Swissstop Black "melting"

[SteveV0983]

I picked up some Swissstop black pads based on so many good reviews and yesterday got caught in the rain with them for the first time. I'm using them with Ultegra WH6700 wheels which have a machined braking surface. Not only were they pretty poor in the rain, but when I got home and was cleaning the bike, I noticed that the rim braking surface was completely black. I wiped them with a wet rag and found that they were completely caked with black, which I am assuming was due to the pads. By the way, these are the same pads that come srock on SRAM Force brakes, so many of you may use them.

Anyone ever have this happen? The rims are new to me also, but I never saw this before with DA pads on Mavic OpenPro wheels. Maybe I should have tried Kool Stop Salmon instead.....

[John H.]

Interesting- I have the new 2012 SRAM Red brakes- noticed the same thing on two foggy rides- not even full on rain?!
Lost so much pad that I needed to tighten the cables.

[Lovetoclimb]

During the Rapha Gentlemen's Race in VT/NH we got caught in the rain during the last 40 miles. Combined with packed dirt and gravel roads, my pads went from 40% in the front to nothing and 60% in the back to less than 20%. It was amazing in hindsight. Incredibly scary at the time as I was unable to slow myself nor come to anything near a stop without some very creative skating (thank you cyclocross). I was using KoolStop black pads, I think those are the same . . .

[SteveV0983]

Seems hard to believe that a product this poor could remain on the market. I'm sure a ton of people have SRAM brakes. Makes me wonder if it is happening to everyone or if mine are defective. Either way, that's the end of Swissstop for me.

[John H.]

I wouldn't say that my pads melted- just burned through them more quickly than other pads- and not even in super wet weather.

[SteveV0983]

Good point. "Melted" probably was the wrong word because I don't think it was caused by heat. They just disintegrated when wet. They're like the Wicked Witch of The West of brake pads.

[Louis]

And her mangy little dog too... (http://youtu.be/aopdD9Cu-So)

[winmonster]

Use the green ones to get wear rates equivalent to or longer than other pads.

[AgilisMerlin]

mentioned, wrote, a couple times

i am a fan of kool stop salmon - for all conditions. works for me.