Can I use rim brakes with carbon wheels?

Yes, this also dates back to the original rims. When designing a rim brake system for carbon wheels you have to think of both the epoxy resin system and the rubber compound of the brake pads. When these are designed together they work very well.

Are rim brakes that bad?

Rim brakes are cheaper, easier to maintain at home, and often lighter than disc brakes, but they are notorious for poor performance in wet conditions, especially with carbon rims.

Can you use normal brake pads on carbon wheels?

Never use brake pads that have been used on alu rims on carbon rims. New standard pads are ok (a lot of folk seem to use the standard dura ace pads).

Can carbon wheels explode?

Overheating Carbon Rims Linked to Dangerous Blowouts The problem has been traced to carbon clincher rims transferring heat to the thin latex tubes, which causes them to either bulge out to the point they deform the heat-softened carbon rim or simply explode–which results in the tire being blown off the rim.

How long do carbon clinchers last?

This is a good question and one that merits explanation, given that many of us grew up on a 3-5 year lifespan expectation from alloy. The short answer is that a carbon rim is expected to last until it is damaged in a way that compromises the bond between resin and carbon fibers.

Do I need carbon brake pads for carbon wheels?

Carbon is a very poor conductor of heat, so carbon-specific brakepads are needed to control the amount of heat buildup, and pull it away from the rim. What this means is that you’ll need to fit a pair of carbon-specific brakepads and use them only on your carbon rims.

How bad are rim brakes in the wet?

They don’t work well in the wet Water on the road quickly gets transferred to your wheel rims while you’re riding so rim brakes don’t work as well in wet conditions. Water on any braking surface reduces friction and affects performance. Disc brakes are affected by wet conditions too, but not as badly.

Do carbon wheels need different brake pads?

Most importantly, only use brake pads suitable for carbon wheels. We recommend to only brake pads made by, or recommended by, the wheel manufacturer. Carbon brake pads usually wear out faster than conventional brake pads.

Can you use aluminum brake pads on carbon wheels?

Yes, it works but alloy pads perform much better on alloy rims and the change from alloy to carbon rims can be dangerous for carbon rims. Any alloy bubble in the carbon pad can destroy a carbon rim in only a few braking intervals.

Are carbon clinchers safe?

What they found was that their rim could withstand more pressure and heat than the best Kevlar-beaded tire out there. The tire would blow off well below the resin’s Tg temperature was met. Zipp’s Andy Paskins, ‘We can confidently say that our carbon clincher is as safe as an aluminum rim.