Unexpected wear

[idiotgap]

I put some new brake blocks on my commuter a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371894182462



The bike is an old hybrid with tektro v-brakes. I seem to have worn through the first set of black coloured cartridges in no time at all. Barely anything left on them and I will have to swap for the red ones this weekend. I guess there have been a few rides with heavy rain, maybe about 50 sodden miles, but I can't understand that explaining wearing them out so fast. Is there something I might be doing wrong? The tektro brake blocks that were on the bike when I got it lasted however long they were on the bike for before I got it then another 1000 miles with me and that was right through Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb.

I suppose the red blocks could be a different compound and will wear at a different rate, but I feel like I should order some new cartridges now or I@ll get caught out.

Any recommendations?

[Bobley]

Do not buy Swisstop Greens. I fitted these brakes to my lads CX race bike and they lasted 3 races ON HIS SPARE BIKE

[idiotgap]

At the weekend I removed the near dead 2 week old black inserts and put in the red ones.
I've also ordered some kool stop salmon refills to put in next time. I'm still quite baffled by this.

[Kieranv]

What sort of state are your rims in? The braking surface on the rim wears out over time too and can cause pads to wear through much quicker than usual.

Either that or the brakes are rubbing but you'd notice that while riding. Clarks components aren't the best of items anyway.

[idiotgap]

Rims are Rigida Cyber 10s, they are ancient but laced tight, true and not worn out. The pads weren't rubbing. I've only done one dry day (29 miles) on the red pads so far, but I'll keep an eye on them. New wheels wouldn't be an easy spend on the £56 gumtree special bike. I know Clark's aren't the top of the market, but they're not no-name generic items either, I have their pads on one of my road bikes and they're fine.

The weird thing is that the old brake blocks might well have been original to the bike and lasted me 2000 km once I got it.