where to find brake pads
 

Hi everyone, I have a 1978 Varsity. The rear brake pads are starting to get hard due to age (I think?) and I've been looking for new ones. Problem is, my local bike shops do not carry the same style. The newer ones are black and definitely do not go with the bike. Where do you get your brake pads? Thanks in advance!

-Hani

What color are you looking for? My '77 and '78 Le Tours both had black pads in aluminum carriers and I replaced with the same. IIRC, they had white and yellow as well. They were in a plastic jug and I had to dig through to find matching ones. $1.65 each as I recall.

Well how badly do you want to maintain that exact vintage look? As it turns out, I ended up caving in and putting the new Dia Compe black all rubber pads my LBS (a very cool dude) suggested in the first place. I spent a few weeks searching the internet looking for NOS or similar replacements for my Shimano 600 Arabasque brakes... but only got frustrated. I had already fitted newer model aero brake levers, so what the heck. I just want to ride the thing.

DanO

I use salmon-colored KoolStop pads exclusively. In this instance, I would rather be safe than correct.

I found a card of 20 on fleabay a couple of years ago. They are called Long Last model Safe Stop. Hard to tell from originals. Try searching the net for them.

Thanks for all your replies. Keeping the vintage looks is pretty important to me. I am looking for brown/orange ones. Do any of you recommend a place online where I can get brake pads? In the mean time, I'll keep looking...luckily my front brakes are still good so I can still ride around campus!