Carbon rim breaks and pads

[duff_duffy]

Do you really need carbon specific brake pads or will any old pads do? More concerned with damaging rim than stopping power, very flat rides. Asking for a friend;)

[CSKeller]

Definitely use carbon specific pads. Using aluminum pads will not give you the best braking. DO NOT use pads that were used on aluminum rims.

Some manufacturers state that you should only use their pads (such as ENVE) or you will void their warranty. I have ENVE wheels and tried their pads but then switched to Black Prince pads and the braking is better than the ENVE specific pads.

[Clean39T]

I have a set of spare yellow carbon pads for Shimano brakes - free for shipping.. Prob mid-life or worse :)

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[AngryScientist]

If you’re not chasing max stopping power, the cheap blue eBay carbon pads are fine. The biggest deal is to not use pads that have previously been used on alu rims.

[duff_duffy]

Thanks all! Just found a pair of carbon specific in the spare parts bin. We won’t take any chances. Hoping to take a new rig out for a ride today and thought the pads might hold us up.

[bshell]

Enve told me that the compounds for pads for alloy rims actually contain an abrasive such that rim tracks and brake pads are both consumed.

[bshell]

I wanted to see what would happen with fresh alloy pads on a carbon rim.

I sped up and braked on my street 4 times (short run/stop of @ 150'). I could smell burning pad(+?) and the tracks were already showing signs of misuse.

Braking itself was great.