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Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Hampshire, UK
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$11.00 | | Strengths: | excellent braking characteristics superior power and modulation. Superior wet weather performance. Low rim wear rates. | | Weaknesses: | all good | | Similar Products Used: | rim wranglers | | Bike Setup: | avid single digit 7 with koolstop pads | | Bottom Line: | these pads offer excellent braking wet or dry.
in the dry they offer better stopping power than any other pad that I've tried. Modulation is good too. In the dry they provide performance not too dissimilar to discs.
There is a performance degradation in the wet - but the fact that they manage to provide half decent braking when covered in thick slop is still something I marvel at - the plough tip certainly does it's job - my pads have nearly worn away the plough tip and wet weather braking has started to degrade.
Rim wear is excellent too - 6 months of muddy riding, my pads are fried, and I can't detect any rim wear - the front which I have now had to replace was polished extremely smooth by the koolstops.
the best rim brake pads period- worth every penny even if they were twice the price. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garth Weinberg
a
from Rotorua, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$11.00 | | Purchased At: | NZ internet shop | | Strengths: | Rim Friendly
Work awesome | | Weaknesses: | Hard to find locally
Can squeel sometimes but that's because there is some play in the brake pivots. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR | | Bike Setup: | Jeffson single speed | | Bottom Line: | Have always used Shimano pads because cheaper ones wreck my rims. The XTR's are great but still have slight rim transfer. Threw some Kool Stop puppies in and noticed the change immediately. Using dual-compound and they brake really well rain or shine. No embedded alloy fragments from rim surface. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from Netherlands
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | SBM | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Had the triple compound blocks, labeled as bike-totaal brand.
Durability, bite, noise free, price | | Weaknesses: | The brand under which they are sold is so low budget that you are almost afraid to show them ;-) (but the price is nice) | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR (with the extra mm pad) | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F500, Old shimano XT Vbrakes | | Bottom Line: | The past year, during the sorpetal marathon (hail, snow, rain etc) I got very disappointed by the XTR pads. There was metal sticking out onto the rim, destroying the rim. Furthermore they became very brittle and parts simple broke loose.
I was soo pissed off with these expensive pads that I went for the Koolstop triple compounds. Best choice ever. I was afraid they wouldn't last the SBM this summer, but no problem. They became really hot, but didn't fade or wear out. Also in the mud these winterdays they seem to live up well.
Best buy for the Vbrakes. For the value rating I would like to add a sixth chili, because they are way better than the XTRs and cost less than half. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Darren Ling
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfield, Ohio
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | soft compound, excellent grip | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | shimano xt and xtr | | Bike Setup: | doesn't matter | | Bottom Line: | Salmon pad review: Just like all the other reviews say, these are so rim friendly. My rims were getting destroyed by shimano pads, with metal embedding into the pad, and then making this lovely sound on the rim. A friend recommended the salmon kool-stops and now my bike brakes quiet, and with almost the same power as my disc bikes. If you are a rim brake rider, get these. I only use them in dry conditions, but they work flawlessly, and are so easy to install on my xtr rim brakes. Love em. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Freddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Harbor City, CA USA
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Review is for the salmon colored pads. As others have mentioned, outstanding modulation, great stopping power, quiet operation, and yes, they totally protect your rims. After approximately 3 months of use, I have never seen or picked out one shard of metal from any of the pads. NO OTHER PADS I have tried can lay claim to this awesome trait. These pads are cheaper than others as well. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none. | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey reds and blacks (both rim gougers), shimano XT, Avid Rim Wranglers | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight with wheels built by Gravy Wheels (Mavic 517, Hugi 240S, DT Supercomp spokes). Pads (front and rear) are on Avid SD 7 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | One of the best and cheapest upgrades I've made. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Jug Handle Loop, Moab, UT | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$7.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Very rim friendly (does not wear out the rim prematurely), quiet (much less squeeking and no grinding noise), smooth, and stops very well | | Weaknesses: | None that I can think of, especially compared to all the other brake pads on the market | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, LX and some lower ends; Avid; Delta | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Homegrown Pro (2000), 2004 XT cranks, Avid brakes and levers, American Classic hubs, XTR shifters, Shimano M540 pedals, Thomson seat post, Specialized Telluride saddle | | Bottom Line: | Most all other pads I've tried have the nasty habit of, as you're braking, picking up small silver splinters from the rim's brake surface, embedding those small metal splinters into the pad, and then turning your nice smooth brake pads into coarse sand paper against your expensive alloy rims...thus wearing out your rims prematurely. This has happened with many different rims I've tried...including Mavic. Kool-Stop pads are the absolute best at protecting your rims against this occurance. Their compound does the best at not picking up any metal slivers. Kool-Stop pads are a must for all those serious riders who invest a lot of money into good wheels and want their rims to last as long as they can. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose, CA USA
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Hicks road South San Jose | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$8.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria | | Strengths: | Quiet, powerful, do not make a sound, do not heat up and growl at you, no fade, absolutely fantastic!!!! I'd rate them 10 if I could!!! I got the SALMON / ORANGE / MANGO color!! Think the different colors have different compounds!!! | | Weaknesses: | Get 'um wet and they take a bit more squeezing, but that's normal for brake pads | | Similar Products Used: | What came on my Gary Fisher Utopia, and another common brand name, can't remember it, but they both made noise and galled up and growled at you when hot!!! | | Bike Setup: | Stock Gary Fisher Utopia | | Bottom Line: | Don't leave home without them!! You will love the quiet power and absolutely NO fade!! I gave them the hardest treatment I could on Hicks road, about 1.3 mile downhill at 14 - 18% grade and was merciless! They were fantastic!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Witold Wilk
a Cross Country Rider
from Tychy, Poland
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | excellent modulation, great "softness" feeling while braking, durable, yet soft. they don't wear off the rim. all conditions - excellent handling. | | Weaknesses: | they just cost 4 times more than shimano's in poland, though "what You pay is what You get". nothing more. | | Similar Products Used: | noname (tektro, sacoon, logan), shimano. | | Bike Setup: | XC machine, pads used with the excellent sram 9.0 levers, koolstops have been shipped with 9.0's. | | Bottom Line: | excellent product. all in all - the best pads I've had. half a year, most in winter, 3000km, braking with front everytime - and what can I say? they have made a real breakthrough in braking for me. will definitely buy more. excellent quality, though for a steep price... but worth every penny... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GG
a Cross Country Rider
from Annapolis
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$7.00 | | Purchased At: | Internet | | Strengths: | Koolstop Salmon has superb braking, no squeal, recovers quick in wet, no residue on rims. | | Weaknesses: | Not as good as disk brakes in wet or mud | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano & Avid V-brake pads, old canti's, Avid disks | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale, XTR V-brakes | | Bottom Line: | Koolstop Salmon pads in XTR brakes are super in the dry but disks are better in wet conditions. They recover fast when wet or muddy. Much easier to set up squeal-free than Shimano pads. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nikolas
a Weekend Warrior
from Greece
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$8.00 | | Strengths: | Everything | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | swissstop RX | | Bike Setup: | gtpantera lx-xt judySL | | Bottom Line: | Very nice.I tried out theese and the dualcompount model.both will stop at a dime no mater what conditions wet,dry anything.Excelent durability even after long rides down the mountain they will never loose their performance or over-heat(like discs)I have lx v-brekas,avid sd5 levers,boosters and jagwire cables.They work great but i changed to swissstop just to see the difference.There was none.Both pads are top of the line.Feels very good to see disc brakes walk-out and overheat while you keep going down.5 flamin chilies-they diserve 6 | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alan
a Weekend Warrior
from Blacksburg, VA
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | Excellent stopping power. Almost as good as disc-brakes | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale Expert Cartridge Pads | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F400 w/ Ritchey V3 pedals | | Bottom Line: | Just slapped these on today and noted dramatic improvements. These pads will literatly send you over your bike if you press too hard. They do feel a bit softer than my previous pads, but the stopping power is just incredible. Got them at prices that even your el-cheapos can't compete with, you can't go wrong. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
stripes
a Cross Country Rider
from Pasadena, CA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$9.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: |
No matter what condition you ride in (dry, wet, rock, etc), these things will stop you. That's what brake pads are supposed to do. Also, they do not wear out very quickly and tend to last. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: |
XTR V-brake pads (total crap), and Koolstop Eagle IIs with my old canties.
| | Bike Setup: | Big Sur Genesisters, XT/XTR mix, Fox Float RLC, etc. | | Bottom Line: | I love these brake pads. I've used the Koolstops for years, and it's because they do what they are supposed to do--they stop you. They perform better than the XTR crap or any other Shimano pad for that matter.
I started using Koolstops back East because of the wet trails, but with all the creek crossings in SoCal, they make sense to use out here too.
Also, they are priced fairly well (half as much as the XTR) and the work 10 times better. I won't use any other brake pad. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George F
a Cross Country Rider
from Orleans, Ont. Canada
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Silverbark | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | McCranks | | Strengths: | Very powerful stops. Cool colors. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Eagle claws, Pro Max, Shimano XT pads. | | Bottom Line: | Great pads, colors to choose from from a well known company, cheap and works great. Highly recomend these pads if you want awesome brakes at a good price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor Adams
a Downhiller
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | North Shore | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Path | | Strengths: | Good modulation, and they won't eat your rims! Kool colors
And they have good stopping power. | | Weaknesses: | I found my brake lever felt softer because, well the pads are softer. I managed to get use to it though. | | Bike Setup: | Planet X with, Avid Arch Rivals | | Bottom Line: | I ride trials, and when I'm in a jam, and can't afford Plasmatic pads. I found that these pads are a good back up.
I guess you could say that they are the poor mans plasmatics. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Gao
a Weekend Warrior
from Shanghai, China
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | all | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$14.00 | | Purchased At: | rei.com | | Strengths: | design, function, perfectly match my XTR brake shoe holders, and RIM FRIENDLY COMPOUND!!! | | Weaknesses: | a bit softer feeling at the brake levers. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | hardtail with half set of XTR and the rest XT | | Bottom Line: | Thank God I got the Koolstop pads. They are really COOL! no more worry about tiny metal grits get stuck in the pads and scratch rims excessively. My previous XTR pads nealy ate my rims. Now it's from hell to heaven, brakes are more responsive and easier to modulate. I can even practise nose wheelie better. However, probably due to the angled tips on pads and its softer compound, the brake levers feel softer than before, though I prefer harder feelings when braking. But it couldn't be a problem once I am used to them.
All in all, a highly recommandable product for all v-brake users like me! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RICARDO ORTEGÓN
a Cross Country Rider
from BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | LA VIGA | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | CICLO CROSS | | Strengths: | DURABLE, DON'T EAT THE RIM, BRAKE GREAT. | | Weaknesses: | TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO BRAKE IN WET CONDITIONS. | | Similar Products Used: | AZTEC, SHIMANO | | Bike Setup: | SMITH, SHIMANO SALAD ( DEORE, LX ), RITCHEY HANDLEBAR, STEM AND GRIPS. | | Bottom Line: | THEY'RE THE BEST PADS I'VE USED WITHOUT DENIEING ITS WET PROBLEMS. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Shorthills Provincal Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Co-op | | Strengths: | Funky colors, rim cleaner works!! | | Weaknesses: | Nothing really comes to mind. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Norco Rampage, XT | | Bottom Line: | These pads work well and are reasonably priced. Go ahead and buy them you won't be sorry. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kelly Fischer
a Weekend Warrior
from Upstate NY, USA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | all | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | These just work great. | | Weaknesses: | Can't think of any. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | MC San Andreas XT v-brakes | | Bottom Line: | I replaced the shimano pads last week because I was going downhilling at Plattekill. Red pads on the back and black up front. Plattekill was cold and rainy. Thank you-know-who I did. The shimanos would never have stopped me. These were great. I'm a big rider and they stopped great in wet weather over crazy steep terrain. They got rid of the terrible screeching in back, too. I was thinking of upgrading to disc brakes, but after riding these I may not have to. Have fun riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bjorndoggie Cruiser
a Weekend Warrior
from Sacramento CA, USofA
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Forresthill Divide Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$8.00 | | Purchased At: | American River Bicycles | | Strengths: | On my wifes Tracer and my sons Trek they stopped the squeal in the front Shimano XT brakes. Excellent modulation and power. | | Weaknesses: | Compound seems softer so it will probably wear faster but I don't want to cut corners or or try to be thrifty when it comes to brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Tektro crap and Rim Wranglers (pretty good). | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Stumpy FSR xc Pro: Monkeylite, SID, FOX RC, XTR/XT drivetrain, XTR hubs, Mavic 517, SRAM PC99, Panaracer Trailblasters, Thomson Seatpost/stem, Planet bike Protege 9.0 computer, Avid Mag brakes (really it's a total chick magnet). | | Bottom Line: | I put the Koolstops on my wifes bike (so she would stop scaring all the critters in the woods). I really noticed a huge improvement in power and modulation on her Intense so I bought some and put them on my AVID Mags. Now my AVIDS were already the best rim brakes I had ever tried but damn if the Koolstops didn't make 'em better. Just guesstimating I think I picked up about a 15% improvement in power. Modulation seems a little better too. They're great pads and I was even able too get them in red to match the all important color scheme ( we all know deep down that the better you lok the faster you go!). Have fun & keep riding! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | hibike | | Strengths: | don't squeal at all, brake nicely, also in the wet. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano standard and Ceramic-suited, red Ritchey. Else, I 've got Magura rim brakes on my other two hard tails. | | Bike Setup: | DeKerf Generation 1996, Shimano XT/Grip Shift, Mavic 521 Ceramic Rims, XTR Brakes ('99) | | Bottom Line: | Well, well, well. These green Z-Chromium pads are super on my ceramic rims, clearly the best ever. Function of my tuned XTR brake has now reached the level of the Magura Quick Silver, without the weight penalty of 200g or so. Set-up is: these pads, Muddy Carbon boosters front AND rear, Nokon Koncavex trac pearls. Very recommended!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a Racer
from LA, CA
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$7.00 | | Purchased At: | Dunno | | Strengths: | Work Great, Priced Right | | Weaknesses: | Hard to find Ceramic pads at the usual shops | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Superlight | | Bottom Line: | Sometimes there is a product that just works great and is priced right. This is one of those products. I will NEVER use any other pad, and I will NEVER again pay the Shimano premium (at least on brake pads...). I wonder is Koolstop can make V-brakes????? WAY TO GO KOOLSTOP.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Clark
a
from Philly
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$7.00 | | Purchased At: | Local shop | | Strengths: | Works great inexpensive. | | Weaknesses: | None yet | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, Ritchey | | Bike Setup: | Mountain style bike, meant for off-roading | | Bottom Line: | These work great, and are not expensive. What else do you need to know?
Five flaming piles of smelly horse turds! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Philip Orosco
a Racer
from LA, CA
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The Bone | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$7.00 | | Purchased At: | Online Store (cant remember) | | Strengths: | CHeap, and they work. | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano V Brakes | | Bike Setup: | 2000 S Works FSR XC with a bunch of gadgets. | | Bottom Line: | I was a little nervous at first to go away from the recommended shimano pads for my XTR brakes. Now that I finally did, I will never go back. They are far superior to the shimanos, and a breeze to put in. All mountain bike parts should be so reasonably priced and work this well. Nice work kool stop. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
HardmaN
a Cross Country Rider
from Ohio
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$9.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | Excellent grip on rims | | Weaknesses: | Might not last that long due to the soft pad compound (only had 'em a few months, though, so I can't say for sure) | | Similar Products Used: | Pads that came with my bike. They resemble little black bricks, and are so hard they could be used in a Viagra advertisement. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 6500, many mods | | Bottom Line: | Unlike many pads that are just cool, these pads are "Kool" like the Kool-Aid guy that busts through brick walls. These pads will also make you "stop" on a dime. What are you waiting for? Finish your beer and get these pads. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Kaye
a Cross Country Rider
from MTB Heaven
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | they just plain stop ya!!! good control, NO squeeeeeling!!
pad design cleans rim of muck and funky colors! | | Weaknesses: | None!!! | | Similar Products Used: | XT pads, WTB multi | | Bike Setup: | Hard Tail with all the go fast goodies! | | Bottom Line: | Unlike my sh*tmano pads that pieces broke off of mid ride, these pads are terrific!! I have rode them in sand, mud, hills, flats, water, snow, nuclear waste.. I love them!! they are quite and reliabe and see to be lasting longer then my averge cotex pad!! I LOVE'EM!! 5 flaming camel turds | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
icycle
a Cross Country Rider
from Central MA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001 | | Favorite |
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