Anyone reccomend some decent canti brake pads?

my current set up is using shimano (cant remember tyre off top of my head) cantis and shimano short pads. but they realy are starting to annoy me. everytime i jump on the racing bike i know its going to stop regardless. and thats only using old campag calipers. but the brakes on the raleigh just doesnt give me enough stopping power.... i can properly yank the fronts on and it trys but it feels like the wheels are damp (even though todays ride was long and very dry.) the back is the same if not worse, giving me either nothing or a skid if i realy try. the rims are specialized bx23's.. any help greatly appriciated. i love the bike and the overall feel of it its just the brakes and a couple other niggles that need sorting.

Much of it is due to the setup of the pads and straddle wires. Get it wrong and they are weak - get it right and they are as good as V's.

See here for optimising them:
http://sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html

However, assuming these are fine, Kool Stops and Aztecs are well regarded by most.

wicked cheers dude ill take a look at that.. just noticed your in the newforest too.. dont suppose you know of any decent trails down there do ya? although im aware its all one big trail haha thinking of riding out there via romsey on the weekend and then back through lyndhurst and totton.... its been a while since i did that.

Personally I think the Western Forest is best - it's all wide smooth stuff, but the best is Fritham to Frogham along Hampton Ridge. It also has a pub at each end, which is nice!

haha pub at each end ... you read my mind sounds good. ill look that one up and see if its a possibility.

I use Koolstop Eagle 2 pads, best I've ever used, got them fitted to all my mountain bikes with cantis on.

I've been scanning and uploading lots of maintenance articles from old magazines and these might be useful to help you getting a good set-up.

http://www.drystonepaul.com/maintenance ... r_1993.jpg

http://www.drystonepaul.com/maintenance ... r_1995.jpg

The thread with more articles is here:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53227

I've got a nice powerful set-up with DX cantis and X-Lite Chicken Stix on my Marin. Not quite as powerful as V-brakes but still easy to lock up my wheels if absolutely necessary.

cheers dude. that should come in handy also gonna use one of the scans for regreasing the BB too as it could probably do with it by now...

+1 for Kool Stops or Mathauser