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Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $

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Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $
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icfantv
Jul 18, 14 9:07
Post #1 of 19 (3761 views)
I'm doing some research on these since I saw that Williams is selling a 4-pack for $15 whereas Zipp's are $40 for 2.

According to the Internet many carbon wheel manufacturers used to ship with Swiss Stop yellows until they realized they could make more money and come up with their own (perhaps cheaper) compound. This had mixed results: I trust Zipp to make damn good quality pads, but apparently Reynolds pads were just damn scary and disintegrated after a few uses.

Anyone have some thoughts on this? $80 seems obscene for pads but then, anything Zipp sells is frickin' expensive. On the flip side, $15 seems a little too low in price.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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PeteDin206
Jul 18, 14 11:02
Post #2 of 19 (3715 views)
I have the CycleOps pads for my ENVE 8.9s on my old bike and the ENVE Pads on my new bike. They are exactly the same and I was going to say the CycleOps ones were cheaper, but it looks like they recently adjusted the price so they are the same. It used to be $15-20 cheaper for the CycleOps set. The complete set is around $60 for front and rear.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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ijgoodwin
Jul 18, 14 11:14
Post #3 of 19 (3710 views)
I've used the Reynolds blue pads a ton, and never had an issue. I could often find them on eBay for about $25 for a set of 4.

I Recently switched to SwissStop Black Prince. They're a little on the spendy side, but are darn good.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [ijgoodwin] [ In reply to ]
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bullshark
Jul 18, 14 11:30
Post #4 of 19 (3700 views)
x2 on Black Prince. I value my health and well being a lot more than trying to save a few bucks on something as important as brake pads. I trust the Zipps also.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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martinduathlete
Jul 18, 14 11:56
Post #5 of 19 (3682 views)
I like my Zipps. Slowing and stopping the bike are not areas to skimp on. Skip going out to dinner one time and you're even.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [ijgoodwin] [ In reply to ]
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charlietris
Jul 19, 14 12:21
Post #6 of 19 (3604 views)
i also switched to swisstop and am happy so far.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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ffmedic84
Jul 19, 14 12:32
Post #7 of 19 (3598 views)
Using SwissStop yellows and they're great.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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Juanmoretime
Jul 19, 14 13:50
Post #8 of 19 (3577 views)
Using Reynolds Blue pads. They just work. I don't care what they cost since not stopping is playing with injury or possibly death at times. As long as they work well money does not matter.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [Juanmoretime] [ In reply to ]
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JRC
Jul 20, 14 2:48
Post #9 of 19 (3488 views)
When I first switched to carbon rims (older pre firecrest zipp 404's) I just used a cheap carbon specific pad ( aztec) and they were pretty dire... I have switched to the swisstop black pads and they are soo much better.

the first couple of days however before the carbon specific pads turned up I rode with std pads for ally rims ( cleaned them first!)... and the brakes were lethaly sharp! I suspect rim wear would be fairly fast though.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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icfantv
Jul 21, 14 7:01
Post #10 of 19 (3383 views)
thanks for all the feedback everyone. i went with the yellow swisstop ones.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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Mr.Pie
Jul 21, 14 7:22
Post #11 of 19 (3363 views)
just a word of warning before you use them especially on descents.....Swissstop yellows tend to build up/retain heat more than other pads. You do not want to "drag brake" using yellows on carbon clinchers or you can risk failure of the rim.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [Mr.Pie] [ In reply to ]
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icfantv
Jul 21, 14 7:27
Post #12 of 19 (3359 views)
well crap. now i'm scared to use them.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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Mr.Pie
Jul 21, 14 8:42
Post #13 of 19 (3337 views)
they'll be fine on most rims. Just modulate or "brake" properly. ie heavy breaking before a turn and don't drag the brakes. Modulate front and rear, use the front more than the rear as thats where the most stopping comes from and air/wind cools the front rim faster.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [Mr.Pie] [ In reply to ]
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icfantv
Jul 21, 14 9:06
Post #14 of 19 (3324 views)
ok. i don't normally just lay on the brakes and hold on for dear life so maybe i don't need to unlearn.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [Juanmoretime] [ In reply to ]
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FatandSlow
Jul 21, 14 10:32
Post #15 of 19 (3302 views)
Juanmoretime wrote:
Using Reynolds Blue pads. They just work. I don't care what they cost since not stopping is playing with injury or possibly death at times. As long as they work well money does not matter.

^This. I have the Reynolds on 2 bikes, both with Reynolds wheels. One Campy, one SRAM. No problems. Better than Corima cork, Zipp's older black pads for carbon and older yellow Swiss Stops.
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [bullshark] [ In reply to ]
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AKCrafty
Jul 21, 14 11:23
Post #16 of 19 (3278 views)
x3 on the black prince pads. The modulation has been the closest feel to aluminum rims I have ever had on carbon. I just used them at Cascade Classic on the road stages and had no problems with braking or noise (I know that's just a nuisance--but I hate the squealing).
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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Tom A.
Jul 21, 14 12:56
Post #17 of 19 (3253 views)
Well...if you are truly interested in balancing performance vs. $, you'd be using wheels with aluminum braking surfaces...in which case I'd recommend Kool Stop Salmon pads ;-)
http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [icfantv] [ In reply to ]
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SharkFM
Jul 21, 14 14:02
Post #18 of 19 (3228 views)
These are beast - I raced with these - forgot I had them on the race bike actually.
http://www.wiggle.com/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/


Also on a used set of DA 50 TU's I picked up, the braking was pulsing/annoying so I used a 320 grit wetsand paper between the pads and rim & lightly ran the wheel (eg like a brake rotor turning machine). Cleaned up the scuffed-off powder and now they brake perfectly. Just a very light roughening of the surface and of course this drops the sections of the rim that are high.
Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
FM Sports: http://fluidmotionsports.com
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Re: Carbon Brake Pads - balance performance vs. $ [ffmedic84] [ In reply to ]
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grumpier.mike
Jul 21, 14 17:44
Post #19 of 19 (3200 views)
ffmedic84 wrote:
Using SwissStop yellows and they're great.

Just don't use them on HED carbons ( tubular ). HED warns against their use and I can tell you from experience that they get hot and become very "grabby". You are probably best using the recommended pads or talk to someone like KoolStop and get their recommendations. Their "salmon" pad is Nick Salazar's pick on the TriRig review, but as the HED example shows, they aren't all compatible.
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