Fibrax Pads V-Brake Peg Mount

Advantages: Stops your bike. Easy to setup.
Disadvantages: Takes a while to bed in. Supplied pads rubbish.

...Oooh... brakes these days. Rim or Disc? Cable or Hydralic? The way things are going, you'd swear that disc brakes were the be all and end all of brakes these days, but you'd be wrong, as Shimano will be eager to prove. Shimano have been doing V-brakes for quite a while now, and the LX really demonstrates that. Whilst I was sorely tempted by a disc brake, I can't really see what all the fuss is about. Yes, if you're into hurtling down hills on your 55lb monster downhill bike then discs are for you, if you're a cross country rider trying to shave a bit off the weight then vees are still you best bet. The brake is the cheapest in the Shimano range to offer the parallelogram design, which keeps the brake pads parallel to the braking surface, resulting in longer pad life and better braking performance. Setting the brakes up is fairly... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent performance in wet/muddy conditions, rim friendly, good wear rates
Disadvantages: Pricier than the competition

..., and while there is a drop off in performance, it is nowhere near as much as with other brands that I have tried. In mud these pads really do come into their own. They are the only v-brake pad that I have tried that provide any braking at all when covered in mud. Mud is extremely abrasive, and every time you apply the brakes you are applying a grinding paste to your delicate aluminium rims. Before I changed over to the Kool Stops, my Avid Rim Wranglers lasted as little as 2 months, and also managed to wear my rear rim past the wear markers in under 9 months. With the Kool Stops, not only is the braking vastly improved, but my rims show significantly less wear. The other small advantage you get is the cartridge pads are a bit easier than the blocks to replace - pull out circlip, press out old pad, push in new pad, replace circlip, and then adjust... Read review

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Advantages: Well made. Well finished. Excellent durabilty. Quality piece of kit
Disadvantages: Come equipped with Rim Wranglers Brake Pads

...the stainless hardware is the main factor in the lack of rustiness. It is also possible to strip, grease, and rebuild the calipers with the use of a punch to separate the bushes, followed by careful use of a vice to press them back together. What about the competition? The simple fact is that V-brake performance is influenced more by cable condition and pad condition/performance, than it is by the make of V-brake. Ultimately the amount of power a V-brake can deliver is limited by the span of a human hand. You can improve performance by lengthening the V-brake arms, but you now need to pull the lever further to generate the same amount of movement in the brake arm. Lengthen your v-brake arms too much, and the brake lever will hit the bar before you've applied any force to the rim. Which is why the arms of different V-brakes are all... Read review

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