Zipp Speed Weaponry has just unveiled their new Platinum Pro all conditions brake pads for carbon rims.
Developed with SwissStop, the silver brake pads were designed to offer reliable stopping power in super dry and soaking wet conditions. The compound also handles heat well under heavy braking on hot days.
They have no abrasives to damage the rim surface and promise not to discolor your rim, either.
Full PR after the break…
PRESS RELEASE: The best carbon wheels deserve the best all-around brake pad. The new Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro Brake Pad delivers smooth speed control, long wear life and reliable stopping power for use on carbon braking surfaces in all conditions, wet or dry.
To create the new silver pad, the bike-brake experts at Zipp and SwissStop® put their minds together to develop an all-purpose pad designed for carbon clincher and tubular rims. The result was a pad that retains consistent stopping power, even on rain-soaked roads.
And when it’s hot and dry, the Tangente Platinum Pad’s uniquely formulated compound better manages the extreme temperatures that can result from heavy braking on carbon. Just like a champion cyclist, this pad is a versatile performer.
Now, we know there remain faithful fans of cork and its smooth, consistent feel. That’s why Zipp is still offering the Tangente High Performance Cork Brake Pad. But we designed the Tangente Platinum to provide that same predictable ride during the many lighter brake touches required to navigate turns or group rides.
Roughly a dozen versions of the pad were tested before the right formulation was found to create the Tangente Platinum. That research included use by the pros.
In many instances, mechanics at top professional cycling teams switch out brake pads: One for rainy days, another for sunny days. Some riders even preferred one type of pad for the front brake and a second for the rear.
The Zipp-sponsored Saxo Bank-SunGard team used the Tangente Platinum Pad through much of the 2011 cycling season, with riders providing valuable feedback to Zipp engineers. By the 2011 Tour de France, the pad was a mainstay on many Saxo Bank-SunGard team bikes.
What’s more, the durable pad has no abrasives that damage the rim. The pad also does not discolor rims.
Service notes:
The Tangente Platinum Pad ($40 for two-pad kit) is designed for use on carbon rims and has not been approved for use on aluminum braking surfaces. It is available for SRAM, Shimano or Campagnolo 2011.
With the introduction of wider rims, we have noticed that there is some special attention required on certain brake setups. The Tangente Platinum pad is roughly 1.2mm wider, relative to the brake caliper arm, than our Tangente Cork pad. In certain applications this may require an adjustment to the spring tension screw on some brakes, which also controls the width that the brake caliper is able to open. If a simple cable adjustment still will not allow fitment of the wider rim inside the brake pads, please refer to your brake manufacturer’s installation manual to determine if the caliper can be opened further. Most have this ability.
