Jason KangGearhead

Posted on October 11, 2017

Good Pads

Overall, the pads are great for the price point. I have a set of these on my road and cross bike. They are pretty durable and have solid braking power.

Paul M.

Posted on June 6, 2017

Great Pads

• Familiarity: I've used it several times

I have used Kool Stop pads in the past and these Swiss Stop pads outlast them, both in quality and miles. I currently have logged just over 4,000 miles on my first set! I ride in hills and flats in the SF East Bay in CA. I get great response on downhill controlled braking and firm braking when I need it without excess noise and not a lot of buildup on the rims when checking during maintenance. Take note: I do avoid riding in the rain when possible, so I don't have a lot of experience in this department. In the rare instances that I have gotten caught in a light shower, drizzle or splashed through deep puddles, I have not had any issues braking. The pads still have a lot of groove depth, so I am not in need of changing these anytime soon. I use my Swiss Stop pads with DT Swiss RR440 alloy rims and I love them!

DanielGearhead

Posted on May 26, 2017

My Favorite Yet

• Familiarity: I've used it several times

I've used Shimano, Jagwire, and Kool-Stop brake pads. Brake pads are brake pads until they don't stop you or make a racket or wear too fast. After a couple weeks of daily riding, these SwissStops have been unremarkably good. No noise, solid stops, decent modulation. They feel a bit softer than the Shimano's I previously had so I'll wait to see how they wear, but at this price they're worth it.

Michael S.

Posted on February 8, 2017

Avg. ride time: 8h 11m per week

Fair-weather Pads

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

I love these pads--in dry weather. They're my favorites.



They do well in the rain, too. However, there is rain and there is rain. There's the pouring kind where everything gets soaked. These do great in that kind. Then there's the kind of rain which isn't heavy at all. Drrizzly, even. The kind where at the end of your ride you and your bike are covered in dirt because the rain wasn't heavy enough to wash things off. That is where these pads SUCK. Dangerously so, in fact.



With two sets of pads I have had the following happen to me: Ride home in the light, dirty kind of rain. Ride back to work in the same kind of rain and discover towards the end of the ride that the pads have worn completely down. The first time it happened I figured I just hadn't noticed how worn down the pads had become. The second time was today and I know that the pads were in fantastic shape because 1) they only had a couple hundred miles on them, and 2) I just did maintenance over the weekend where I adjusted the brake cables and I could see that the pads were like new. On my ride this morning I noticed that the brakes weren't so grippy. When I stopped for a donut and checked, the pads were practically gone, with a gooey residue on their sides and on the rims. From practically new to totally worn down in sixty miles.



So, if you have a good bike(s) and a rainy day bike, do not put these on the rainy day bike. Put them on the bikes that never see bad weather. Me, I just have the one bike so as much as I like these I don't really want to be switching brake pads when clouds show up (and I'm in Southern California!) so I'm going to switch back to the SwissStop FlashPro GHP2. Not quite as nice but some serious longevity in the rain. Both kinds of rain.

Trevor J

Posted on June 30, 2016

Good Value

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

Passes the 3 check test of good price, solid stopping power, excellent durability. I was particularly satisfied with their stopping ability and consistency in wet conditions.

JOHN W.

Posted on April 15, 2016

Avg. ride time: 6h 3m per week

Solid stoppers

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

Finally reached the point of needing to replace the OEM pads on my SRAM Reds. Did my research, wasn't sure about the hype and picked Swissstop Originals.

Can definitely tell a difference. They are just ever slightly softer which the brake modulation better. They grab the rims as you apply pressure with feeling like you just have to grab a hand full of brake for those unexpected fast stops.

Net, net, well worth the price and hype.

Kevin B.

Posted on January 11, 2016

Good brake pads

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

Stop every time I use the brakes.

Nathan

Posted on September 1, 2015

No Problems Stopping

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

I didn't realize how dicey it was getting coming down Guardsman Pass until I got these. I didn't do a lot of riding last year, so my old brake pads had gotten hard and slippery. I popped these guys on, and I am glad to have the extra stopping power.

So far this summer they have been working great. I'm using them with some Mavic Aluminum rims. I'll be picking these up again when I need new pads for this bike.

Rich

Posted on May 16, 2015

Exceeded expectations.

• Familiarity: I've used it several times

Excellent modulation and feel. Leaves zero brake residue on Ksyrium SSL wheel-set.Have about 600 miles in them and am still very impressed.

Ben

Posted on April 16, 2015

Avg. ride time: 3h 33m per week

Great brakes

• Familiarity: I've used it several times

I didn't know anything about these breaks other than they had a good price and fit shimano breaks. They work really great though and would definitely recommend them to anyone in need of brakepads for their shimano brakes.

James B.

Posted on September 28, 2014

Avg. ride time: 2h 53m per week

Better feel. Shorter stops.

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

I have ridden thousands of miles with these pads and also stock Shimano pads on alloy wheels. These are noticeably grippier. Stops are shorter and modulation of braking force has better feel and wider range. My rides are urban with lots of traffic, stop lights, and stop signs. I use my brakes pretty heavily. Wear is similar to Shimano.



Better pads mean much better braking. Like better tires, these are an inexpensive performance upgrade that deliver a lot for the $ spent.



Installation is a snap. I had mine installed in under 5min. When my last pair of Shimanos go, I'm replacing them with these.

TomJEmployee

Posted on May 6, 2014

Work great!

Brakes just slow you down, and these do the job well.

Blder Seven

Posted on February 23, 2014

Work great for my climate/riding style

• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

I have used these brake pads exclusively on my sram red brakes. I pretty much get 1 season, ~ 3,500 miles out of each set of pads. They are easy to swap out.



I tend to be a maintenance freak with my bike and keep things very clean and well lubed. About once a month I clean the brake pads with rubbing alcohol and make sure there are no pieces of metal embedded in the pads. About halfway through the season I will rotate the front pads to the rear, and rear pads to the front to get more life out of them.



Most of my rides involve long climbs (2-3 hours up) and then turn around and come down. I also ride in a dry, high desert climate and only ride in rainy conditions in the event I am stuck out in a passing shower. I feel these brake pads modulate well and do their job - if there is something that does a better job out there, I have not used it yet.