Kool Stop International Dura Type

Price Paid:  $10.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Uphill!

Bike Setup:
Race Bike Du Jour

Summary:
Yeah, so I'm a little surprised how much love I have for a brake pad. I mean, what, it's a little piece of rubber that grabs your rim, right? But, wow, what a differene. I've used the stock pads from all of the others, and Koolstop blows them all away. Feeling safe and secure in my brakes is of prime importance to me, whether in a race or in a twisty mountain descent in the rain.

Strengths:
Koolstop pads are quieter and smoother under braking power than other pads, and their "salmon" wet-weather pads are a godsend in the rainy Pacific northwest.

Weaknesses:
It's too simple of a product to have many -- it just works.

Similar Products Used:
Campagnolo Record, Shimano Dura-Ace, and SRAM Force pads. I would point out I've never tried Swisstop pads, which are also supposed to rock. They are also a lot more expensive...

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Bustukah

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere

Bike Setup:
2004 Giant TCR Comp 2 Full Ultegra 9, with Mavic SL SSC wheels

2007 Serotta Nove (Custom) full Ultegra 10, with Toplino CX2.0 wheels

Summary:
Used the dual compound Black/Salmon Koolstop Pads and the Salmon pads on my Giant TCR Comp 2 and now installed them on my Serotta Nove from day one. I noticed right away the great stopping power of these pads and there ease to be modulated. The great thing about these pads "They will not eat up your rims". I will never use anything but Koolstop pads. As stated in previous reviews replace your Shimano pads imediately. !!!Make this your first upgrade!!!

Strengths:
Stopping power, rim friendly

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Ultegra

Price Paid:  $7.00 at western bike works

Bike Setup:
Klein Quantum with Ultegra 6600 Group

Summary:
I used to hold back on long fast descents because my Ultegra 6600 brakes just couldn't bring my 225 lb. frame to a stop in a timely fashion. Not the case with the Kool Stops, I now go as fast as I want knowing I'll be able to stop in time.

Strengths:
Work (stop) better than Shimano, Quieter than Shimano, less expensive than Shimano etc.

Weaknesses:
What weaknesses?

Similar Products Used:
Shimano Ultegra pads

Price Paid:  $16.00 at ebay - where else?

Favorite Ride:
Somewhere in the Brindabellas

Bike Setup:
Giant OCR3 - with a few upgrades

Summary:
This review is for the black pads. My OCR3 came with the Sora group, which is generally not very good, although if you are just getting into cycling it's hard to justify pricier groups. I had always considered the brake calipers awful. I live in Canberra where it's very hilly, and would always have to ride down steep descents braking almost the entire way down, as the brakes simply couldn't slow me down fast enough to enter a corner at a safe speed. I had planned to upgrade my calipers, but before I did tried these Kool Stop pads, and they made such a difference, I no longer see the point in upgrading the calipers. I filed these pads down a little to brake them in, and adjusted them carefully, and the results are amazing. I have so much more confidence in the brakes ability to slow down quickly, it's really changed the way I ride. These are so cheap, and so infinitely better than the Shimano products (albeit lower end - maybe Ultegra/DA pads are better?), I don't know why Shimano doesn't just give up making it's own pads and outsource the task to Kool Stop, their groupsets would be much better as a result.

Anyone who feels their calipers aren't adequate and needs to upgrade - try these before you do.

Strengths:
Steady modulation (compared to stock pads), great stopping power when you need it, fairly steady predictable braking. I've only locked up the wheels once by braking too hard, but this was my fault (panicked and still in the Sora habit of slamming on the brakes), but even this felt fairly steady and was easily recovered.

Weaknesses:
Not really a weakness, but with the increased stopping power I had to be very careful not to lock up the wheels by braking too hard. Although you'd have to really slam on the brakes to do this.

Similar Products Used:
Shimano Sora pads - how did they possibly make them so bad?

Price Paid:  $7.00 at BikeTiresDirect

Bike Setup:
stock Trek 5200 (circa 2004)

Summary:
Simply put...I love these pads. The difference between them and stock Ultegra pads is night and day. A steady pull on the brake levers gives me ever increasing stopping power -- with the Ultegras I had to jam on them hard right away to get any braking action at all

Strengths:
smooth and responsive; inexpensive

Weaknesses:
Not really a weakness but VERY different than Ultegra feel so I had to concentrate initially not to brake too hard

Similar Products Used:
Ultegra pads