Carbon brake pads are special rim-brake pad inserts formulated to be compatible with carbon fibre wheel rims (or rims with carbon braking surfaces). They differ from regular pads (for alloy rims) in compound so that:

• they don’t overheat or glaze as quickly,

• they provide good stopping power even when rims are hotter,

• they reduce wear on the carbon braking surface, and

• they manage noise better (carbon rims + wrong pads = squealing).