Improving brake feel on a road bike

[shouldbworking]

So my new workplace has a big old hill between home and it. The hill is about 4 miles varying mostly between 5 and 8% gradient. Going up is not such a problem - its just a slog.

Admittedly I've only done that route 3 or 4 times, all in autumn wet / rain / cold but the extended 30+mph run down on my road bike is well.. a bit scary, particularly the lack of feel in the brakes - I've no idea how much is left before it will lock up and spit me off into the middle of this NSL road. In my commuting time I've already had a couple of unintentional skids / endos on the bike due to lack of feel on the brakes. Disc brakes would be complete overkill for the bike (plus no mounts iirc)

Bike is one of the Ribble Winter Audax's. this one except with a campag groupset - http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.asp?acti...

[Rouleur]

Other than fitting better brake pads I can't think of anything which would improve things with your current setup. This thread should help

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[mchammer89]

Grease/replace the cables.

[waughie]

you may need to check how well the pads line up on the rims.

if they are wonky you need to get them facing reasonably flat, but with a tiny bit of slant on the trailing edge of the pad.

Its very hard to explain how to do it. sometimes the pads aren;t adjustable and you need to 'adjust' the brakes themselves. by gently bending the arms of the brakes.

[ewenm]

Pad material
Pad alignment
Cable run smoothness (no sharp or tight turns)
Cable quality
Rim material - the most expensive to change and probably not worth it.

[mchammer89]

Also check how true the wheels are.

[shalmaneser]

First thing to do would be to check your cables.

[Theoldfm]

shalmaneser said:

First thing to do would be to check your cables.

^^^^ what he said. Try fitting new inners and greasing them well first.

[mchammer89]

mchammer89 said:

Grease/replace the cables.

Theoldfm said:

shalmaneser said:

First thing to do would be to check your cables.

^^^^ what he said. Try fitting new inners and greasing them well first.

Echo! Echo! Echo!

[Saddle bum]

Theoldfm said:

shalmaneser said:

First thing to do would be to check your cables.

^^^^ what he said. Try fitting new inners and greasing them well first.

Take care, Campagnolo (I'm not sure about Shimano) advise that gease or other lube not be used on their cables. They are Teflon lined.