Differences between brake pads

Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example? Given these are much longer, I would assume these
could give better braking. Is this in fact the case? or am I fooling
myself, and should be buying the same type of (much smaller) brake
blocks.

I have experimented with mounting a pair that I had in the bottom of
my toolbox (wouldnt use em as they are almost gone), and I can mount
them solidly with clearance on the calipers.

Google hasnt really told me much about it, so I'm throwing it out to
the knowledgeable masses!

any advice appreciated!

Keith

kjparker writes:

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from
a Mountain bike V Brake setup for example?

If _your_ test proves satisfactory go for it! I'm sure the purist and
rbt engineering staff will howl in disapproval and cite several reasons,
some even valid, as why you should not.

Best Regards - Mike Baldwin

On Oct 22, 6:50*pm, kjparker wrote:
Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. *It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example?

If you're making it work, go nuts. However, if you're using threaded
pads where smooth posts usually go, you might be marring things up a
big--in a place that no one can see. If it brakes good, it is good.
Don't let the man tell you it's wrong.

On Oct 23, 2:41*pm, landotter wrote:
On Oct 22, 6:50*pm, kjparker wrote:

Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. *It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example?

If you're making it work, go nuts. However, if you're using threaded
pads where smooth posts usually go, you might be marring things up a
big--in a place that no one can see. If it brakes good, it is good.
Don't let the man tell you it's wrong.

Thanks for that, I assumed as much, but was looking to find out if
there was any technical reason I shouldnt do it.

The pads that come out, have a threaded post come out of them anyway,
so the vbrakes post being threaded isnt an issue.

I guess it really boils down to suck it and see!

On Oct 22, 5:50*pm, kjparker wrote:
Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. *It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example? *Given these are much longer, I would assume these
could give better braking. *Is this in fact the case? or am I fooling
myself, and should be buying the same type of (much smaller) brake
blocks.

I have experimented with mounting a pair that I had in the bottom of
my toolbox (wouldnt use em as they are almost gone), and I can mount
them solidly with clearance on the calipers.

Google hasnt really told me much about it, so I'm throwing it out to
the knowledgeable masses!

any advice appreciated!

Keith

Side pull 'Cantis' as in 'v brakes'? Or side pull 'caliper'. in either
case, if there's just a slot in the arm for the brake shoe holder, not
a bunch of hardware for a non threaded, posted brake block, use
anything that works. Longer pads are more rubber, better stopping in
general. Make sure the longer pad can be aligned with the rim w/o any
overhang to the tire.

On Oct 22, 6:50*pm, kjparker wrote:
Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. *It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example? *Given these are much longer, I would assume these
could give better braking. *Is this in fact the case? or am I fooling
myself, and should be buying the same type of (much smaller) brake
blocks.

I have experimented with mounting a pair that I had in the bottom of
my toolbox (wouldnt use em as they are almost gone), and I can mount
them solidly with clearance on the calipers.

Google hasnt really told me much about it, so I'm throwing it out to
the knowledgeable masses!

any advice appreciated!

Keith

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html

On Oct 23, 10:54*am, "
wrote:
On Oct 22, 6:50*pm, kjparker wrote:





Hi

I am going to need to replace the brake pads shortly on one of my
bikes. *It has regular side pull cantilever brakes on it.

Is there any reason I cant use the pads from a Mountain bike V Brake
setup for example? *Given these are much longer, I would assume these
could give better braking. *Is this in fact the case? or am I fooling
myself, and should be buying the same type of (much smaller) brake
blocks.

I have experimented with mounting a pair that I had in the bottom of
my toolbox (wouldnt use em as they are almost gone), and I can mount
them solidly with clearance on the calipers.

Google hasnt really told me much about it, so I'm throwing it out to
the knowledgeable masses!

any advice appreciated!

Keith

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I've used kool stops for years on my road bikes- it doesn't matter
really, as long as they stop you when you need.