Kool StopDura 2 Brake Insert

When I first bought these, I didn't know what the difference was compared to the regular Dura. I thought it used a new compound or something, but it turns out it's just a thicker version of the Dura. For how much thicker it is compared to the price difference, I thought it's a good value. I have used Kool Stop brake pads for quite a while. I originally switched to these from the Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 brake pads. Those brake pads have good stopping power, but they eat rims like crazy. By comparison, the Kool Stops have similar braking power, but they're much quieter and more rim friendly. They don't last as long as the Dura-Ace pads, but I would rather change brake pads than rims (lot more work).

Have tried many other brands - swiss stop, zipp, etc and keep going back to these. Stopping power is great with my carbon rims - other brands did not perform as expected compared to these. These have great stopping power for those emergency situations, in all weather conditions even. They don't seem to make any noise especially if they run hot and also do not mark the rim. Wear seems to be minimal after a few thousand miles, then again I am not riding a lot of hills, riding season is also short in the north. These are definitely a winner with ENVE's Composite rims!I like Kool Stop - they have great customer service and really stand by their products. I've always used their pads for all my bikes (all types of brakes and rims) and have not had any issues.

I can't say they are better than the default rubber path that came with my specialized alley but for some reason I cannot get the back pads to grip very well on the back they just don't grip but on the front they grip tremendously and it could just be me because I'm not an expert bike fixer but I know about the toeing and I know and watched million videos but just for some reason the back ones are not grouping correctly but with that said these pads still grip a million times more than the pads that came default with my bike and it's a 2018 specialized alley. I specifically read over and over again online that these are best in the wet and they have done a very good job. I will say the back brakes do grip tremendously in the wet but when it's not wet whatever reason they just don't grip and that's only the back the front I could pull that lever so hard I would flip over the bike that grip so well.

I have always been satisfied with Kool Stop brake pads. The salmon colored compound works very well on wet roads. Installation was easy and quick as the pads are a direct replacement for my older Shimano Ultegra brake pads. Very good product.

Run these on my nice road bike that only sees nice weather. The softer compound helps save on rim wear and better stopping power.Had a pair on my computer that gets abused year round. Better stopping power in the wet. The soft compound does wear a little faster in an all conditions environment. Well worth it though for the stopping power.Been running these for over 25 years. Keep coming back for more.

There seem to be a lot of good reviews covering salmon pads in the wet. In the dry these are the best pads I've used. My aluminum rim braking surface are so worn, I couldn't even lockup the rear wheel if I tried using black compounds from various brands! The wheels brake almost as good as new.I'm not really impressed with the stopping power of the black Kool Stop pads, but the salmon pads modulate well and don't chew up the rim much at all. They seem to take about 10 rides to break in, they felt really greasy and spongy until they broke in - in fact they are a bit spongy anyway but very progressive and ultimately secure.They also have plenty of life after 2k+ miles including many 15% descents stop signs with stop signs at the bottom.

Used these on Ultegra brakes with Mavic open pro rims. Never tired Kool Stop before. Although the salmon is advertised for wet conditions, these are excellent in dry also--just about as good as my previous Shimano R55C3 pads--and without leaving residue on my rims or dissolving in the rain. They did squeal initially on very hard braking but I cleaned the brake track with alcohol and they became silent after a couple of rides. These pads keep my rim brake track clean and shiny and don't seem to get embedded fragments like the Shimanos. I know Shimano makes a C4 now that is better in the rain, but not as good as these.

These pads give me all the stopping power that I need, and more. I can lock-up the rear wheel without much effort, and it's easy to apply just the right amount of pressure to stop how fast I want to (good modulation). No more fear that I can't stop before a busy intersection. They fit perfectly in the calipers, and are easy to install. These pads make the stock pads that come on Cane Creek brakes look plain ridiculous. The stock pads had poor stopping power, wore down my rims really fast, and had metal shavings in them when I checked at 300 miles. They're actually good brakes if you put Kool Stop pads on them. I highly recommend them.