Temperamental Brake Pads

trail jacker
trail jacker Posts: 844
edited October 2011 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi Everyone,

I'm running a Deore m535 (i think) front brake and an xt rear brake with superstar organic pads. The pads have about 50% life left but recently I have noticed a ridiculous lack of power. The pads will work fine on a ride, then after the bike is left static for a while the pads feel like they are made of glass and have no grip - I have really been struggling to stop at times.

Anyone have any suggestions why the sudden performance dip may have occurred?

Thanks.
Carbon 456... http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/8854609/

Comments

  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    So they work fine when in use but after a layup they stop? When they go wrong, what do you do to get them working again?

    I'd suspect contamination... Leakage from a seal maybe or maybe picking up something from where it's stored (spray lubes?)
    Uncompromising extremist
  • trail jacker
    trail jacker Posts: 844
    Well its stored in the hallway of my uni house, so I dont think contamination is what causing it.

    Usually it takes a good session of hard braking to get them feeling grippy again.

    Could it be the composition of the pads? Maybe a bad batch? I have used SS Organics for a couple of years now and never had this problem before...
    Carbon 456... http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/8854609/
  • Gibbo3771
    Gibbo3771 Posts: 145
    Try rubbing them before ride with a 220 sandpaper pad? Not really knowledgeable yet, still learning but smooth surfaces don't work well together if your looking to create friction, obviously lol. So maybe a glaze is building up overnight from something that is soaked into the pad
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    trail jacker wrote:
    Usually it takes a good session of hard braking to get them feeling grippy again.

    Could it be the composition of the pads? Maybe a bad batch? I have used SS Organics for a couple of years now and never had this problem before...

    If it was a construction issue, it ought to be constant... But since riding fixes it and not riding breaks it, that seems fairly unlikely to me.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • trail jacker
    trail jacker Posts: 844
    Yeah, maybe they just need a bit of heat to work effectively. Strange though, its the first set I have had that act this way.

    Cheers for the answers anyway, I have a spare set of organics so I will try them out and see whats what.
    Carbon 456... http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/8854609/
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Say, midride, you stop for a while- do they still work effectively after the break (rules out heat if they do).

    You're right enough, change the pads anyway, it's always good for diagnosis if nothing else.
    Uncompromising extremist

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