I_like_cereal

I use Kool Stop Salmon with my old set of wheels and they worked pretty good. The rear ones seem to wear faster than the front.

I purchased some SRAM Apex brakes and they came with Swiss Stops Black.

I preferred the Swiss Stops black for the stopping power and longevity. They also seem to match well with my current wheels. I have a Kool Stop salmon rear and Swiss Stop black front, cause the SS black wore out. I notice that the KS seems to have a longer braking distance than the SS.

Are your experiences the same? I cannot find SS at my LBS so how would Shimanos stack up?

Shimagnolo

In my experience, the Kool Stop salmons put the Shimano pads to shame.
I've never tried the Swiss Stops.
As far as longevity, I would expect a pad that generates more friction would wear out quicker.

Kojak

No experience with Swiss Stop, and in the dry I actually prefer Shimano pads over the Kool Stop. In the wet, there's no comparison. Kool Stop work great and last. Shimano pads virtually melt in the wet; they are useless at best possibly dangerous if you head out on a long ride in the rain with pads that are already a little worn. I'd be interested to hear what other people have experienced.

Sixty Fiver

If you are living in Portland all you need to do is look around and see what brake pads people are using... all our bicycles here are equipped with Kool Stops and another point in their favour is that they are local.

In many cases it is a matter of matching brake pads to your set up to really optimize them... the only brake pads I will not use are Tektros as despite their great stopping power they are also very hard on rims and wear out very quickly.

Andy_K 

Everytime I'm tempted to try SwissStop pads, I see the price and go back to Kool Stop. I know brakes are no place to cheap out, but when the $7 Kool Stop pads work well and last 2500+ miles it's hard to justify spending $30+ to try something else. On the other hand, if enough people said the SwissStop pads stopped a lot better, maybe I could bite the bullet.

cod.peace

I swapped out some Kool Stop dual compound pads for SwissStop GHP green pads (for wet conditions) as an experiment. I thought that the SwissStop worked maybe a bit better in wet and the same in dry conditions. The appeared to be harder on the rims and tending to make a rasping sound under gentle braking. I went back to the KS - they just work at a good price. I might try the Velo Orange pads ($5 a pair ea for v-brake refills) just for kicks.

ThermionicScott 

I've been considering the Kool-Stops lately, but I've got a noob question first -- would these be the right ones to get for Shimano RX100 brakes?



Wouldn't want to order two sets of the wrong ones!

Thanks,
- Scott

MK313

Scott-I had the same question about a different set of brakes. I emailed Kool-stop & they got back to me in less than two hours on a Saturday. They may ask you to send in a picture of the brakes (they did with me) but they told me all of the pads that would work with my bike. Really great customer service (but also weird in that they use an AOL account as their company contact email.)

Sixty Fiver

I'd try these...



The widely available thinline model fit most threaded mounts and it is nice that Kool Stop now offers refills for Mafac, Campagnolo, and even has refills for rod brakes.

pdlamb

I've not seen a pair of Shimano pads that doesn't pick up road grit, and then use it to grind down your wheel. Koolstop for me! (Note I've never seen nor heard of Swiss Stop.)

Kojak

My affinity for the Shimano pads in the dry mostly relates to the feel. They always felt like the modulation had a precision to it that I don't quite get with the Kool Stops, but the difference between the two isn't enough to make me switch back. I'll stick with the KS pads for now.

interested

The main problem with Shimano brake pads are that while some models are decent, others are nasty rim eaters. Since Shimano "often" changes their brake pad models, it is hard to track which models are OK and which are not. Rims are too expensive, and life too short, to experiment with new brake pads every time they need replacement.

What I really, really like about my Salmon KS brake pads (besides adequate braking performance and exceptional low rim wear), is the fact that I can buy the exactly same model year after year. I don't need nor want to inspect my rims regularly to check for excessive wear, or whether the brake pads collect alu-flakes or not. I can just buy Salmon KS brake pads, install them, and worry no more.

I don't want new "improved" versions year after year, I don't care for new colors or a new turbo tail fin with speed holes, I just want the same brake pad I bought last time with the same predictable performance.
I am not against KS developing new improved brake pads with exotic nano space age tech for those who wants that, I just wish they will continue to produce the Salmon version for a good long time, and give ample warning when they retire it so I can stock up.

--
Regards

tarwheel 

Kool Stops are way better than Shimano pads. I tried them on one bike and pretty soon put KS pads on all of my bikes. In addition to stopping better, they don't make your rims as filthy while riding in rain as Shimano pads do.

Kojak

I suppose with the Shimano pads, the differences in performance might be related to which model of brake they were built for. They came stock on several of the bikes that I have owned with Dura Ace brakes. They were great..... until they got wet, at which point they melted like ice cream on a hot day leaving a nasty mess on the wheels/forks/frame to clean up at the end of the ride.

SouthFLpix

Call me crazy, but I never have any trouble in the rain with stock brakes, and I live in South Florida which has a pretty strong rainy season. What really drives me crazy is the squeaking when the brakes get wet. For that reason I want to try VO brakes which are said to be 'squeak free'.

Booger1

I like Aztec II...their long,black,work great and work cheap.I can make my loaded touring bike skid with caliper brakes.....good enough.

Salmon Koolstop are great also,but there's only a few things I like pink and brake shoes ain't one of them.....

Shimagnolo

Back in the 90's I put light gray Aztec pads on my bike after reading online recommendations. They were *great*! I haven't seen them mentioned recently, but was wondering if their current product was as good.

Booger1

I run the slim style curved mountain bike ones on 700 rims(sorry,don't know the number),it's a tight fit contour-wise without overhang(not a big deal really),but they give me the most pad I can fit on a 700 rim.I run old(1978) Shimano 600 shorty calipers and older Shimano aero handles.(400's maybe...I forget)the all metal ones.

I_like_cereal

Now here is a man who knows how to eat a steak.

techie2

I just made the switch from the Kool Stop to the Swiss Stop Green. The SS feels like the better pad to me. Aluminum rim's and I sanded the pad prior to installing.
I have not had the opportunity to try them in the rain where I thought the KS pad sucked. They were worse than the original Tektro's that came with the bike. Squeeze the lever and the bike stopped with the Tektro, squeeze the lever and the bike will think about slowing down in 20 feet with the KS.

Was hoping to be in rain today but no rain fell.

Joe

Northwestrider

I've never heard of Swiss Stop pads before this thread. I'll be keeping an eye open for them in the future.

pdlamb

You're looking at it all wrong. Squeaky brakes are great on MUPs -- you just tap the brake, and everybody within 25 yards turns around and looks at you, then gets out of your way. No need for a bell or horn!

bluefoxicy

The rear brake is utterly useless.

I started using my rear brake to control my speed and handle some of my braking when I wore the front nearly completely off; as such I have a habit of overusing the rear break. Some problems I've had:

• Once, rather than rolling off (release the rear as I squeeze the front), I kept the rear at pressure and squeezed the front on. This has resulted in complete loss of control as the rear tire suddenly skid (the total braking force quickly exceeded rear wheel traction and my bike spun out due to a rear skid with lots of front brake force).
• Once or twice I've forgotten about the front brake entirely. Coming down a hill I can't get the braking force to stop; I've nearly slid right through a stop sign and into traffic before remembering to let go of the rear brake and squeeze the front firmly. It really does give about 5 times the braking force.
• I lose stability rear braking into a turn for some reason. Skids sooner I guess. This is a drifting technique in a car (hit the rear brake to upset load balance and go sideways) so I shouldn't be as surprised as I am; the correct solution is to brake before entering the turn.

If you're noticing the rear KS has longer braking distance than the front SS, it's because it's the rear wheel.

The big question is: Can you skid? If you can completely lock up your front wheel, brake pads are efficient. If they're not as responsive, you could try truing your wheel and bringing the pads as close to the rim as you can. I know I like my pads to demand only half pressure from me in most situations, and 3/4 in the worst. I don't like having to go right to the handlebars to get full force braking.

So, tune up your brakes, and use whatever pads you like. I prefer the Kool Stop Salmon pads to my stock pads; the stockers I had on the Tektro sucked so bad in comparison, and I almost lurched myself off the bike the first time I had the KS. I actually stopped too fast and nearly surprised a few drivers with my sudden braking ... I'm more careful with the brakes now.

fietsbob

You have to cut open the Salmon to see the color,
and if you don't buy wild caught Salmon, the color is a dye job.

Bud Bent

These work best on my commuting bike.