Best rim brake pads for cycling on road bikes 2024

If your road bike has caliper rim brakes, you'll want to fit the best rim brake pads to up your stopping power. 

Whether you’re slowing into a corner or pulling up at a junction, the consequences of cycling with an unreliable set of bike brakes and pads don’t bare thinking about. Better brake pads are a surprisingly cheap upgrade, especially for something that so dramatically affects both your safety and your performance.

A high-quality set of brake pads, with a compound specifically formulated for the conditions, can have a transformative effect on your stopping distance.

The calipers, cable housing, and brake levers all have a role in determining how a braking system performs but it is the pads that have the greatest single effect. For this guide we've split the pads into two sections: alloy rims and carbon rims;

If your bike has disc brakes however, you need to read our guide to the best brake pads for road and gravel bikes.

The Quick List

For alloy rims

For carbon rims

Best brake pads for alloy rims

Best for wet weather

These pads, designed for "extreme all weather conditions", have something of a cult following for how well they perform in the wet. The soft compound is super grippy, although that does mean they wear faster than other pads.

Arguably, this is not much of a problem. In being quite soft they are easy on the braking track, meaning that you’ll get more life out of your rims. Swapping pads a little more frequently is cheaper - and a lot easier - than rebuilding your wheels.

The Dura 2 is a thicker version of this pad, so even considering the wear rate, you won’t actually have to replace them that often. Other Dura compounds include black for dry riding and triple for "superb braking in all conditions". 

Best alloy all rounder

This is one of the more economical ways to get Dura-Ace components on your bike. If you are going to have top-of-the-range parts anywhere on your bike, the part that controls your speed is probably the best place for it.

These are versatile pads that are designed to offer powerful and consistent braking in both the dry and the wet - although according to Shimano's own characteristics graph, there is a marked difference between performance in the dry (scored a 5)  and in the wet (scored a 2). Durability is good and as brake pads go they are easy to fit and pretty silent in all but the wettest conditions.

The pads are only compatible with Shimano or SRAM brake shoes.

Best for longevity

SwissStop's nomenclature for their pads takes a second to get your head round, but it makes sense once you know it.

If the name has “flash” in it, the pad is good for SRAM/Shimano, if it has “race” instead then the pad is suitable for Campagnolo. “Pro” means that the pad is thicker for a longer service life. Alternatively, there is “evo” which is good if you have particularly wide rims which can only really accept pads once they are half worn.

For alloy rims, you then have the choice of the “Original Black” compound or “BXP”. The Original Black is recommended for general use and performs better in dry conditions. If you're after a SwissStop pad for wet weather, then its BXP compound is what you'll need.  

Best brake pads for carbon rims

Best for adverse weather

The R4 Dura featured a plow-tip design which helps remove dirt and water before the pad touches the rim. It makes these a good choice if you use your carbon rims year-round or live in a region where rain is often on the horizon.

As a USA brand, they can be a little difficult to get hold of if you're in the  UK, but a definitely worth the extra effort if your looking for a pad that can help your braking performance in less than ideal weather conditions.

Best for Campagnolo users

These deliver the strong and consistent stopping power you would expect from top-flight Campagnolo pads. If you're riding vintage Campy rim brakes you'll need to look elsewhere however as these are only compatible with calipers produced from the year 2000 onwards.

Perhaps surprisingly Campagnolo also produce a SRAM/Shimano version of these pads as well - so that those on the dark side can enjoy superb braking on carbon rims as well.

Best all rounder

The fact that the Dura-Ace pads are used widely by the top cycling teams should speak to their quality, even if they are supplied for free! 

Designed to work across conditions, these are solid all rounder, which should deliver assured braking performance in a range of conditions. However, as you might expect Shimano's characteristics chart shows that they do perform slightly better in the dry compared to the wet. 

Expect good durability and a fairly quiet ride, even in damp conditions.

Best modulation

As with the alloy pads, the “flash” means these are for SRAM/Shimano and “pro” means the pad is thick. For carbon rims, there are two compounds to choose from, “Black Prince” and “Yellow King”. Yellow King provides a little more in terms of absolute stopping power - but what is power without control?

Although the Black Prince compound might not induce the same stomach-flipping raw deceleration as the Yellow King, it does offer superior modulation. This allows you to really get the most out of your brakes.

You’re able to get right up to (but not exceed) the limits of your tires’ grip - that precise point before the wheels lock up and the tires start to skid - where you’re exerting the maximum braking force possible for the conditions.

How to choose rim brake pads

Which are the best rim brake pads for which rim?

Carbon rims and aluminium alloy rims require different brake pads. For carbon rims especially, it is very important that the correct pads are used.

Carbon isn’t as good as aluminium at conducting heat, meaning that carbon rims have a greater tendency to heat up. If the rims get too hot, you risk starting to melt the resin that holds the carbon fibres together and causing your inner tubes to pop, or even a failure of the rim itself, although modern carbon rims usually use high iTg resins to make them more resistant to heat build-up. 

Brake pads designed specifically for carbon rims are constructed to help control the amount of heat build up by sucking it away from the rim. It's important to use your brakes properly though to stop the rims heating up. Dragging your brakes on long descents is to be avoided.

Carbon-specific brake pads shouldn’t be used on aluminium rims because they are quite soft and will wear quickly. Also, if the pads are used on aluminium rims, little bits of metal from the braking track will embed themselves in the pads. If the pads are then used on carbon rims, the metal shards will abrade the carbon and damage the rims.

We’ve split this guide into best brake pads for alloy rims and best brake pads for carbon rims to make it easier to find the brake pads you need. Some manufacturers require you to use only certain makes of brake pad on their rims. If you use a pad that is not recommended, you risk voiding your warranty, so it is best to double check before using a different set of pads.

Cartridge vs blocks

Some brake pads come as a single brake block, whereas with others the brake pad functions as a cartridge that is inserted into a brake shoe.

A cartridge system is stiffer because the brake shoe provides extra support for the pad, making the brakes more powerful and responsive. They have the added benefit that when it comes to changing the pads, you can just pop the old pads out and slide the new ones in. You don’t need to readjust the brake position. They're the best choice for serious riding.

One-piece pads are cheaper to manufacture and so are often specced on lower value bikes or bikes that are trying hard to come in below a certain price point. The brakes tend to feel a little mushier and the pads tend to be made from lower performing compounds to keep the costs down.

Compounds

A softer compound will be more grippy and offer better braking - especially in the wet. However, because the compound is softer, it will wear faster than a harder compound. On the bright side, a soft compound is easier on the rims, meaning they’ll last longer before you have to replace them.

A super soft compound might work well in the wet, but it can be a little too grabby in the dry. Using a mixed compound, or one that is designed for the dry, will improve the brake’s modulation. It's therefore easier to control the amount of braking power you’re exerting, so you don’t accidentally lock up a wheel.