Please recommend some rim brake wheels and/or brake pads. Also, a story.

[Baron Blubba]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

I'm confused -- I thought that C24s were aluminum brake track with carbon faring, but maybe there are multiple models. I had a set of C35 tubulars with Campy red pads and found the braking, especially in emergency situations, lacking.

I got it backwards, you are correct.

Regarding me being in the industry and thus should know these things: Perhaps it's because I'm in the industry that I don't. 98% of the performance bikes I've sold in the past decade have been disc brake bikes. That's a vague estimate number, but it's gotta be close to that. Outside of the Paceline and similar 'purist' communities, most people specifically want disc brake bikes. I personally prefer disc brake most of the time. So it's been a while since I've ridden rim brakes on a road bike.
My high end rim brake wheelset history includes Shimano C35 tubulars circa 2011-2013, Easton EC90's shortly after that, Enve 3.4's after that, and Giant SLR 1 and SLR 0 wheels scattered throughout. The C35's and Eastons were not good in the wet, even on flats. The Enves were a little better, but didn't fill me with confidence. The Giants were okay, but again, approaching an intersection at high speed or hitting a stop sign at the bottom of a steep descent was always sketchy business.

Some folks have mentioned how important it is for the rims to be clean. I'm embarrassed to say this, but that's likely the cause for the piss-poor-performance I experienced a few days ago, as the rims were filthy after a week of riding on wet or damp roads, as it's been on-and-off rain all day all week.
Typically, the C24's have good braking performance.

Still, I'm going to invest in a pair of HED Ardennes Blacks paired with Koolstop salmon pads, because I'd like even better performance, and because I've never ridden HED wheels and am curious, and because they will have better tubeless performance than the allegedly-tubeless 15mm inner rim width Dura Aces. I love the DA C24's, so I'll be keeping a pair handy just in case I don't like the HED's as much.

Mr Potato Head, thank you for your generous offer. I might take you up on it for a different bike in the near future. To be perfectly transparent, I prefer to ride a product that is sellable through my shop, because I do a lot of group rides and people look at what I ride. As good as BTLOS rims might be, it wouldn't be good for business for me to ride a direct to consumer wheelset. Of course, if there was no equal or better option, the quality of the wheel would defeat my capitalistic motive most of the time.

Ridethecliche: I've got no problem riding shallow wheels on any bike. The aerodynamic benefits of a 40-50mm rim appear to be infinitesimally minimal in pretty much all of my riding conditions. For all its round tubes, shallow 10 year old wheels, and 1.5 lbs of weight disadvantage, my Ritchey is maybe 3% slower than my MOG. Maybe. Considering how much time I spend on windy exposed mountains, I'll take the safety and confidence of shallow rims over the teensy weensy bit of speed boost on fast rolling terrain anyday.

[Gummee]

Best wet braking ever? Mavic Ceramic rims from a few years/decades back. Downside was that they ate brake pads.

I'll 3rd or 4th Kool Stop Salmon pads. They do work.

Newer stuff? I got nuthin.

M

[prototoast]

When I lived in Oregon, I used the Kool stop salmon pads. I guess they were fine, but a dirty wet descent can eat any brake pad.

[ridethecliche]

Sounds like the HED are a good option for ya then. Looking forward to the review!

[mass_biker]

Back from 100+ miles/10K feet of climbing ride here in MD - windy, windy, windy with constant steep up and down. Rim brake bike with HED Ardennes Black “RA”. Great, confidence inspiring riding even with some scary big gusts on some exposed descents. Not once did I regret my choice of wheels (it was dry though). Might have to get another set for a bike I am getting built up (anyone have handy discount codes?!). FWIW, running these with Pirelli P Zero 26c (with tubes) - great tire that goes on easy, rides so nicely, and is durable when and where it counts.

MB

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by Baron Blubba

Still, I'm going to invest in a pair of HED Ardennes Blacks paired with Koolstop salmon pads, because I'd like even better performance, and because I've never ridden HED wheels and am curious, and because they will have better tubeless performance than the allegedly-tubeless 15mm inner rim width Dura Aces. I love the DA C24's, so I'll be keeping a pair handy just in case I don't like the HED's as much.

while I've not ridden the C24s yet (incoming on the Anderson), I have been riding a set of Hed Belgium rims laced to DT240 hubs and they are so nice with Vittoria Corsa 28s and latex tubes.. I don't really have any experience in the wet with them, but the ride is superb!

[cgolvin]

For those of you praising the Kool Stop salmons, do you find they perform significantly better than standard (metal track) Campy pads?

[robertbb]

If you just want to improve your braking in the wet (and dry!) with minimal spend: Swisstop BXP pads are your jam.

I did a lot of mucking around with pads some years back, tried all kinds of brands and compounds (swisstop, koolstop, Shimano, Campy, others).

Swisstop BXP's were better in all conditions and also modulated the best.

Not all aluminium braking surfaces are created equal either. Some are textured which improves braking a LOT. Some are totally smooth like glass which are fine in the dry but do lag considerably in the wet.

If you're prepared to buy a new set of wheels, any of the ones with the coated black surface like the DT Oxic's or the Campy equivalent (Shamal Mille) will give you a power-up again but be prepared for them to look scratched up and crappy if you pick up any hard grit in your pads.

[DeBike]

I have a set of C24 9000 wheels, along with the 9000 calipers They have carbon brake pads and stopping when wet is very good. That is flat land experience only. The pads were mounted when I purchased the wheels, I have no stock pads to compare with.

[mortirolo]

Campagnolo AC3 brake track is great in rain too.

[dgauthier]

Has anyone mentioned Koolstop Salmon pads on aluminum rims yet?

Koolstops are great in the wet and superior in dry conditions too. They are especially good at resisting fade on long descents.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Baron Blubba

Lots snipped

Mr Potato Head, thank you for your generous offer. I might take you up on it for a different bike in the near future. To be perfectly transparent, I prefer to ride a product that is sellable through my shop, because I do a lot of group rides and people look at what I ride. As good as BTLOS rims might be, it wouldn't be good for business for me to ride a direct to consumer wheelset. Of course, if there was no equal or better option, the quality of the wheel would defeat my capitalistic motive most of the time.

I get that. I did the same thing when I owned a shop...Why my main ride was a Waterford or Moots.