Since I was looking for brake pads which hold for some time slightly longer than the original Shimano brake pads, I opted for the XLCs. Even after growing these chat with dry rim. This I pushed that the upper surface was so smooth. But that I was wrong, even after about 1000 km, no improvement. After grinding the top layer, I can now say that this is just too hard for my aluminum rim. It looked downright small aluminum chips that bored into the rubber, and small micro-holes in the rim. After I then still small recesses have incorporated on the pads with arrows XLCs course the braking power is no longer squeak, which very subsides! Will you now go down yet and still others attach.