How often should you change brake pads?

chris_bass

Hi

Do brake pads have a life span? or do you just change them when you think they need it?

how often do people generally need to change theirs?

ricardo_smooth

When they run out of pad!

cavegiant

Even then not 100% urgent, you will just start wearing your brake disks down!

I have often burnt half way through the back plate before spotting

Chunkers1980

cavegiant wrote:

Even then not 100% urgent, you will just start wearing your brake disks down!

I have often burnt half way through the back plate before spotting

What on Earth are you on about AGAIN. That's just guff - how could you not have noticed - it makes a horrid noise, gives shocking performance and the spring often gets all twisted up and drags someway.

cavegiant

Have you ever considered the fact that your bike is not identical to everyone else's, therefore there may be a difference in experiences?

I use formula one brakes, the performance is still spot on braking backing plate on disk. The only key indication is when the spring starts hitting the disk, that is audible.

I would still recommend changing as soon as possible as you will wear the disk.

bennett_346

cavegiant wrote:

Have you ever considered the fact that your bike is not identical to everyone else's, therefore there may be a difference in experiences?

I use formula one brakes, the performance is still spot on braking backing plate on disk. The only key indication is when the spring starts hitting the disk, that is audible.

I would still recommend changing as soon as possible as you will wear the disk.

Tbh the indication is when you look at the pads before each ride to see how far worn they are, it takes ten seconds and can save you a lot of bother down the road.

Tom Barton

Normally the occasional inspection (pre ride etc) is sufficient to be safe - take the wheel out and have a little look. If its getting close to the back plate, time to change.

Only once have I killed a pair of pads in a ride and that was a particulary horrible day at a december kona mashup at afan (I think i must have not bedded the pads in well enough either), but i was soon aware of the horrible mettalic squealing/gringing noise coming from my brakes!!

wordnumb

bennett_346 wrote:

Tbh the indication is when you look at the pads before each ride to see how far worn they are, it takes ten seconds and can save you a lot of bother down the road.

This.

Well not every ride, that'd be OCD; but yeah, keep some spares and swap them when necessary.

The Northern Monkey

I check my pads before every ride....

Also check all my bolts are not lose and that my calipers a centered.

njee20

I use formula one brakes, the performance is still spot on braking backing plate on disk. The only key indication is when the spring starts hitting the disk, that is audible.

The spring hits the disc before the backing pad, to be braking on the backing you first have to go right through the spring. If you can do this unaware, I worry about you and suggest you shouldn't be allowed to own a nice bike.

The Rookie

As it's impossible not to look at the pads when fitting the wheel (well disc in between pads bit) it's easy to spot when the pads are getting low!

Simon

cavegiant

"I worry about you and suggest you shouldn't be allowed to own a nice bike."

There is a lot of truth to that.


The spring doesn't always 'ting', I swap as soon as I hear it (or if I spot they are worn). I just get lazy checking as it is months and month and months between swaps. Been a few times that the spring has been ground down completely before I spot.

Not sure what my point was....probably swap the pads when they are completely dead, do not just swap when getting worn as it is not critical when they fail, so do not cut a ride short or throw money away.

Anonymous

Pads worn down to almost nothing -> replace.

End of.

.blitz

What do we consider to be 'almost nothing' ?

I once had some Shimano pads that were probably only 1.5mm to start with and aftermarket pads are not exactly overburdened with friction material :?

Motorcycle pads have a wear indicator - a groove in the pads - but I haven't used any MTB pads like this.

Anonymous

Eyes, look at pads, looks like there's a mm or two left, better replace.

No need for an indicator, you can see where the pad ends and the metal begins.

Northwind

deadkenny wrote:

Pads worn down to almost nothing -> replace.

End of.

Mine in the Hemlock are at almost nothing but that'll last a few rides yet. Got to get every penny out of my £5 Superstar pads Worth replacing early if you've got a big ride or event on though of course.

(remember just because you've taken a set of pads out doesn't mean they have to go in the bin, I've got about 4 sets of worn down spares that can go back in later if I run out.)

pastey_boy

i sell all my old pads to mice. they use them as chopping boards and one mouse found that if she put a candle under a used pad it made a great little hob for cooking tiny ickle mouse meals. not only am i helping the enviroment but im also giving mice a means to prepare hot meals.

cavegiant

=-)