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I've replaced my standard tektro pads on my road commuter (mira calipers) with a some superstar organics. In the dry, all is fine, maybe even slightly better, in the wet, they howl like nothing I've heard before, they're deafening, and they don't work as well as the standard ones.
What shold I be running in the winter on the road? Sintered? Semi metallic? Kevlar?
Any ideas?
If they're howling like that, I would suspect oil contamination on them.
You can use a blowlamp to burn any oil off the pads. Dress them flat with a little wet&dry on a piece of glass.
Wash your rotors with hot soapy water, rinse well and deglaze with some wet&dry.
Well its what i do, have always done but no doubt other have ways that may be better.
Incidentally, youre not trying to recreate the fires of hell on earth so burn them just so they smoke a bit,
Did you bed them in? They won't work properly otherwise.
Fully bedded in, and work a little too perfectly in the dry and there's no noise, just when they get decently wet.
That makes me think they're probably not contaminated, but I'll give the hob a whirl when the wife is out on Wednesday 😆
The howling has been every time it rains, they've never worked properly in the wet.
Sintered will be worse. Metal in them I feel contributes to the squealing.
Organic and Kevlar I use for reduced noise.
Some reckon copper grease on the back of pads to reduce vibration trick like with cars and motorbikes works, though I'm not convinced that's the cause with lower speed pedal bikes, especially when it's mainly an issue in the wet and they can squeal even when barely moving. However, you could give it a try. Just make sure it's a thin smear of the stuff on the back and avoid getting it anywhere near the actual pad.
As for not working in the wet, I take it these are cable brakes. I would think they're going to be less powerful than hydraulic. Maybe that's also part of the issue. I find on an MTB when wet, if I'm going at speed on steep descents and brake hard there's squeal at first and then it clears. The water is being burnt/shed I think. Less powerful brakes might not clear it enough. Don't know, just guessing there.
It's odd because the original pads were silent, but had an issue with grabbing violently in the wet. These are noisy, and just don't work as well. I'm not sure which is worse 😕
Might try some kevlar or shimano ones next then, I thought sintered would be noisier.
They are cable yeah, and cheap cable at that, I'd like hydro's but I'm 10 speed and post mount, so I'd be looking at the thick end of £500 to change, and the bike only cost £400.
I generally find kevlar noisier, especially in the cold and wet. I like them, they're my default pads but only because I don't care about noise.
TBF, the working is the more important thing, but the vibration that comes with the noise makes the brakes less efficient.
If anything in the wet the noise is a good thing because it draws attention.