Road Bike Brake Pads Buying Guide: SwissStop, Shimano, Campagnolo

The Complete Guide to Buying Road Bike Brake Pads

Even though disc brakes have become the mainstream on road bikes, rim brake systems still have a large number of users. For rim brake riders, brake pads are one of the most important consumables, directly affecting braking power, feel, noise, and wheel rim lifespan. This article will provide an in-depth comparison of brake pad products from major brands.

Brake Pad Material Basics

Rubber Compound

Brake pad performance mainly depends on the rubber compound, which can be roughly divided into the following categories:

• Standard rubber: Basic pads included with stock bikes; acceptable performance on dry roads, but braking power drops significantly on wet surfaces
• Mixed rubber: Adds ingredients such as silicon and aluminum oxide to improve wet performance
• Carbon-specific compound: Soft rubber with special fillers to avoid damaging carbon braking surfaces
• Cork blend: Some brands add cork to their carbon-specific brake pads to increase wet friction

Aluminum Rim vs. Carbon Rim Brake Pads

Never use aluminum rim brake pads on carbon rims—this is the most fundamental rule. Aluminum rim brake pads use a harder compound containing abrasive ingredients that will quickly wear down carbon braking surfaces and can even cause overheating and delamination.

SwissStop Brake Pad Series

SwissStop is widely recognized as a brake pad specialist and is used by numerous professional teams.

SwissStop advantages:

• The Black Prince series is the industry standard for carbon rim brake pads, recommended by almost all carbon rim wheel brands
• The BXP compound delivers noticeably better wet braking than competitors, making it especially suitable for Taiwan’s rainy environment
• Moderate wear rate that does not excessively wear down rims

Shimano OEM Brake Pads

Shimano brake pads offer the best compatibility with their own calipers and are the easiest option to find.

Shimano advantages:

• Most affordable and easiest to obtain
• Best compatibility with Shimano calipers, making installation and adjustment the simplest
• R55C4’s braking power on dry roads is on par with SwissStop

Shimano disadvantages:

• Wet performance is clearly inferior to SwissStop BXP
• The carbon version shows more noticeable braking fade in high-temperature conditions on long descents

Campagnolo Brake Pads

Note: Campagnolo calipers use a proprietary brake pad holder that is not compatible with Shimano/SRAM. SwissStop offers Campagnolo-specific versions.

Wet Braking Performance Comparison

The following shows the relative braking performance of each pad in wet conditions (with dry road performance set at 100%):

The data clearly shows that SwissStop has a significant advantage in wet conditions, which is especially important for Taiwan’s riding environment with frequent afternoon thunderstorms.

Must-Read for Carbon Rim Wheel Users

Carbon rim braking is the biggest pain point of rim brake systems. Here are the key points to note:

1. Always use carbon-specific brake pads: This is a safety baseline with no exceptions
2. Watch out for high temperatures: Continuous braking on long descents can cause carbon rim temperatures to spike; intermittent braking is recommended
3. Regularly inspect the braking surface: If the braking surface of carbon rims shows bubbling or discoloration, it indicates overheating has occurred
4. Check for embedded debris: Regularly use a sharp tool to check whether aluminum shavings or sand particles are embedded in the brake pad surface

Brake Pad Toe-In Adjustment

Proper toe-in adjustment can significantly reduce brake noise:

• The front of the brake pad should contact the rim approximately 0.5-1mm earlier than the rear
• You can use a business card placed under the rear of the pad to assist with adjustment
• Insufficient toe-in will produce sharp brake squealing
• Excessive toe-in reduces the effective braking surface area

Buying Recommendations Summary

• Aluminum rim, general riding: Shimano R55C4, best value for money
• Aluminum rim, all-weather riding: SwissStop Flash EVO BXP, best wet performance
• Carbon rim wheels: SwissStop Black Prince, the industry standard
• Campagnolo systems: SwissStop’s Campagnolo-specific version, outperforms OEM
• Carbon rim users on a budget: Shimano R55C4 Carbon version, provides adequate basic protection

Brake pads are safety-related components, so it is not recommended to use off-brand aftermarket products to save money. Replace them every 3,000-5,000 km or when the pads wear down to the wear indicator line, and check wear earlier after riding in the rain.

Related Reading

• Brake Pad Alignment and Bedding-In: The Key to Optimal Braking Performance
• Judging Rim Braking Surface Wear on Road Bike Wheels: When to Replace Your Wheelset
• Road Bike Brake Fluid Replacement Guide: The Difference Between DOT and Mineral Oil
• Choosing a Road Bike Brake System: A Comprehensive Comparison of Disc vs. Rim Brakes