Black Friday road bike brakes: slashed prices

What does road braking for the Black Friday involve?

Six pages share the offer. The brake pads are the most numerous, followed by levers, shoes, disc brakes, brake calipers, and cables and housings. Wear parts and replacement parts are found together: a pad or shoe is changed regularly, while a caliper or lever is changed infrequently.

Disc or rim: identify your system

On a rim brake, the caliper squeezes the rim with two pads; many road calipers use cartridge-style pad holders, where only the rubber is replaced. On a disc brake, the caliper fixed to the frame squeezes a disc screwed onto the hub. It can be mechanical, operated by cable, or hydraulic, operated by fluid. On recent road bikes, the caliper is most often mounted in flat mount style, and the disc can be fitted either in Center Lock or with six bolts: check the hub before choosing.

Key compatibilities

• Pads: each model of caliper has its specific pad shape. Note the reference engraved on the caliper.
• Fluid: most hydraulic brakes Sram use a DOT fluid, while Shimano uses mineral oil. The two should never be mixed.
• Shoes: a carbon rim requires a dedicated rubber, different from that of an aluminium rim.
• Cables: a road brake cable has a pear-shaped head, while a mountain bike cable has a cylindrical head.

Comparing discounts and finding the right page

A discount on a pair cannot be compared to that of a single part: check whether the offer is for the front, rear, or both, and what is included, disc, adapter, hose of the correct length. For pads, face off pads of the same composition, resin or metal, before looking at the crossed-out price. Outside of promotions, all braking can be found in the road braking. For another bike, check out MTB braking, urban braking or brake parts for all practical uses from the Black Friday, as well as the clearance for end-of-line products.

Braking brands in the selection

Shimano covers the entire range, from Ultegra BR-R8100 calipers to Center Lock discs, including resin pads and polymer-coated cables.

Sram offers its hydraulic disc brakes, Road Red, Force, Rival, and Apex in flat mount, alongside brakes and levers designed for mountain biking.

Galfer, born in Barcelona as a supplier of pads for motorcycles, makes bike pads for calipers of many brands, Shimano, Campagnolo, Magura, or Formula.

Swissstop, a Swiss manufacturer of pads, offers its Flash shoes; the Evo version, thinner, allows more space for the rim in narrow calipers.

Frequently asked questions

Resin or metal pads?

On the road, resin is suitable for most uses: it brakes smoothly and stays discreet, but wears out faster. Metal pads last longer and handle the heat from climbs better, but may squeak. Also check that your disc is designed for them.

Why is my disc brake rubbing?

Most often, the caliper is no longer centered on the disc. Loosen its fixing screws, pull the lever to reposition it, then tighten again. If the rubbing returns with each turn of the wheel, the disc may be warped.

How to bed in new pads?

On a flat, clear road, get the bike up to speed then slow down about twenty times while braking harder each time, without locking the wheel. The material deposits on the disc and the brake reaches its full power.

Can you switch from rim to disc brake?

Not without changing the frame and fork: you need attachment points for the calipers and wheels designed for a disc. On a bike with rim brakes, good pads and new cables can already significantly improve braking.

When do the braking discounts for Black Friday take place?

It all starts from the Friday following Thanksgiving; at Vélo-Store, discounts on shoes, pads, and road calipers continue throughout November. Perfect for changing pads or shoes before the wet winter rides.