Disc Brake Pads

thefartingcockeral

Hi all,
Just need a little advice. I have a set of Avid Juicy 7's and need to replace the pads.
As far as i know the pads were stock but i cannot be sure of this (bike was bought 2nd hand with little use). I am not sure which type of pads I need. Either organic or sintered.
I ride mainly about 60 miles a week a 50/50 mix of off road Ie Hardpack and mud and road to work ie Tarmac.
What would be better to get.
Also I notice that as well as Avid, Goodridge and Fibrax do repalcement pads. So i am stuck which to by.
As a man I find all these options a problem. Any advice from you good people would be appreciated.
Cheers and have a good day.

nicklouse

sintered for wet and muddy. organic for dry conditions.

take your pick they all work.

thefartingcockeral

Cheers Nick. Is it best to stick with the makers pads or would you recommend one of the others.

Surf-Matt

I HIGHLY recommend Superstar pads - very good and very cheap too!

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/index.ph ... c44ea359a7

Not tried the lightweight ones but I got a 4 pack of the "middle" ones for my Juicy 5s and they are very good indeed.

dav1

I have found the fibrax good so far in my read juicy 5.

a guy on ebay (THEVWMARK i think) does them for a tenner a set.

thefartingcockeral

Cheers fella. I was told about superstar pads afew months ago, but forgot there name.
Will probably buy from them. I know theres not much difference in price, but the Missus will det the ache as we are paying for a wedding as well.
Cheers All

Larok

I use the organic avid pads. They are smooth and quiet.

Sikora

Do organic work as well in the rain and sintered do in the dry? (If that makes any sense)

I have the standard Avid pads in my Juicy 3's (Organic?) Can't say i've noticed a huge drop in performance in the wet. But seeing as its always wet in this country, a set of sintered pads might be better - but obviously only if they're fine in dry conditions too (Don't really fancy swapping between 2 sets depending on the weather)

nicklouse

yes they all work in what ever weather. but as sintered are harder that last longer in the abrasive UK winters. While a set of organics can be worn out in no time.

thefartingcockeral

Nick,
i think you hit the nail on the head with your last comment.

thefartingcockeral

Has anyonew had any problems fitting the alternative brands compared to the generic avid ones?

Surf-Matt

thefartingcockeral wrote:

Has anyonew had any problems fitting the alternative brands compared to the generic avid ones?

This was the first time I changed the pads and it was fine.

Have you still got your manual? Just double check with this.

Important bits are:

Push the brake pads "out" while still in to retract the pistons (the bits that push/squeeze the pads) - they'll sit almost flush with the brake body once pushed out.

Look at the set up of the brake pads and remember it (!) then prize them out with pliers. The "clip" comes out with them - this is a very simple spring clip that holds them in place and makes them retract.

Insert both pads into the new spring clip as before - then push this into place - it will click quite positively once in.

Tune the brakes as usual using the "tri-align" allen key bolts.

Do it once and you're sorted - it's easy. Just DON'T squeeze the brake lever with the wheel off - the pads stay "on" and is quite hard to prize open.

BenS999

Hi,

I fitted some of the Superstar pads a few weeks ago to my Juicy 3's, very straight forward and work just as well as the originals - but MUCH cheaper, bonus!

I went to the SRAM site and downloaded instructions for changing the pads, find them them here: http://www.sram.com/en/service/avid/vie ... subcatID=1

Once you have done it once its very easy and straight forward and you will be able to bin the instructions

Once you have fitted the new pads find a section (downhill works well) and brake fairly hard a few times just to bed them in, takes no time at all

forgotrafe

I've got some ceramic 3x life ones from http://www.discobrakes.com/

Can't offer any advice though as they've not made it onto the bike yet!

thefartingcockeral

cheers all

dav1

The fibrax pads are a very tight fit so can be a bit fiddly but its well worth it.

gtr mart

I fittted EBC green pads a while back and started using them in anger straightaway. They never really bedded in that well or felt that good, but that could be becuase I didnt bed them in correctly.

I then tried disco pads which were very cheap and were fine on the road for general use. Thats all I will say about them

I have now bought a 4 pack of sintered superstars and will be using them in anger at the beginning of august. I will make sure they are bedded in before I go, so there will be no excuses. If these don't work well then I will just have to stump up for the original avids - which are horribly over priced!

I will post up my findings!

bells0

Whats the best way to bed in new pads?

my brakes are knackered at the mo. High pitched squeel and no power at all - guessin i have got some lube on them. Paid £25 to have them bled and still crap, so am gonna change the pads myself rather than spend more cash i dont have. The LBS should really have advised this in the 1st place!

gtr mart

it depends on who you ask.

Some say give them a real hard continual blast
some say as above but then throw cold water on them (which just makes me think it will make the pads / disk brittle)
alternatively others just ride up and down the street doing some hard stops over and ver and swear by this approach

I am going to try gradually heat cycling them - so doing bigger and longer stops over a ride or two and see how that goes. The EBC's I had I did a bad job with. I replaced mid ride in the lakes so the first decent use of the brakes had them smoking and as mentioned they never really felt as though they bedded in.

CustomReign

I have been using the Superstar Pads for about a year mailny due to the value. However, one two occasions, the resin pad actually came off the pad body leaving me without a rear brake. I thought this was an issue with the quality, but also had it happen to a Hayes pad on the Stumpy. Maybe I'm just too fat. That's the only issue as the stopping power is reasonably good and certainly no better or worse than the competition. Great value.

I heard the Superstar wheels are pretty good for the price too.

gtr mart

ok, I tried out the superstars.

I thought I would bed them in before I actually went away and went out one lunch time. it didnt go well, I got bitten by a dog and later fell off - but thats hardly the brakes fault!

The packaging on the superstar brakes said to get them gradually hotter over say 20 stops and then pour water on them to make them sizzle. I am unsure if this is to confirm you got them hot enough or to work harden them or something? Anyway, I didnt do this but did gradually work them up to temp and let them cool gradually.

First impressions - Not sure. Deffo better experiance with these over the EBC and Disco pads but still not entirely sure they would be better than the OE Avid pads.

Now I dont know if this is becuase I have rose tinted glasses about the avids - or if its becuase I am comparing sintered with organic pads?

The defining moment for me, was when I came round a downhill corner - possibly a bit too quick - only to find a shut gate and 3 of my buddies stuck infront of it. I scrubbed as much speed off as poss but ended up going into thr wall and there was some claret coming out of my arm and leg.

The other guy behind stopped ok but he did have bigger rotars and isnt as heavy as me (poss 4 stone in it). So - it could be becuase I was going too quick and am heavy but I feell it should have been possible to stop in a shorter space.

I will hold judgement for the time being. I might try optimising the ergonomics of my brake levers - putting new grips on (as mine are knackered which doesnt help grip) and maybe try the heating up and pouring water onto the roters and see if this helps


if it doesnt maybe I will try replacingthe fluid as it may have boiled

then try putting a new set in and doing the recomended running in process with the water and if I am still unhappy try some OE Avids to see the comparison. It may just be my weight / rotar size arent ideal.

For non hardcore stuff I would recomend them. For long duration hardcore downhill stuff they certainly dont fade - but I will wait before giving my full recomendation.

CustomReign

Hi,

I have noticed on the Superstar Components web site that a lot of reviewers have had issues with the pad breaking off the backing plate. Superstar claim they have binned the faulty batch, but I have had the issue with pads bought over a 7 month period. I'd like to continue using the pads for the cost benefit, but would like a bit of safety also. Anyone else had this problem?

In addition, I have done a brake bleed on the Avid 7's - first in 15 months - and the difference is amazing. Pretty easy too.

zeroseven

Sorry to butt in on the thread but....

I've a terrible problem with dragging rear pads on my 06 Stumpjumper. The originals dragged a little but since replacing them (with stock) the problem has got worse. The disk has been on a sheet of glass and checked for warp, the pads removed and the spring fitment checked. I noted the steps above and went through them (a little vague on the alignment bit as they seem way too tight both sides)

Still dragging

Its like I need to back the lever pressure point back..... but cant obviously

Any idiots guides / advice?

Thanks

Rich Hcp

Top thread!

ratty2k

zeroseven wrote:

Sorry to butt in on the thread but....

I've a terrible problem with dragging rear pads on my 06 Stumpjumper. The originals dragged a little but since replacing them (with stock) the problem has got worse. The disk has been on a sheet of glass and checked for warp, the pads removed and the spring fitment checked. I noted the steps above and went through them (a little vague on the alignment bit as they seem way too tight both sides)

Still dragging

Its like I need to back the lever pressure point back..... but cant obviously

Any idiots guides / advice?

Thanks

Could be just the pistons need pushing back into the caliper. The seals can take a set on the pistons and stop them retracting, use your old pads and put a flat bladed screwdriver between the brake surfaces and force the pistons back. Hope that helps, but some rubbing is almost inevitable.
I know of people who hate the Superstar pads, but where we do the most of out riding and with the fantastic summer weather pads dont last much more than one ride regardless... 2 front pads and a rear set were destroyed on Monday inthe Peak district- you can here money grinding away up there! :shock:

zeroseven

I'll try it cheers. rubbing I dont mind, but it stops the wheel even doing one rotation. Its unrideable

ride_whenever

Couldn't you bleed the system, it could be a little overful (assuming a closed system)

stumpyjon

I've used superstaer pads on my Juicy 7s, onto my third set now, worn two down and wrecked a set with Fox float fluid.

I don't think they are as good as the original Juicy pads, they seem slightly thicker, I've had one 'chip' and I'm not sure they last as long (although it's difficult to tell as riding conditions vary). Sidewinder on the Penhydd trail at Afan completely ate my rear pads last week, but then again it was very wet and it's very sandy.

That all said I will continue to use the Superstar pads as although I think the Avid pads are better, they aren't anywhere near 3 times better and the Superstar pads do work (and if you contaminate them like I did there is way less compulsion to try and recover them when they only cost £ 5 a pair in the first place).

impished

Well I just order a 4 pack of sintered pads for Juicy 5's from Superstar.
Does seem a bit of a bargain at £25, but you never know, eh :?

I'm off to Afan next week, so I'll report back (hopefully ) and let you all know how they perform!!!! :shock:

zeroseven

There was a little lump in the brake casting stopping the spring pushing the pad back away from the disk. It was tiny but seems to have curewd the problem.

Now if I could just get some bite )