Reddit reviews Kool Stop Bicycle Brake Pads (Dura-Ace/Ultegra, Salmon)

I recently (as in 6 days ago) started biking again, having been away from the activity for about 15 years.

Last Sunday, I bought a foldie and I've had so much fun with it, I decided to get a proper road bike. I've always wanted to own a road bike with drop bars, thinking about how cool the idea was to shift gears with/around the brake levers.

With a budget of about 300 USD (I did not want to spend too much blindly), I started stalking the local used bike marketplace. I saw lots of cheap no-name bikes (~$75–$100), and lots of expensive bikes ($1,500+). Not so easy to find something in between.

Then, I stumbled upon a listing for a "Trek bicycle" for $300. That was about all the information provided online for the item. I chatted with the seller, who didn't really know what he had himself. I looked at the pictures of his bike, and compared it to Trek's archive. Turns out it's a 2012 Trek 1.2, pretty much what I was hoping to find.

Incidentally, he also lives like a 10-minute walk away from my home, so I promptly walk over there to meet him and test the bike. The chain and sprockets are a little dirty – looks to me like too much or wrong type of grease applied and dirt got stuck to it over time – but it still pedals smoothly and quietly. I figure I'd just have to replace the bartape and may as well replace the chain, crank and cassette anyway.

Guy sees what I see, and drops the price down to $265. We shake hands, and I cycle home on my first ever road bike. Changing gears with the brake lever is everything I imagined it would be :D

Also, the reviews about the 1.2 weren't kidding. These brakes are horrendous. Anyone have a recommendation on what I should do with them? I read some (older) forums mentioning to use Kool Stop Salmon, but I have absolutely no experience with road bikes (15 years ago when I did ride, it was exclusively MTB).

I love it just as it is, anyway :)

You could try a harder pad, but often that results in less friction or more force required at the lever to get the same braking performance. Kool-stop used to make great rim brake pads and appear to still make them. Might be worth a try.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014BRW6E/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_hnEYDbJ9WSXJP


They are about twice the cost initially but once pad replacement is required, the insert is about the same price at the pads you currently use.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CJVA9S/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_4pEYDb6FBC54S

If you decide to try these or any other pad, verify fitment. It's been years since I've worked on a road bike and don't know if compatibility is what I remember. They visually look the same as far as mounting goes.

Thanks for the detailed reply. Here are two pictures of my brake pads so from what you're saying, I can actually just buy these and switch them out? That would be great for sure. What about these?

These are my brakes and it just says "standard road cartridge pads" so I feel they would work but I hate wasting money on incompatible products.

I think that it's not the original brake.

This one should work.

https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Bicycle-Dura-Ace-Ultegra/dp/B001CJVA9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472707379&sr=8-1&keywords=Dura%2BRoad%2BPad%2Bkool%2Bstop&psc=1