Damn right - I had a wheel out of true within a week of getting my bike; mind you, I also managed to physically wrench the front gears round because I was putting too much torgue into the pedals (well, the bike was ex-dem too, so not sure how good a job they did getting it together).

I use these brake pads (I think I've got V brakes):

They are still crap in the wet though - as I found out when I got broadsided by a bus on Tuesday!  Luckily neither vehicle nor me was hurt.  I can't get my front brake REALLY tight as the V pulls over to one side - not quite sure why - but there's still enough grip to put all my weight through it, pushing along the floor with the front brake on, for no forward motion of the bike whatsoever