Which brake pads ??

warrerj

All aftermarket pads claim to be "the best" but which are good and which are not?

I'm after some new pads for mine and Mrs.Me's bikes - Formula K24 and Stroker Trail's. I've always just picked up whatever they reccomended in the LBS I was in when my old pads were on their way out for my old hayes mechanicals and never really had any bad pads. But then the brakes although they've done me well are not the best performing in the world so i may have not really noticed the difference.

Now it's time to get some new pads and keep the part worn pads in the bag as spares incase I ever need them while I'm out.

Any thoughts or recommendations gratefully received

dave_hill

I've found EBC and Goodridge to be the best. Fibrax I've found to be about as much help in stopping as opening your mouth and using it as an air brake...

Go for sintered metal pads if you can afford it rather than organic, they give better performance in a wider range of conditions.

Anonymous

however, sintered pads WILL heat up very very quickly if you do any long descents - it doesn't have to be alpine, there's enough places in Sndowdonia that will destroy your brakes.
The issue is exaggerated if you're constantly dragging your brakes down big descents, so going slowly doesn't really help.

However, if your riding mostly consists of fairly level trails, then you should be fine.
But do bear in mind that....

Sintered pads are not recommended for brakes that did not have them installed originally.
(in my experience) cable brakes have some pretty serious problems when they're overheating.
riding slowly down big hills makes it worse.

Surf-Matt

Superstar are very good and very cheap.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/index.ph ... 35d5a4dfa2

They are direct only - I have some (four sets in fact!) and they work a treat.

dave_hill

yeehaamcgee wrote:

However, if your riding mostly consists of fairly level trails, then you should be fine.

Or braking properly and NOT dragging your brakes... :roll:

Anonymous

dave_hill wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

However, if your riding mostly consists of fairly level trails, then you should be fine.

Or braking properly and NOT dragging your brakes... :roll:

mostly true, but I could show you several sections of trail round here, that you have to use your brakes to control your speed.
Think very tight switchbacks on near-vertical mountainsides, where the penalty for overshooting a corner is a fall to your death. You don't really have a choice except dragging.
The other scenario that can cook brakes is coming from a very high speed, down to near walking pace, whilst still on extremely steep terrain.

so, dragging your brakes is bad, yes, but sometimes unavoidable.

warrerj

yeehaamcgee wrote:

cable brakes have some pretty serious problems when they're overheating.
riding slowly down big hills makes it worse.

Yeah seen what happens to them in the Alps. :?

My K24's come with semi-metalic pads but they offer sintered as an option. I'm arond 15st and riding 180 F & R mainly around South Wales but do travel around for weekends away. Do you think sintered pads wold overheat ???

Anonymous

I've not done much riding in south Wales, but here in Snowdonia, there's brake-cooking descents pretty much anywhere you look.
In fact, I've had more brake cooking moments here than I did in Les Gets, probably because over in the alps, they've got "groomed" (if you will) trails, that are designed to be ridden fast, whereas over here, you're riding along terrain that was never intended for MTB use when the glaciers formed it!

for reference, I'm 14.5 stone, and run 203mm front, 160mm rear rotors, my bike is fairly heavy for an all-day rig, and I tend to push really hard.
Trail centres have never, ever presented any kind of brake problems, it's the back-country wilderness I'm referring to here.

warrerj

Cheers guys !!

I'm thinking the Superstars look like they're worth a punt.

I'm also thinking the 180mm rear rota is a bit much and thinking of dropping down to 160mm. My current forks won't take a 203mm but when the 2009 forks come out I'll be upgradeing forks and front rota

Anonymous

what are the front forks?

warrerj

RS Reba

Anonymous

Hmm, I was going to suggest that maybe you could use a 203mm disc anyway, but maybe not.
Nevermind, 180mm discs still offer huge amounts of power.

Yeti575

Give the Superstar ones a go, UI think I paid £22 or so for four sets. They were naff so I complained and was told they were from a bad batch. I got four free sets and they were exscellent. They are never going to be as good as the branded ones but are a lot better value all the same.

stumpyjon

^^ I think that's a fair comment, I've got avid superstar pads, don't seem quite as good as the originals but at £6 per pair vs £15 they are way better value. Best thing is if you buy them in packs of 4 pairs they're cheaper and you can mix pad types in the pack, e.g. 2 pairs Avids and 2 pairs XT.

BlackSpur

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Hmm, I was going to suggest that maybe you could use a 203mm disc anyway, but maybe not.
Nevermind, 180mm discs still offer huge amounts of power.

Rebas can take up to a 210mm rotor if desired.

Anonymous

ah, fair enough then. I kind of guessed they wouldn't, being an XC-ish fork.