Kool-Stop Continental brake shoes

maxo said:

Brilliant! Great stopping in the wet--I can easily lock either wheel (If I
wanted to) from atop the brake hoods, the feel is very "modulated", and
they're completely silent, and, best of all, don't seem to attract road
grit.

I also use Kool-Stop pads, but my opinion differs slightly from yours.
I use them because Shimano pads tend to trap bits of metal and eat my rims. I find them fine in dry conditions, but really weakish in very wet conditions (weaker than Shimano). And the cantilever brakes need very careful adjustment or they will very easily start singing, or worse.

maxo said:

Just wanted to thank all of you who incessantly recommend these. 😄

I finally got around to ordering a pair on ebay (I wanted the grey ones to
go with my bike, no offense to salmon lovers), and they arrived yesterday.

Slapped them on my 26 y/o 600 calipers and went for a spin in the drizzly
slop.

Brilliant! Great stopping in the wet--I can easily lock either wheel (If I
wanted to) from atop the brake hoods, the feel is very "modulated", and
they're completely silent, and, best of all, don't seem to attract road
grit.

For what I paid for two sets and shipping, my LBS charged twice that for
one set of modern cartridge shoes that were worthless.

So if these brake shoes are so fantastic and affordable, then why doesn't
a single bike shop here in middle Tennessee stock them?

Wierd.

My LBS stocks them. Probably just depends on what companies they do business with. I understand why you got the grey Kool Stops, but the Salmon pads are designed for the wet while the grey's are ideally for the dry. At least that is how they market them. I have the Salmon. Glad you like them.

Quoted message said:

Subject: Kool-Stop Continental brake shoes
From: maxo [email hidden]
Date: 12/22/2004 4:16 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id: <[email hidden]>

Just wanted to thank all of you who incessantly recommend these. 😄

I finally got around to ordering a pair on ebay (I wanted the grey ones to
go with my bike, no offense to salmon lovers), and they arrived yesterday.

Slapped them on my 26 y/o 600 calipers and went for a spin in the drizzly
slop.

Brilliant! Great stopping in the wet--I can easily lock either wheel (If I
wanted to) from atop the brake hoods, the feel is very "modulated", and
they're completely silent, and, best of all, don't seem to attract road
grit.

For what I paid for two sets and shipping, my LBS charged twice that for
one set of modern cartridge shoes that were worthless.

So if these brake shoes are so fantastic and affordable,

How much are they?

then why doesn't

Quoted message said:

a single bike shop here in middle Tennessee stock them?

Wierd.

jcthomasjr said:

I understand why you got the grey Kool Stops

Fashion, baby, fashion! Perhaps I should paint the bike pink and get the
salmon...or paint it the color of cream cheese! now that's an idea.

It says "all weather" on the package and I can lock a wheel in the rain,
so enough stopping power for me. :P

caracol40 said:

I use them because Shimano pads tend to trap bits of metal and eat my
rims.

That's the problem I've been having too. Couldn't ride more than a mile
without something embedding in my front pads. I never had a problem with
Kool-Stops on my old city bike with cantis--as long as they were toed in.
Off road, I'm sure folks are a little more picky about pads, but I'm
strictly pavement.

The LBS had sold me some 15dollar Bontrager Gigapower cartridge shoes,
which were all they had to fit my old side pulls, and sure enough, they
picked up metal, rock and glass. Funny, the set of generic black rubber in
the metal holder type for 99c stopped better and were quieter than the
Bontragers.