One question we are often asked regarding our full carbon clinchers is about braking performance. As with all carbon wheels, the heat generated while braking during long and steep descents has always been a challenge for the resin and carbon engineers designing the wheels. One way of addressing this issue is by manufacturing rims using a High-Temp Resin and heat curing at higher temperatures. This significantly helps the rim cope with higher temperature thresholds when braking. On a long descent, braking temperatures can reach 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees F). Resins not designed for high heat will reach their Tg (Tg is the temperature at which the epoxy resin begins to deteriorate ) point well below 150 degrees Celsius, resulting in rim failure. Some of the major brands are only using resins heat cured at temperatures of 150°C (300°F) to 160°C (325°F) with Lightweight using resins cured at 175°C (350°F). Obviously, the higher the curing temperature the better. 
 
Corecarbon's view has been to focus on High-Temp Resins with better heat curing processes to produce rims with a greater heat threshold. So with this in mind, Corecarbon rims are manufactured using High-Temp Resins pre-impregnated into the carbon fibre, then heat cured at 180°C (356°F). In fact the whole rim is cured at this temperature so it’s not just the braking surface that benefits; performance is enhanced throughout, resulting in a more durable rim. 
 
Brake pads also play a major role in reducing heat build up. Corecarbon ‘carbon specific’ brake pads supplied with our rims have also been developed with high temperature thresholds by using ceramic fibre compounds. Ceramic fibre is also a high temperature insulator that will lower temperatures when high load braking. They are specifically designed to complement our rims and we advise you to only use Corecarbon carbon specific brake pads for best braking performance.

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