Rim brakes are so called because braking force is applied by friction pads to the rim of the wheel, thus slowing it and the bicycle. Brake pads can be made of leather or rubber and are usually mounted in metal "shoes". Road brake callipers have been redesigned over the years and now use a system called 'dual pivot'. What this means is the brake arms pivot off centre to apply a higher amount of pressure on the rim to increase your stopping power.
