Improve brakes in wet.

dfdream

Just got a new Giant Defy Comp recently and all is good.
Was out for a spin yesterday and noticed that in the wet the wheel was hardly slowing down when I applied the brakes.
They are adjusted fine and stop really well in dry but just not gripping wheel in wet. Its an ultegra except for the brake callipers. They are basic Shimano.

My old by is ultegra to with Tektro 540 callipers and original pads (3 years old) and they grip in the wet (the wheel skids) as they do in the dry.

Would it suffice to put better pads on the Shimano Callipers or should I look at replacing the callipers to Ultegra.

Is the rim important for stopping in the wet ?
I have stock giant PR-2 on it but have fulcrum 5s that I can put on instead...

smacl

You can use pads specifically designed for a range of weather, such as Kool Stop. In the wet, if you apply the brakes every now and again before you need to stop, you'll clear the water of the rims and they'll behave better when you need them. Cleaning the rims after each spin is also much more important in the winter and will improve braking.

2 Wheels Good

It's probably just down to the fact it's a new bike. The pads/rims just need bedding in, they should be fine wet or dry once this has happened. If they're still not great after a couple of months look at getting new pads.

Alek

Months? Brake pads should bed in within one or two longish spins.

I'd recommend Kool Stop Salmons, they're great in both wet and dry, but wear out fast (soft compound). They may be even too good in wet, as you can lock your wheels easier.

CramCycle

Pads are the most important part, as smacl says, koolstop or similar. I had the koolstop dual compound on my old bike and the difference between then and my Shimano pads was night and day in the wet.

dfdream

Thanks for all the updates lads.

Was thinking the pads the most important thing.

Whats the benefit of higher grade calipers when they all just basically squeeze the pads onto the rim of the wheel ?

CramCycle

dfdream wrote: »

Whats the benefit of higher grade calipers when they all just basically squeeze the pads onto the rim of the wheel ?

Some are lighter, technically there could be miniscule flex that us mere mortals will not feel but basically, they are lighter and may look nicer. Get some good quality pads and adjust the callipers correctly, if your stopping does not improve, then the rim of the wheel is your issue (I don't know what the wheels you are on are made of) but so long as it is not stainless steel they should also be fine.

2 Wheels Good

Alek wrote: »

Months? Brake pads should bed in within one or two longish spins.

I'd recommend Kool Stop Salmons, they're great in both wet and dry, but wear out fast (soft compound). They may be even too good in wet, as you can lock your wheels easier.

Months, weeks, days! Depends on how much stopping you do in those rides

slap/dash

Quick query: kool stop pads aren't in any way specific to the calipers or shoes you're using are they?

Brian?

Take the pads off and give them a quick rub with a fine grit sand paper. If they're no better then it's new pads.

smacl

slap/dash wrote: »

Quick query: kool stop pads aren't in any way specific to the calipers or shoes you're using are they?

Shoes and the pads that fit them for road bikes, like so many other bike bits, are different for Shimano and Campag. Most generic manufacturers like BBB, Clarks etc... will have shimano and campag variants of their products. Look for an S or C suffix on the part number.

slap/dash

smacl wrote: »

Shoes and the pads that fit them for road bikes, like so many other bike bits, are different for Shimano and Campag. Most generic manufacturers like BBB, Clarks etc... will have shimano and campag variants of their products. Look for an S or C suffix on the part number.

Kool