Can regular brake pads be used on ceramic rims?

[ishaw]

I've used a couple of different ceramic pads (v though), Shimano were so hard and very difficult to get in the carriers. They also mad such a noise when braking, like they were made of sandpaper, I half expected the rims to glow like F1 car discs under heave braking.

Standard pads worked fine, I switched as I was just dubious about the Shimano ones. I think I ended up with koolstop ceramics in the end. Much more pliable, less noisy.

All pads used on the same rim and still pristine. If any pad caused any marking to the surface it was the Shimano ones.

 

[ferrus]

Thanks chaps. I’ll bite the bullet and buy the Eagle blocks (and stick with green Kool Stops for the Motolites as well).

It does seem that ceramic coating can vary, even on the same model. One of my sets of Crossmax was quite shabby when I bought them (for just £70) but it hasn’t deteriorated further at all and is holding up brilliantly. But I remember using 217s BITD, where after a few months the coating started flaking off one rim while the other held up for years.

 

[27motorhead]

Ben, BITD I ran a Mavic 217 ceramic rim on the rear for a bit as I had a Magura's that were renowned for eating through the sidewalls of rims. I never had any special pads and they worked better in the wet vs. standard rims.

On my fixed commuting bike I only run a front brake and I've had a ceramic front rim on that (Mavic Open Pro) as I wanted something that would last in terms of years and would also give good braking performance. I must say the coating on the Open Pro seems so different to the coating on the old 217. No better braking performance in the wet and I've tried all sorts of pads over the years from basic Shimano to Ceramic SwissStop and they are all much of a muchness and the rim is still going after god knows how many thousand of miles and possibly coming up to 20 years!

217 coating got a bit scratched up, but was very robust, Open Pro chipped almost immediately thanks to hitting a huge pot hole which has left the rim permanently dented and causes quite an annoying noise every revolution you apply the brake, but it can't be that annoying because that happened circa 20 years ago!!!

 

[ferrus]

A front brake only on ceramic sounds terrifying Tim! But you’re right about the longevity for sure. Some seem to suffer from flakiness it seems, but otherwise they last for years.

 

[27motorhead]

A front brake only on ceramic sounds terrifying Tim! But you’re right about the longevity for sure. Some seem to suffer from flakiness it seems, but otherwise they last for years.
Who needs disks with rims that last forever and brake well in the wet!

I loved my 217 as that survived the Magura onslaught AND worked better than a standard rim in the wet. Open Pro felt like a completely different rim and offered no improved performance in terms of bite/grip but sure is durable!

Plus it’s a retro build on a crazy Slingshot and some Mavic Ceramic loveliness will give it extra kudos!

 

[Tootyred]

I would go for new pads over a period set any day. I find it mildly amusing to see people pay silly money for a pair of xt blocks.....they weren't the best bitd; after 35 years of hardening they might as well just get Grinling Gibbons to carve them a set from oak.

I get the catalogue thing (well i don't actually) but this is a functional part....but then if the brakes only have to stop it rolling off the mantlepiece, its probably not a problem.

For my money bbb make some fine blocks for the cash.

 

[Boron]

Has anyone tried fitting road shoes in a V-brake? I'm thinking about a workaround because ceramic road inserts like Aztec are still readily available whereas the V-brake pads are getting hard to find.

 

[Woz]

You mentioned how rock hard NOS pads ruined the coating. I managed to snap two new XTR ceramic pads today trying to slide them into the cartridge. They were hard as plastic and really brittle. Would you avoid using them with ceramic rims then?

Yup. Been there. Hope you didn't do like me and broke two left ones like a complete total moron Later found out the Tektro cartridges I used were slightly different dimensionally to the XT and XTR ones. Shimano pads for ceramic rims are no longer in production put still got a few left. It best to needle file them a bit if necessary.

While this is not what you are asking, the Shimano Severe Condition pads work great with Crossmax. Also, the ceramic rim coatings tend to get "polished" with time and I've found NOS ceramic pads don't actually work that brilliant, but like what was said earlier they last forever.

2025 Shimano Compatibility:

 

[ferrus]

Very helpful Woz, thank you

 

[benjabbi]

I've found ceramic to be great when fresh, unsurprisingly it glazes over with use and I assume, heat, I've found this happened quicker with standard pads. (WTB abrasive pads/XTR V-brake on a Bontrager ceramic rim was the most vicious front brake I've ever used, for about a week) It can be made better with a soft sanding block like Mavic sell but will never be like new again. I've found Koolstop greens to be the best option. But really nothing beats bare non anodized aluminium as a braking surface.