We received some returned carbon clincher wheels this past week and sent them down to our labs. It took only a few seconds to realize that there were a few recurring reasons for problems with wheels.

#1 - Many wheels are being used with incorrect brake pads #2 - Many riders are failing to align the pads properly with the braking surface on the rim

What harm could possibly result from using the wrong brake pad? Well, how about excessive heat buildup, damaging the polymer medium that holds and protects the carbon fiber? How about melting the pads and creating a nice glazed coating for your braking surface that is basically impossible to clean?

***** We know you want to go fast and be safe doing so, and we have the scars to show that we fully understand the importance of having reliable and powerful braking. So we have done the homework for you. We tested more than 30 different types of pads in every condition, traveling down hills that were far too steep at speeds that were well outside the realm of common sense.

They work. They work well. And more importantly, they won't damage your rim when things heat up while voiding your warranty and tossing you in the ditch all at the same time. *****

What happens during heavy braking?

Momentum is reduced by means of friction. This converts kinetic energy (movement) mostly into thermal energy (heat).

The faster you are going and the heavier you are, the more heat you will make.

Too much heat will cause disaster. Anything from blowouts to rim warping to internal delamination and eventual (or rapid) failure of the rim itself.

Pro-Lite uses rims that are designed to take higher pressures (we regularly push our tires well beyond 125PSI for testing purposes) and have specially designed braking surfaces that are engineered to move the braking surface slighly inward to a heavily built up area of the wheel. This drastically reduces the risk of blowout and actually improves braking power by moving the pressure to a much more robust area of the rim wall.

We urge all users to heed these warnings for your safety and for the longevity of the wheels themselves.

Pro-Lite