REM–Bicycle–Apr01

Bicycle Brake Pads

Photo By Richard E Marion
Using:
Paint.Net V4.0
Pantech P2030 Cell Phone

Two nights back, the Pilot took the Bicycle out in terrible weather. The aesthetics and asceticism of Cycling: wind chill, winter ice, and crashing potholes must be elevated to the next level of achievement. Springtime Storm-time.

One quick pass crossing NH Route 101E to the Pilot’s favorite roadway, NH Route 1A alongside the Atlantic Sea.

Wolven winds howled, masked the rushing tides. That was fine… Not so fine, (and no pun) a slurry of busted asphalt, sea-sand, and gravel chunks aplenty covered the machine and operator. Applications of the V Brakes quickly evoked sickening sounds from the rear rim being eaten by amalgamated debris and; it turns out, particles and shreds of Aluminum.

Aluminum from a very nice rear rim. The front rim stayed mysteriously gratefully silent.

‘Photo Exhibit A’; the two rear pads, are Avid brand and in fairness had taken a lot of miles and been cleaned up many times over and over. The little ‘devil horns’ above the black pads are actually the retainer clips for a size reference. Most of the debris was small and didn’t photograph well. The biggest most obvious piece of liberated rim material is plain to see on the right-side pad halfway down.

In contrast, the front brake pads are Kool Stop brand and relatively new. Installed by personal friend and Supreme Technician Mike Conlon. These pads are extremely nice and stop on a dime. As it turns out, TRP Brake Arms, front and rear have been already scheduled for Bicycle Diesel Dark with; you guessed it, black Kool Stops.

Until then, the Pilot has resurfaced and planed down flat the decimated rear pads using a double-cut flat file (paranoid about GRIT: I.E. any form of embedded abrasive) and will be careful until the entire braking system is refreshed and better than new.

Meanwhile, one set of ‘Salmon Kool Stops’ (a color descriptor… not the fish) are on the way at the local bike shop due Thursday for experimenting while waiting for the new braking system total tune and tolerances. Much good is said (search it you’ll see) about Salmon Kool Stops, TRP Brake Arms, Paul Component Engineering Brake Levers.

Obviously the Pilot has a lot to learn about extreme weather bicycling and maintenance.