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...