BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

stu, I'm guessing there is something else going on. you should be able to stop with rim brakes in the rain. overheating the brakes and rim is still a possibility, I would imagine.

I have disk brakes and never had a problem stopping in the rain, snow, slush..... my wife has some kind of softer brake pads on her bike that makes stopping in the rain a non issue with her rim brakes. Can't remember the brand but they work very well

Sounds like you're running steel rims? A change to aluminum rims with rim brakes would make an adequate difference. Disk brakes would make it a complete non-issue.

Stu, are the pads pretty close to the rim before you start applying pressure to the levers? If they're too far out you could be losing a lot of leverage on the brakes

Also, are you using those smallish rectangle shaped pads? I've seen people with old-style calipers using these types:

I think they might increase your braking area and potentially help

Steel rims are horrible in the rain, as anyone who has ridden over steel in the rain quickly finds out.

Disc brakes will help and awful lot. Really that's one of their primary benefits. However you typically need a new bike to take advantage of them, so there's that.

Pads can help. Kool Stop salmon pads make a big difference in the wet. They come in many different models and I think will fit most any brake out there. W. Liberty Cycles and Iron City Bikes regularly have them in stock.

Any brake is going to work less well in the rain. Bicycle rim brakes esp though.

One of the reasons I really dig the new Roubaix with discs...

http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2013-Specialized-Roubaix-Disc-Expert-road-bike01.jpg

Old brakes on steel rims don't work very well when wet. Disc brakes would certainly solve your problem. The only difference in performance when they're wet is that they tend to squeal.

second kool stop salmons, and also the idea that you have something else going on. i've never had that much difficulty with plain old boring rim brakes in the rain, or even the snow (once you melt through the snow to the rim surface). could be steel rims (which you should replace anyway), or could be something else.

righted again, I need to keep my mouth shut!

a word about disc brakes, while they work well in the rain I found out last winter they (or at least mine) are pretty fussy when it comes to road salts. my pistons were very unhappy.

@dmtroyer

I don't think you were wrong. Rim brakes work okay in the rain. (maybe not steel though) As for the disc brakes, I agree.

While they're better at stopping, they have more mechanical components, which also need to be serviced regularly to not get corroded.

Rain plus steel rims and old style block pads is a bad combo, but you should still be able to come to a stop. It sounds as though someting is out of adjustment such as too much cable slack as pierce notes above.

I remember my old Raleigh had a hard time stopping, or even slowing down that much, in the rain. But it was more a problem with the brake pads than the type of brakes or the rims. If you replace your cheap old brake pads with fancy new ones I think you'll be OK.

Sounds like the simplest way out of my dilemma is new, better brake pads. I have the classic setup of steel rims and $1.50 block pads.

Get a new wheelset man. Steel rims are deadly.

For the record...

One brake pad was at about a 45 degree angle to the ground, so only a small section of the pad was hitting the rim

Secondly, the amount of pull was indeed an issue, resulting in less leverage on both front and rear brakes

The back rear-wheel was a little out of true, so that couldn't be brought in too much

Stu, what size wheel is it, 27"?

Once you get the adjustment taken care of, the next most expedient solution would be to buy an inexpensive front wheel with an alloy rim (Kraynicks). You will be pleased with the difference.

FWIW, on my little 20" Raleigh folder, it has steel rims, brand new brake pads, and brakes adjusted within an inch of their life. And I barely go over 10 mph. When I ride it around town in the rain, you pretty much need to start braking about an hour before you want to stop, and even then some foot-dragging may be needed.

Stu did you ever do anything about this braking issue? I am concerned for you.

Thank you for your concern. It's kept me off the bike somewhat, unwilling to chance it on any day it might be wet.

The fine folks on the ride that day (marko, mikhail, I forget who else) fixed me up right quick for that one bike, that one day, but I haven't been on it much since.

The old Raleigh has the same problem to a lesser extent. Is that problem endemic to the combo of steel rims and inexpensive pads? With the Raleigh's setup, the problem is less a matter of wet brakes and more of fading, even when dry. Probably the same solution, just get higher end pads. The Raleigh also has an out-of-true wheel, which doesn't help matters any, but it does stop.

I went wheel shopping for my old Ross one day at FreeRide, with this thought squarely in mind. Alloy rims are not as easy to locate as you might think. Next stop Kraynick's, but I have a devil of a time getting there when he's open.

I use these brake pads:

They're the only ones I'll ever use again - the stopping power is not decreased at all in the rain. Not to mention, the pack pictured above is only $4.99 at thick (second cheapest ones in the store)

Stu, I've been shopping FR for alloy rims for an old bike as well. Over the last few months, the selection seems to have dropped for some reason. I eventually found what I needed in the old fashioned 27" size. The shop is moving to a new location right now, so more parts are being scrapped than normally are. Keep checking, new donations come in all the time.

I've successfully and with minimal issues just changed old road frames to 700c wheels. It just depends on your brake caliper reach. But many old bikes have long reach calipers to start. Also your tire selection will broaden immensely. If I see you at a ride sometime we can just try sticking on a different front wheel to estimate the fit.

steel rims are crap. even super cheap aluminum rims are better. also it cant be said enough KOOL STOP SALMON PADS FTMFW!!!!!!

Yeah, what cburch said. Although I run their triple compounds.

Seriously thought I would be able to endo myself in the wet during Pedal Pgh.

They still make the triple compounds for V-brakes? I was looking for them locally...hadn't seen them in quite a while.

Depends. I run the triple compound cross pads, with the Shimano-style holders. I think they're designed for cantilevers, but I run them on mini V-brakes and they work great. They also make them with the long posts that some canti brakes have. If you're looking for the traditional long pad found on most V-brakes, I'm not sure what the answer is.