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What's the deal with cartridge brakes?

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Old 06-05-08, 02:51 PM
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Sturmcrow
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What's the deal with cartridge brakes?

Thinking about hooking my girl up with some new calipers. It's an older bike, so I'm looking at the Tektro 521's. They come in cartridge or not. Can anyone enlighten me about the benefits of cartridge brake pads? The only thing I can think of is that it would possible to change the pads without needing to realign them with the rim.
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Old 06-05-08, 03:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Sturmcrow
Thinking about hooking my girl up with some new calipers. It's an older bike, so I'm looking at the Tektro 521's. They come in cartridge or not. Can anyone enlighten me about the benefits of cartridge brake pads? The only thing I can think of is that it would possible to change the pads without needing to realign them with the rim.
still need to realign because they would hit the fork so you couldnt remove/insert pads.

I only use them 'cause they came with my 105 brakes
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Originally Posted by cc700
i jam my thumbs up and back into the tubes. this way i can point my fingers straight out in front to split the wind and attain an even more aero profile, and the usual fixed gear - zen - connectedness feeling through the drivetrain is multiplied ten fold because my thumbs become one with the tubing.
A group for all Dawes Galaxy owners to give and recieve information about them
https://flickr.com/groups/dawes_galaxy/
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Old 06-05-08, 03:04 PM
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They are marginally less wasteful when replacing pads, if that means anything to you.
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Old 06-05-08, 03:28 PM
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carbon specific pads need the cartridge...

now that i think about it i dont know if any of the koolstop or swissstop brands work with sram brakes...
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Old 06-05-08, 03:45 PM
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Got the same set on my old refurb'd Bridgestone single speed, but now that I have a "real" road bike with decent stoppers (Cane Creek SCR-5), I've noticed the Tektro 521's don't work neeearly as well. I did put Koolstop pads on before riding the new roadie though. Can anyone tell me if the Koolstop pads are that much better, or is a lot of the difference I'm noticing in the calipers as well? If it's pads, I'll probably order a set for my SS. Thanks.
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Old 06-05-08, 03:57 PM
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It's a rip! If I need Ultegra carts, it's $30. If I get the entire shoe, it's $10! When mine wore out, I threw the suckers away then slapped on the shoes. Shoes look like more pad to me, carts just look cheap!
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Old 06-05-08, 07:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Val23708
now that i think about it i dont know if any of the koolstop or swissstop brands work with sram brakes...
Like the rest of SRAM's stuff, they're compatible with Shimano parts, so you'd get Shimano-compatible Koolstop pads for SRAM brakes.

For that matter, Nikolai, you should be able to get Koolstop pads for your Tektros (again, Shimano-compatible), and yes, they're a LOT better, IMO. Better pads will make more of a difference than better calipers.
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Old 06-05-08, 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by 04jtb
still need to realign because they would hit the fork so you couldnt remove/insert pads.
Rofl.

Or you an take out the wheel and squeeze the calipers close to give it enough room to remove the pads. GG.
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Old 06-06-08, 12:25 PM
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If I'm reading this correctly, then the only benefit is that they are less wasteful.

I've got the 521AG's on my singlespeed with the Tektro R200 levers and Koolstop pads. I really like them. The increase in braking power over the crappy old single-pivots and non-aero levers was unbelievable. Even so, they still are not quite as powerful as the Ultegra levers and calipers on my geared roadie. I think that part of that is the decreased caliper reach and subsequent increased leverage on the Ultegras.

My plan now is to get her the non-cartridge calipers and upgrade to the Koolstop mountain pads. Harris Cyclery says they are the best, and that's exactly what I want her to have. https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html#threaded
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Old 06-06-08, 07:30 PM
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I put the Koolstop mountain pads on my road bike, they are great!

https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Nutt.../dp/B0014DXQYO
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Old 06-06-08, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by mrjhmm
I put the Koolstop mountain pads on my road bike, they are great!

https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Nutt.../dp/B0014DXQYO
I would've done the same with my road bike, but there just isn't enough fork clearance. The standard cartridge pads still do great, though.
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Old 06-07-08, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by BarracksSi
I would've done the same with my road bike, but there just isn't enough fork clearance. The standard cartridge pads still do great, though.
Scissors is your friend.

I use trimmed V-brake cartridge with Kool Stop pads, because the Kool Stop pads are $5.50 for a pair, it's super cheap compare to Shimano pads.
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Old 06-07-08, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by mrbubbles
Scissors is your friend.
Ah, ok; I didn't think that they wouldn't have a metal core or something inside.

I only got one pair of the MTB pads, though, and I'll probably put them on the old mountain bike anyway.
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Old 06-07-08, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Nikolai
Got the same set on my old refurb'd Bridgestone single speed, but now that I have a "real" road bike with decent stoppers (Cane Creek SCR-5), I've noticed the Tektro 521's don't work neeearly as well. I did put Koolstop pads on before riding the new roadie though. Can anyone tell me if the Koolstop pads are that much better, or is a lot of the difference I'm noticing in the calipers as well? If it's pads, I'll probably order a set for my SS. Thanks.
Yes, put the Kool Stop pads in the Tektros and you are good to go imo. In addition, I am 95% certain that those Cane Creek calipers you like were made by Tektro to begin with.

Last edited by Skewer; 06-07-08 at 01:03 PM.
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Old 06-07-08, 01:21 PM
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Thanks, will give the Kool Stop's a try on the Tek calipers, then.
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Old 06-07-08, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by operator
Rofl.

Or you an take out the wheel and squeeze the calipers close to give it enough room to remove the pads. GG.
lol

didnt think of that
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Originally Posted by cc700
i jam my thumbs up and back into the tubes. this way i can point my fingers straight out in front to split the wind and attain an even more aero profile, and the usual fixed gear - zen - connectedness feeling through the drivetrain is multiplied ten fold because my thumbs become one with the tubing.
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