How can you tell road bike brake pads are worn out?

ziggydiggy1 · 06-29-2007, 01:00 AM

When I bought my first set of replacement pads the guy at the bike shop said I had used my pads for far too long. He said there was a obvious visual clue that pads should be replaced. Unfortunately, I can't remember what the clue was.

This second set are getting worn down and braking response has become mushy. I either need to tighten to compensate for reduced pad width or replace the pads but I can't tell which.

In the event things need replacing, I can just by the rubber pads and keep the brake shoes, right? My shoe/pad assembly looks like this:

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/NR-RBS.gif