I have a set of shimano 105 brakes on my road bike. I run a neuvation wheel up front and a dt swiss 1.1 in back.
I was wondering what I can do to improve my braking performance. My pads don’t look too bad, but maybe just getting new pads will help. I don’t really care about aero or weight, this bike is my training bike and I want to be safe on it.
Maybe I should switch brands or upgrade my brakes? Maybe switch to a “high performance” brake pad? Is there a difference in performance between levels? (105, ultegra, DA)
I have a set of shimano 105 brakes on my road bike. I run a neuvation wheel up front and a dt swiss 1.1 in back.
I was wondering what I can do to improve my braking performance. My pads don’t look too bad, but maybe just getting new pads will help. I don’t really care about aero or weight, this bike is my training bike and I want to be safe on it.
Maybe I should switch brands or upgrade my brakes? Maybe switch to a “high performance” brake pad? Is there a difference in performance between levels? (105, ultegra, DA)
Thanks in advanced.
-Nate
Koolstop Salmon pads are all you need. End of thread.
Let’s put it this way…IME, you’ll notice a bigger change in going from stock pads to the Koolstop Salmons than you would in going from a single-pivot to a dual-pivot brake.
Which ones do I get for shimano 105 brakes? Seems like they have tons of pads.
Do the 105 brakes have pad holders that allow just the pads to be replaced? If so, then just get the pad replacements (I think it’s “dura style” or something like that). If the pads aren’t replaceable, then get shoes and pads together (“dura road holder”).
I use the Kool-Stop black compound and they are way better than the oem pads.
I hear great things about the salmon pads, but you really don’t ‘need’ them for dry conditions.
Your 105’s should have the pad holder for interchangeable pads. Most good/well stocked shops should have the Kool-Stop pads in-stock.
I’ve never noticed a measureable difference in 105, ultegra, or DA brake calipers.
Unless you go super lite or some crazy aero brake, you’ll not notice a huge diffference from one to the other. The only caliper I had to go away from was a super lite MRC. With that caliper, if you wanted to stop today, you had to apply the brakes yesterday : )
The only other thing that made a difference is, for me, carbon rims don’t brake quite as well as aluminum.
I’ll second the use of a higher quality brake pad. That’ll make a bigger difference then chaning to any other caliper.
Since the Kool Stops are so expensive (but worth it) - get some new SRAM Force brakes. You kill many birds with one stone: new brake bling, come with Kool Stop Pads, save some weight, centering adjustment nice if you swap rims. Granted, you won’t “stop” any better than just changing pads, but you will have a little better modulation and that “new” piece for your bike
I have a bike with lower end brakes (cant remember) and a bike with dura ace. Braking on my training wheels (open pro/crappy shimano front) is about the same on either bike, however much improved with my dura ace wheelset (wh-7801sl). Carbon wheels (zipp) with specific pads are somewhere in the middle. I think rim surface has a big impact. Dura ace pads seem to help and also seem to wear slower than lower end stuff.
A little sandpaper on the pads to remove the glaze works wonders. As does scotch-brite-ing the rims to remove pad residue.
Makes any pads work like new again.
