that an oxymoron/wishful thinking with anodized braking surfaces? They squeal like a banshee whenever I've got to apply any real pressure on the levers. I've got proper toe-in using older salmon Mathauser pads...any recommendations?

Louis

Hmmm, I've ridden MA-40's many, many miles in all kinds of weather with no squeal problems.

Have you tried any other pads?

USAZorro

What kind of brakes?

Yogurt

Super-Record brakes. The pads seem decent, maybe I'll switch out some Kool-Stops. They are LOUD.

caterham

if you're absolutely sure that the toe-in is correct, make sure that the centerbolt/caliper arm pivot isn't a little on the loose side.

cyclotoine

Don't go spend money on kool stop salmon inserts... as one who used them with super record late model brakes on mavic GP4 (i am sure the anodizing is the same) I could not get them to stop squealing, I toed them in via brass stock (how did you do it BTW?) and I also tried filing them (both to make a fresh surface and to tow them in a little more and NOTHING worked, always loud, always stopped well though, over time they became a little quieter but they never stopped squealing, i don't have this problem at all with the original black campagnolo pads. I have a crap load of old mathauser pads though and was thinking I should try them instead of the new kool stops.. guess it's just the compound?

cudak888 

I had two pairs of these on some Mavic GP-4's as well. Not only can I vouch for the squeal, may I note that if adjusted "correctly," one can easily make these brakes squeal to the point where the sound is both piercing and deafening, provided there is little slack in your calipers (I was running them on some old first-gen Weinmann 999's, one of the earlier pre-September '62 design, one post Sep. '62).

During the time that I rode my '61 Paramount with these pads, I succeeded in - ahem - rightfully scaring the $hit out of many a motorist who attempted to run a two-way stop sign.

-Kurt

tricky 

Toe-in is a lie!

cyclotoine

In general, I agree, my limited experience (with about 4 months as a paid mechanic) have lead me to the conclusion that the absolute minimum amount of toe in (say 1mm space at the back when the front of the pad touches is perfect for the beginning and of course the pads well wear such that the entire pad contact the surface evenly and this is a fine situation and usually means your brakes are broken in and performing well. The funny thing is a bike shop will do whatever it takes to make break not squeal because customers hate noisy brakes, and that can mean ridiculous toe in. I think I have wasted more time getting brakes not to squeal than anything else in the shop.

On my first around the block shakedown ride on the gazelle the brakes were squealing a little and a few blocks from my house a guy I had just passed pulled up to me at a stop light and proceeded to explain with hand motions that if I toed in my brake pads.... I smiled and nodded. Anyway, the point is that with old caliper brakes, as long as the caliper is adjusted properly (center nut tightness, centered, straight post), I will leave the pads alone unless they are at a really obvious angle to the rim in which case I will correct with modest filing or, as noted above, in extreme cases with shim stock. Cheaper calipers I will bend with a crescent wrench but I try to avoid this on expensive calipers. Usually, including the gazelles case, I might even have a toed out pad... but after a few miles and a few rides squealing ceases as the pad wears to contact the rim smoothly and they become silent.

I love Kool stop cantilever pads that have a little lip at the back so that when you install a new pad the front and the back lip should be contacting simultaneously (at least this is my assumption correct if wrong) which means the pad is toed in the perfect amount. It makes for easy adjustment.

top506

I have a bike with MA-40 rims and stock Shimano pads. They have never squealed.
Top

Road Fan

I've used MA40s and GP-4s for a number of years now, and the only squealing is on my Woodrup with its first generation Dura-Ace calipers. The Dura calipers are quite stiff. They do not squeal with Campy Nuovo Record, Super Record, or Shimano 600EX. The Duras are using black Kool-Stops, the Campys are using original old Campy pads, and the Shimanos are using modern Ultegra pads.

same for Campys on anodized Wolber rims - no squeal.

I don't know what causes squealing, but I don't think it's necessarily rim anodizing.

Road Fan

lotek 

Modolo Sinterized pads are notorious for squealing. I had some on my old trek
and you could hear me braking 1/2 mile away. Toe in, Toe out, filing, sanding,
nothing helped, and this was on Matrix rims.

marty

lotek 

You can get non sinterized modolo pads, I've seen them on ebay
mostly, and they should slip right into your existing shoes.
I have a set of Modolo professionals which as sinterized squealed like
a stuck pig, but with plain rubber compound are pretty quiet.

wonder if Kool Stop have a modolo replacement?

marty