The corners of Scotland

[julk]

I had the exact same experience in heavy rain with CSS rims and those blue blocks.
I was riding in the CTC KM rally and it was embarassing/frightening not being able to stop for some road junctions.
I ended up putting a foot down some times…

I tried the black koolstop and they were a bit better in the wet.

I have just had the front rim replaced by a non CSS Andra, still have to test it in the very heavy rain, but that can wait.
Davefife has done a great job for me, recommended if you are near Edinburgh.
julk

[Matt2matt2002]

Many thanks.
Did you go for the front since it would be easier/cheaper or is there a 'stopping power' reason.

I hate spending my money but after the experience in the wet on Shetland (unloaded) I am seriously considering it.

Matt

[julk]

Matt,
I went for the front only on the basis that most braking is provided by the front wheel.
I have replaced the blue blocks with koolstop red/black dual compound which I found very effective on Sun Rhynos on a previous bike.

Leaving the Rohloff with a CSS rim seems to be the best idea since both have very long expected life and braking in the slightly wet and dry is still very effective, although I will be relying on the front in the heavy rain.

I will be seeing how effective this combination is, but sadly it will have to wait for me being caught out in a downpour.
I don’t normally plan to ride in the very heavy rain.
Julian.

[Andre Jute]

So their USP is not wearing out?
If you live long enough.....

I'm glad you returned without having a literally smashing time, Matt. Think I'll give those CSS rims and Salmon brake blocks a miss. Your and Jags' and Julk's experience sounds like more excitement than a recreational cyclist needs, wants -- or deserves.

[Andybg]

Hi Matt

Glad to hear you had such a good trip and that despite all the issues with the brakes that you still got home safe and sound. I hope you manage to find a good / yet not too expensive remedy to the braking issue. As others have said the current thinking would suggest replacing your front rim with a non css rim and changing to standard brake pads.

Might be worth speaking to Thorn and see if they can do you a good deal on a rebuild. Not that I want to put the cat among the pigeons but I am sure if it was a car we were talking about it would be a safety recall issue.

Andy

[Templogin]

Thanks guys, I was about to buy a spare set of blues.  I haven't ridden in bad rain yet so it is a Joy to "look forward" to.

[brummie]

I've been running standard alloy Grizzly rims complete with Koolsstop Salmon pads / XTR V's  on the RST for perhaps 12 months now & the braking is second to none. Highly recommended.

[jags]

Brummie i need kool stop salmon refils for my brakes where is the best place to buy.

cheers
jags.

[brummie]

Jags, Mine are Non-Cartridge pads ! I'm not sure whether  cartridge pads are available in the Salmon flavour? Maybe contact Dave W @ sjs - he's a fountain of knowledge.. or maybe Dan will chip in with an answer?

[jags]

Cheers Brummie they can be got ok just i need the cheapest place to buy you understand.

[Danneaux]

i need kool stop salmon refils for my brakes where is the best place to buy.

...and...

maybe Dan will chip in with an answer?

I just sourced some for AndyBG, so I have the links already: 

Kool-Stop Salmon-colored pads:
If you already have the Shimano aluminum alloy pad holders on your bike (my Deores had 'em...the pad slips in from behind and is retained by a small clevis clip through a hole), then the pads you want are these (they come with new clevis pins or you can use the originals, but they tend to get lost on removal):
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/koolstop-kool-stop-v-brake-inserts-salmon-for-wet-and-muddy-prod22269/?geoc=us
They are what I used in mine for Sherpa's Shimano Deore holders and now again for the Nomad's. A perfect fit in each and a *very* good price. They appear to be the same as these, which is what I have:
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html#vrefill I don't have the Duro2 ( http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/koolstop-koolstop-dura-2-shimano-compatible-inserts-prod31819/?geoc=us ), but I think they would work also. f you have different brakes, the check the ad copy carefully.

In any case, I'd suggest getting the *salmon* ones. I have found them to work best on all conditions and especially in the wet. They are also the most rim-friendly, meaning they cause very, very little wear to alloy rims. My rando bike has done over 28,000mi on its Mavic MA-2 rims with these pads and both are still fine. I still have some of the older, bonded (glued) fin-backed Mathauser pads using this same salmon formula dating from 1978 and they're still good and stop well on the bikes equipped with them.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

cheers dan i'll order them in the next month or so still a few miles left on these.

anto.

[cycladelic]

I'll be spending a week in Scotland this June, Matt. I can't Wait. The plan is to get off road a bit, going over some high sections between Corran to Fort Augustus, and the Corrieyairack, plus a couple of parts of the West Highland Way: near Fort William towards Glen Coe and besides Loch Lomond. As it's a short trip I'm not going to fly over with my Nomad, and will just botrrow a friend's bike. He has a Raven, but he'll ride that, so I'll be on his spare mountain bike.

The Hebrides are super. It's a part of the world I'd like to revisit. Here are some pics from my last ride there - I was pretty lucky with the weather for a few days...

[John Saxby]

Great stuff, Matt, and welcome home!  Sounds like a great trip, aside from the braking: new terrain, new friends, bike and rider happy.

FWIW, my Raven--due to see the light of day on Tuesday--has a slightly different wheel-and-brake setup, with Velocity Cliffhanger rims (machined sidewalls) fore & aft and Koolstop dual-compound pads. I decided not to fit CSS rims, because of reports of experience like yours. Could you have the front wheel re-built, replacing the front rim?  Never cheap, I know, but peace of mind is good.

[cycladelic]

Matt, I haven't had a problem in the wet with my Swissstop Blue pads on the rear (only) Rigida CSS rim...