Ok, I realise that they should not have tiny fragments of metal embedded in them, is this due to cheap rims (standard roadrat wheels) or crap brake pad compound? Can't believe this is in anyway good for the rims, and on closer inspection the rims also seem to have small bits of metal embedded in them. Should I get some softer compound pads and hope the problem goes away?
It's perfectly normal.
Ah, that's ok then, never noticed it before! Cheers 🙂
run a clean wirebrush over them and most of the flakes will vanish. any deeper shards can be prised out with a pointy tool. run a scotchbrite greenie over the rims to clean them up and you're back on the road.
I use fine grade emry paper on the rim if this happens. Make sure you dig the old flakes out of the pad too!
I had a Mavic 717 rim which was particularly bad for this from new, the 719 which replaced it has never had this, odd.
Yeah, i remember this always used to happen when I had rim brakes. Just pick out the bits from the pads every now an then.