Technical > Wheels, Tyres and Brakes
Ceramic Rims and brake blocks
Team Triplet:
I have ceramic rims on my new baby, running LX V brakes with normal brake blocks. I notice that you can get brake blocks for Alumunium or Ceramic rims. I assume that the blocks supplied are for alumunium rims.
Q. is the use of brake block for Al rims determental to Ceramic rims?
colintr:
My understanding is that ceramic rims will wear out normal blocks in no time flat but the rims will not be damaged by their use. I`ve recently taken delivery of a Raven adventure tour and found the brakes (XTR V brakes/normal blocks) fine in normal use but tend to fade on long steep descents. Have just replaced blocks with Kool stop green chromium blocks for ceramic rims only have not tested them yet. Will let you know how they perform.
Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop:
With standard rubber blocks the ceramic rim will absorb the heat generated and caus the ceramic to flate off. Sintered compound blocks designed for ceramic brake absorb the heat themselves taking it away from the rim. This only happens on long decents and some people use standard rubber compound brakes regardless as they stop better.
colintr:
The kool-stops seem to work well and seem squeal free. Haven`t tested them on any long descents yet though.
bandgap:
I have had lots of ceramic rims with lots of brake blocks.
Mostly Mavic rims.
Except for one Sun 'ceramic' rim that seemed more like anodised than ceramic and an FIR ceramic rim of dubious quality.
Observations are:
Initially blocks wear fast, but always settles down to same or better than anodised or plain aluminium rims.
Once 'run-in', dry performance excellent. Braking with ceramic worse than plain aluminium in the wet, but not much.
- Except with standard Magura hydralic rim brakes blocks and ceramic where wet weather performance is appalling. A change to 'grey' blocks helps a lot, but is not ideal.
The rear ceramic-equipped brake of my commuter with V-brakes is rubbish in the wet - probably down to oil contamination from the filthy chain.
In short, and after several long tours and some massive camping-loaded descents, I would always go for ceramic as they last so much longer and drawbacks, if any, are slight.
They cost much more, but this is somewhat swallowed by the cost of wheel building.
Steve
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version