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I've broken my hardtail I use for commuting so am using an old road bike. Its got 10 whole gears (2 x 5) with gear levers on the downtube, and that's fine, my average speed has leapt up but the brakes are woeful. While the rear is capable of making me skid (usually when I get scared I'm not going to stop) the front brake is utterly useless (which on the MTB with hydraulics would be where most of my braking power comes from).
Here's the bike for reference
The rear has a steel rim, while the front is alloy. A few years ago I asked in a bike shop thinking I'd be able to buy new pads to improve the situation but the shop seemed to suggest the brakes were as good as they'd get and nothing could be done as the pads had plenty of material left.
I need to improve the braking on this bike, first for the front with the alloy rim, any pad suggestions to help please?
Long drop nut and bolt fitment (not the recessed nut type) dual pivot. Something like the below if the drop is enough and you can cope with the cost.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes/tektro-r359-caliper-brake-set-4757-mm-drop-nut-fitting-black/
You can buy much better calliper brakes for a start or just get some decent pads. Think Kool Stop still produce decent kit?
Not currently keen to spend £40 on this bike, would rather spend getting the hardtail(s) fixed up!
or just get some decent pads.
I don't know what to look for, anything in particular?
I've found it also helps to clean the rims well with a scouring pad and fairy liquid and make sure the wheel is very true.
Kool Stop pads or ghost ride it into the nearest canal.
As leffeboy suggests a thorough clean and degrease of the rim would by my first step. Possibly the pads too.
I recently bought an old road bike. The rear brake pads weren’t too good so fitted some KoolStop Eagle 2 (salmon). Thing is they were for cantilever brakes whereas yours are caliper brakes but they should make some to fit. The Eagle 2 offers more surface area than the traditional or city brake blocks.
Maybe the dual compound?
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Kool-Stop-Eagle-2-Threaded-Rim-Brake-Pads_216924.htm#
Also Sheldon Brown’s wisdom on all things rim-brakes:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rim-brakes.html
And calipers:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/calipers.html
Mechanical advantage? Assuming they are low budget old calipers with a high degree of flex so there will only be so much you can do to improve things. Try a fine file on the existing blocks first?
Also don’t like the look of that front brake cable as it enters the cable-stop/adjuster(?) at a sharp angle, and would imagine the cable/cable-housing is impaired, split?
Fit new correct-length cable + housing and route it around the rear of the handlebars?
Think about where your losses are and work through them one by one.
Pas friction? Clean the rim with scotchbrite and 2ashing up liquid, then rinse really thoroughly.
Replace the pads. Even if they were good pads to start, they will pick up contamination and harden with age.
Caliper pivots. Does the caliper squeeze freely or is the rust or oxide that needs clearing off first? Is the spring getting pinched between the two halves.
Cables? Split, kinked or just old and rusty?
Lever? Is the pivot sticky? Does it need a clean and lube?
It's never going to be a disc brake but it should be possible to make it adaquate.
Don't skimp on the new pads, buy something well regarded and on the softer side rather than just something cheap.
I always recommend Swissstop BXP pads, I really think they are the best available, low noise, low wear, high power, good in the wet.
After that, maybe just a cheap modern calliper for the front?
@13thfloormonk - I got some BXP pads for my Cross Check as a short term measure whilst I dither about fitting a disc fork.
The brakes are much improved in comparison to the stock Tektro mini-v pads. I got mine for £21 from Sigma Sports for two pairs as I had the holders already. You would be looking at >£40 for the holders as well, which is into new long drop territory.
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/SwissStop/Flash-Pro-BXP-Brake-Pads-2-Pairs/2GZC
Edit: Given the age of the bike and the pads look pretty old, they are likely to be pretty hard by now. Likely any new pads could be an improvement really.
Your front brake should be better than your back on this aswell.
I would thoroughly clean the rim or even sand it & replace the pads.
Didn't people put roof tar or bitumen on their rims back in the days of rim brakes? Never seen it done on a road bike mind...
Looking at the pic most of the cable outlets etc look rusty so check nothing is stopping the cable moving freely.
Also the front pad looks (from the angle of the pic) like it won’t hit the rim fully when pulled.
They’ll never match disc but you should, with a bit of cleaning and TLC along with set up be able to stop safely.
Thanks for all the good info, definitely should start with a good clean and and replace pads. I know Trials riders use tar (or violin resin), and angle grinders on their rims, but think probably best not to do that 🙂
Next phase.... The wheels need a bit of truing too, just need to build my Roger Musson truing stand and learn how to do it.