Enhancing brake force with steel rims in wet conditions? I currently own an old racing bike, that still has ripped steel rims and a side pull caliper brake. The braking power is acceptable when the street is dry, but as soon as it gets wet (even morning dew) it is getting harder and harder to stop. On the first time stopping, the brakes might even need up to 3 seconds until I feel something, and I have to pull the handles quite hard.
This was not a problem in summer, but since the weather is rainy most of the time now, I have to find a solution.

The whole Bike cost me 50€, so buying new brakes or rims might not be in the budget. I heard about cork brake pads, that might provide better stopping power when wet, but only found very expensive ones. So if there is another solution, that I missed now, please let me know!

Else I will have to ride one of my more expensive Bikes in the winter and have the risk of them getting stolen.
Here you go:



these are leather face brake blocks and they will work ten times better in the wet than any Johnny-come-lately Kool-Stop efforts on your steel rims. Pay no more than £3 a set, plus they last forever, and better when wet than when dry. What more could you want?