Review - Shimano BR-6403 brake pads

I needed to replace some brake pads pretty quickly and so for simplicity I got a pair of these pads from Evans.  That was a few hundred miles ago and I've had a good chance to try them out in mostly dry conditions and fitted to the rear brake calliper.

These appear to be Shimano's standard, no nonsense, catch all service replacement set.  They fit to the callipers by means of an allen key bolt and are compatible with Shimano 105, Ultegra, RX100 and Tiagra brakes.  As the pattern seems conventional it is likely they'll fit many other callipers brakes.

Fitting them is a cinch.  You just need a 4mm allen key once you've removed the previous pads.  There is no toe-in feature so you simply align the pad next to the rim and tighten.  Easy as that.  There's no mistaking which pad to fit to which side as the guide fin points downward.

These are disposable pads as the actual pad material is not removable or replaceable on its own.

In use I like the fact the height of the pad wasn't too big, so it fits the [Mavic Open Sport] rim easily with at least 1mm spare above and below.  There is no toe-in facility.  This means that the pad is parallel to the rim and no facility for juggling washers so that the leading edge of the brake pad contacts the rim first.  In doing this the pad gets pulled in and this increases the braking power slightly.

In use they're okay, acceptable, a bit mediocre and unspectacular.  Like the original pads, they are adequate in both wet and dry conditions (as normal wet rims take a little longer to slow down).  They're also quiet, as you can rightly expect.

The RRP cost is £10.99 which, I suppose is probably okay.  Whilst it maybe possible to scour the internet and get it cheaper, that is the price I paid at Evans.

Would I buy these again?

Well yes, if I needed to, just as I did this last time.  At 10.99 or less it's almost worth keeping a pair in stock.   I will research and seek out something a bit better for the next set that needs replacing: given that they last me a few thousand miles, spending a little more is justified in order to improve the braking performance.

Related ramble:

Routine brake pad check

Bikeworks

A few days ago I was waiting for a tube train in London and I spotted an advert for bikeworks and have now taken a closer look at their website as I think they appear a really great organisation and worth a blog post here.

Bikeworks is a Community Interest Company; this means that any profits or trading surpluses are ploughed back into the community it serves.  This means there's no fatcat directors or shareholders exploiting the workers and creaming off the profits.  They've been trading for a few years, picked up a few awards now and seem to have grown to encompass three sites now.

They refurbish bicycles and see they get used again.  There's a number of other strands to the enterprise which supports cycling around London.  You might think this is worthy enough (which on it's own, it is!) but they go a step further and this is what makes it even more worthwhile.  Lifted directly from their website is the following:

Bikeworks operate as an 'intermediate labour market', this means we offer work opportunities to individuals who would not be able to begin, or sustain mainstream employment without intensive support.

By providing these supported opportunities at Bikeworks, we can offer a real employment experience, accredited training and a work reference. This opportunity is important for those people who have been isolated from the work place for a long time and for those that have little or no work experience.

Another facility that caught my eye is the All Ability Cycling Clubs that are dotted around.  This gives a real opportunity for those who might ordinarily miss out on the joys of cycling.  The clubs give opportunities for people with a disability to try out different kinds of bikes in a safe manner.  Looks like their carers are welcome too. That's good.

They also sell bikes (new and refurbished) and offer cycle training, bike hire, maintenance courses etc. Certainly it looks like a growing organisation with a social conscience, which is brilliant.  I can tell you, I wish I could go and say "hello" personally but whenever I visit London I'm normally dashing around Westminster, Pimlico and Victoria on business.  I'll just have to see what I can do next time I'm in town.....

Here's their website: http://www.bikeworks.org.uk/index.php

Stainless steel-v-galvanised steel cables

Stainless steel  gear cables

Through the work we've done in updating Becky's vintage Argos bike, the cables are being replaced.  We found that stainless steel cables seemed to feel a bit smoother than the (slightly) cheaper galvanised cables which is helpful for applications such as the rear brake.

These were new to me and worth looking into:

• Galvanised cables are cheaper and more commonly used on mass produced bikes, including the complete heaps of garbage that some supermarkets sell for £99
• Galvanising is really a zinc coating applied often by using a "hot dip" method and is a form of rust proofing
• Stainless steel is a little more expensive
• Stainless steel is smoother with less friction.  This means less drag from any casing the cable is running in, or from any guides the cable runs against
• Stainless steel is slightly less pliable or bendy.  Therefore the routing should have gradual crurves, not sharp bends
• Stainless steel may still corrode a little but it will be less obvious.  I imagine that when a cable is installed, a little dry lube could be applied and this may help with some protection

On balance we have decided to use on stainless steel from this point onwards and we'll take care to use lined casing (the outer cable) just to make sure the cables run as smoothly as possible,

Both types need sharp cutters and I mean really sharp cutters to ensure a clean cut.  The wire cutters we have are not up to the job, so I am going to look into improving my bike tool box.   It goes without saying a newly installed cable (gear or brake) must be finished off with a crimp-on cap, to prevent fraying.

Upgrading brake cables

Becky learning about handlebar moustaches

The main bug-bear with Becky's bike, her Birthday Bike Project in the form of a vintage Argos 531c bike, is the brakes being too stiff and awkward.  Our first step was to replace the levers with some well designed Sram levers which are of considerable ergonomic advantage for petite hands.  These new levers were certainly and improvement on the original Shimano 600 levers but still the brakes weren't easy for Becky to handle.

We talked this over in the LBS who suggested some better cables and this made sense.  We got some KBLE inner cables (they're French) and some new outers which are lined.  The cables are actually stainless steel and feel considerably smoother than the normal cables.  The plastic lined outer cable made the new KBLEs very smooth, especially with a little dribble of Dry Lube. Click here for this cable on Wiggle.

Carrying out this little upgrade was pretty straight forward and you might remember from previous posts that Becky is expected to learn about bikes as we gradually upgrade the bike.  Our first step was unravelling the handlebar tape in order to access the old cables.  It was at this point Becky acquired her new (handlebar?) moustache and at that point I realised we weren't going to have a serious bike lesson - but who cares?  Cycling needs to be full of enjoyment for a 14 year old girl who is gaining confidence in her own abilities on the bike; why get her bogged down in the technicalities and end up putting her off cycling?

This upgrade cost less than £10 and has made a real difference to the ease and smoothness of the brakes.  The previous cables , although new, were cheap, rough and unlined which then contributed to the brakes being hard to pull.  I think getting the length of the outer cable is important so the curves in the outer as it bends itself from the handlebars need to be a gradual curve, not too tight.

While this upgrade appears to have been an improvement, it's still not perfect as the springs in the callipers (Shimano 600) are very strong but I think this is about as good as it gets.  I'd really recommend this as a fairly cheap way of upgrading your brakes.  In any event, the older and drier a cable is, the higher the chance that the nipple will eventually break away so an upgrade like this is almost routine serving.

Peeling off the handlebar tape

threading the new cables through the levers

Dealing with squeaks, rattles and other irritating noises

Although I know how a bike works and appreciate a nice smooth running bike, I'm not always quick to react when something might be wrong.  I should know better and yet I don't want to become a bike nerd and get preoccupied with the mechanics too much.

Nevertheless a new noise started on my bike and gradually became louder over the last 100 miles.  At first I thought (and hoped) it was nothing more than my keys rattling in the saddle bag.  I eliminated that along with making sure nothing else was rattling in the bag.  The rattling, ticking noise continued and seemed to get louder.  I knew it was nothing to do with the pedals, bottom bracket or the chain as it was there all the time.  It didn't seem to be affected by the road surface (i.e. smooth Hertfordshire or rough Buckinghamshire) and I was starting to think it might be connected to the rear hub, as that it where the noise seemed to be coming from.  I ignored it for a little, wishfully hoping it might fade away but I knew that was stupid of me to be in denial.  Get a grip Doug.

I took the back wheel out having checked there was no obvious side-to-side play.  I turned the axle and to my delight it was as smooth as it could possibly be (BTW these hubs are Miche RG2 as recommended by the LBS and they're brilliant).  I checked a few other things and was still puzzled.

Then I remembered an old trick I learnt back into the 1980s about this.  IN fact it is what any cyclist should do before going for a bike ride:

1. Lift the bike up off the ground, by about 10cm.
2. Let go and drop the bike onto the floor and listen.
3. Does it sound right?  Does it clatter and rattle?
4. If it does, repeat dropping the bike but perhaps one wheel at a time until you find the problem
5. Feel the tyres to make sure they are as hard as they should be and be confident you haven't got a puncture.
6. Go for your cycle ride

Had I gone through these steps myself, I would have realised instantly a mudguard stay was rubbing against the rear pannier rack.  Fixing it took five seconds, that's all.  If only I'd done that first, instead of cycling for 100 miles and almost talking myself into buying new bearings etc for the rear hub.

Isn't life a bit like this sometimes?  We can go through life with little niggles and we can hope they'll go away. They rarely do on their own and procrastinating often leads to the issue becoming worse still over a period of time.  All too easily we can be our own worst enemies and yet it doesn't have to be like that at all.  Once again I hear myself say "Get a grip Doug".

Hey, what about you?  Do you stay on top of those niggling rattles on your bike (and maybe in life) or deal with them promptly.  I'd love to hear a few views on this..... please leave a comment below for me.

Review - Raleigh Outback SPD type pedal

My daughter has treated herself to a pair of these pedals for her Birthday Bike Project.  She went into our LBS and selected a pair of shoes, having tried on every conceivable pair (at least twice), walked around in them, looked in the mirror and negotiated the price.  According to Rachel (Mrs Ramblings) it took ages.  Much quicker was the selection of the pedals with the friendly LBS man saying "you can have the lot for £75".  We'll do a review on the shoes soon but in the meantime, we're not too sure about these pedals.

To put them in context, the ticket price is £29.99 and are distributed by Raleigh  and manufactured in Taiwan.  I don't think SPD compatible pedals come very much cheaper than that very often.  They are double sided, with adjustable spring tension and come complete with a pair of cleats.  The box says they have "smooth running ball bearings" which we may dispute a little.  One side is perfect, the other is a little on the rough side but I'm sure that'll wear in quickly.  The price is curious in a way.  By the time you take off 20% VAT, bear in mind the LBS will probably make around £8 to £10 profit, Raleigh themselves will take a slice, someone will pay for the cost of shipping them half way around the world.  Then there's the packaging and the ex-factory price.  No one is getting rich out of these pedals.  The actual cost of making these must be very little.

Becky seems to have adapted very well to using them and fully recognises the benefits of this type of clipless pedals.  All good stuff.

Then, out of curiosity, I thought I would try these myself, while wearing my own SPD compatible Specialized Sonoma shoes.  They snapped in with the familar click alright but it was less easy to get out.  Twisting my heal outwards was simple enough but then I realised the technique required pulling my foot slightly backwards.  This is a little unnerving and on closer examination of the pedals the metal guide that guards the cleats in is more pronounced.

Would we buy these again?  Probably not but they do work in a satisfactory manner but  without setting the world on fire

Pumping up bike tyres

Every cyclist needs one of these - a track pump - but not necessarily a Specialized one.

Problems from an over-inflated tyre

Tyres can be blown off the rim if the pressure is too high and this can occur in a few different ways.

Don't ever use one of those air lines at a petrol station for inflating tyres.  They pump air in too quickly for bicycle tyres.  Half a second too much and you could add 20psi too much.  Besides, the roller style gauges are renowned for being totally inaccurate.

Don't do as I did recently.  I fitted a new tyre onto my daughter's bike.  Pumped it up to the recommended 105psi and left it in the sun.  Ten minutes later there was a loud BANG just like someone firing a gun.  The tube burst and threw the tyre off the rim.  Could have been caused by the tyre not being seated properly, although I did check it while I was inflating the tyre.  I'll never know.

Lastly, imagine your tyre is pumped up to the recommended pressure.  It's a summers' day and you are freewheeling down a long steep hill.  Naturally you apply the brakes gently to keep a steady speed.  The friction of the pads on the rim can heat a rim and inner tube very quickly and thereby increasing the air pressure drastically.  I once knew someone who experienced this frightening accident.  What made it worse was it was the front tyre that exploded off the rim; which inevitably caused the tyre to instantly get jammed in the brake and launch the cyclist in flight over the handlebars.  Not recommended.

Problems from under inflated tyres

• Getting punctures - under inflated tyres have more tyre in contact with the road and all the debris that's there and consequently increasing the chance of getting a puncture.  Hard tyres often seem to flick bits of gravel to the side.
• Dents to the rim, rim going "out of true" - caused by a very soft tyre bottoming out on a kerb, stone or maybe a pothole
• Losing control - if you have a soft tyre on the front wheel and hit a bit of rough road surface, it can easily lead to losing control if you're going fast
• Increased tyre wear - as simple as that
• More effort needed - you'll use more energy 
• Taking the trouble to ensure your tyres are at the correct pressure will probably cause you to notice other things on the tyre.  This could include bits of glass working their way into the tyre, sidewall damage etc.

Track pumps

Having a track pump makes it so easy to bring your tyres up to the correct pressure.  With 700c tyres typically running at 100psi or more it's hard work to achieve this with an ordinary hand pump (like the kind you could carry on your bike).  With a track pump it's simple and needs hardly any effort.

Probably worth me commenting on this particular track pump and why it's important to buy one with care.  This is a few years old now, probably no longer sold and therefore no need for me to review it properly.  The main down side is that it feels a bit flimsy.  When you have your feet holding it firmly to the floor and you're pumping hard, make sure you pump straight down and not slightly sideways.  This is because it feels a bit flimsy, especially where the barrel joins the base.  It's not all bad.  The gauge is fairly accurate, it pumps efficiently  Specialized have given it an ergonomically well designed handle and the tube is generously long.  It works with Schrader (car type) and Presta valves.

Other track pumps worth "tracking" down

SKS Airkompressor 12.0:  not bad but still a little flimsy.

One23 Pressure+: works okay but cheap and cheaply made

Pedros Prestige: more expensive at £40 but durable.  Performance is adequate

Topeak Joe Blow Max HP: another short hose but effiicient

Leyyne Sport FD:  worth getting for good all-round performance and a quaint wooden handle.  Easiest to switch between value types.

Blackburn Air Tower 1: not bad at all for one at the cheaper end (£24.99) and a good brand

Routine brake pad check

This is about the importance of taking a closer look at your bicycle.  As an example of why this is important, this morning I checked over my bike, I discovered there was an issue with the rear brakes on my Thorn Audax.

On one side there was a tiny bit of metal embedded into the brake pad.  This was enough to cause a horrible grinding noise which is why I took them off for a closer look

Note the vertical grooves: these are wear indicators

The brake pad on the other side shows how the pad was a little too big for the wheel rim.  As it gradually wore down, you can see how it was just starting to wear into the tyre.

Running horizontally is the wear line of the rim (not very worn at all)

These brake pads are manufactured by Shimano and are original equipment on my bike.  Their performance has been adequate but not outstanding at all.  It is, of course, worth bearing in mind other factors do make a difference: levers, cables, cable outers and of course the brake callipers themselves.

For a moment I felt rash and decided to buy some new pads even though they weren't completely worn out.  After all, in nearly 3,000 miles I have replaced one inner tube and now some brake pads; whatever next?  Heck, does this mean my bike is nearing the scrapheap?

For quickness I have bought another pair of Shimano pads (£10.99 from Evans) but will research alternatives that might be a bit better.