After the pads, the next most significant improvement you can make to your brakes is upgrading to compressionless cable housing. When you squeeze the brake leaver, some of the force goes into clamping the pads against the rim, but some is lost as the cable housing is compressed. Angled Water Groove | Asymmetrical Design | Dual Compound | Plow Tip | Salmon Compound | Spherical Washers These are the top choice for cyclocrossers looking for some real braking performance on carbon rims and road racers who aren’t put off by the wet. Although carbon rims have a reputation of sketchiness in the wet, these pads deliver confidence where others don’t. Better brake pads are a surprisingly cheap upgrade, especially for something that so dramatically effects both your safety and your performance.

A softer compound will be more grippy and offer better braking - especially in the wet. However, because the compound is softer, it will wear faster than a harder compound. On the bright side, a soft compound is easier on the rims, meaning they’ll last longer before you have to replace them. The wet days in the big tours can see a team get through a full set of pads and we’ve already noticed a few pro teams using KoolStops on Shimano brakes, so their worth has already spread to the pro rider’s mechanics.

SwissStop Catalyst Race Disc Rotor - 160mm

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Most Kool Stop models feature an off-center attachment, so that the rear section of the shoe is quite a bit longer than the front. This goes a long way toward evening out the pressure along the surface of the brake shoe in practice. By mitigating this, the brakes feel a lot more responsive and less mushy, outright power is increased and so is modulation. This is also a relatively cheap upgrade and costs a similar amount to the pads. This Dual Compound model is the top choice for modern mountain bikes with direct pull brakes, and for road bikes as well. For nasty winter conditions they transform a set of Shimano Dura Ace calipers – especially in the wet and grungy weather we are currently used to. However we’ve also used them in the summer through the mountains and the results are reassuring. There’s no rim grabbing or brake fade as the compound heats up on long descents. In fact all the Kool Stop stuff seems to wear very well.The callipers, cable housing, and brake levers all have a role in determining how a braking system performs but it is the pads that have the greatest singular effect. Swapping them for some well-worn winter-abused pads pads, the effect was noticeable immediately; they brought a new lease of life to the bike. This was especially noticeable on the few occasions they were used in the rain. They gave the brakes a decent level of grip despite the wet stuff, which is always appreciated. This is the classic choice where it fits. The Eagle 2 will fit most rear brakes, but due to the long rear section, there may be clearance problems in some front brakes. If your rim/forkblade clearance is tight, you should choose the Thinline model. These are versatile pads that offer powerful and consistent braking in both the dry and the wet. Naturally, the pads are only compatible with Sram/Shimano brake shoes.

Kool Stop are an American brand that has provided aftermarket brake pads for many years. Their latest Salmon ‘extreme conditions’ pads are designed specifically with road riders in mind and a very welcome addition to riders wanting increased performance, especially from Shimano Brakes. They are harder wearing and provide increased performance.

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Kool Stop Features: Angled Water Groove | Asymmetrical Design | Dual Compound | Plow Tip | Salmon Compound | Spherical Washers

It acts as a squeegie to clear water and grit from the rim, so that they don't get caught between the braking surface and the rim. (Setting conventional flat-surfaced brake shoes so that they provide toe in creates the risk of trapping grit and sand between the brake shoe and the rim. This grit then gets embedded into the surface of the brake shoe, where it grinds away at the rim every time the brake is applied. This causes premature wear to the braking surface of the rim, a serious problem on bicycles ridden in muddy/sandy conditions. A high-quality set of brake pads, with a compound specifically formulated for the conditions, can have a transformative effect on your stopping distance. Carbon rims and aluminium alloy rims require different brake pads. For carbon rims especially, it is very important that the correct pads are used.

Shimano K05S Resin XTR/XT/Dura-Ace/Ultegra/105 Disc Brake Pads

Chain reaction Cycles and CRC are trading names of Wiggle Ltd (In Administration) registered in the United Kingdom at 1000 Lakeside, Suite 310, Third Floor N E Wing, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3EN, Most traditional center-pull cantilevers and some center-pull calipers, such as Mafac, use smooth studs If you’ve already bought yourself some fancy carbon rims, it’s worth getting some top-quality pads to go with them.