Front brake performance under rain

[fbenach]

Hello everyone... here goes another newbie question, just to check out what you experiences has been...

The last few weeks has been very rainy down here, giving me the chance to ride my bike under wet conditions, and I noticed the performance of my front brakes (dual disc model) go down importantly... I would say it drops around 30-40%... then, when it stops raining, my performance comes back to 100% very fast...

Does anyone have this problem? should I be concern and be checking my brakes?

Thanks in advance,
Fernando

[Barry]

If you only lose 30- 40% brake efficiency in the wet I would say that's pretty good going and normal with the original stainless disc rotors.

[fbenach]

Thank you Barry for your kind answer... do you have any experience with different discs other than Stainless?

[steve hawkins]

I have pfm cast iron discs on my R100 and they work well in the wet.  But they are also a dirty brake, ie the discs go rusty when wet and your front wheel does need a clean more often.

I have had succuss in the past with EBC floating discs, both on my R65 and an old K100RS I had in the dim and distant past.  They do not go off in the wet like the stainless discs do.  However they are an expensive upgrade - but a sensible one.

Rev. Light

[bruce_launceston]

I would imagine that what braking efficiency you lose in the wet would equate to about how much easier you should apply your brakes in the wet anyway.
I have the semi floating SS discs on my LS and have no shortage of braking power in the wet or dry.

The beauty of disc brakes is that it only takes a few rotations to skim the water off and dry things out to get close to 100% efficiency back.

Get any water in the rear drum and it takes ages to get them working properly.

[Barry]

Only bike I ever had with brakes that worked well in the wet had a cast iron disc.  

I know with stainless discs the lack of response on initial application is shall we say a little disconcerting. There's more to lack of response in the wet than just water acting as a lubricant between the pad and the disc. My brakes lack response after I wash the the bike even though the disc is dry or even after cleaning the disc with brake cleaner. I've observed that the brakes only work well after a very fine surface layer of brake pad dust has built up on the disc and of course that's going to get washed off by the rain.

[Bob_Roller]

I put EBC steel rotor and EBC FA18 pads on my '81 R65 about three years ago .

Before I installed them, I would avoid riding the bike with the OEM rotors and pads .

With living in a desert, I don't get all that much 'opportunity' to ride in wet conditions .

I have gone through three torrential downpours since putting the EBC parts, I am amazed how well the brakes work when wet, not a concern about riding in the rain now .

I am surprised that the rotors have not started to rust, after three years of use .

I too believe that steel rotors are better than stainless in the wet .

I've got ATE calipers, but got a 'smoking' deal on the EBC FA18 pads which are meant for Brembo calipers, about ten minutes of work with a die grinder with a rotary file installed, makes the steel backing plate fit the ATE calipers .

[fbenach]

Thank you all!! your comments have been very helpful!!!