What pads

toastedone

I want to order some new pads for my Avid Elixir 5, whats my best option

Thanks

blister pus

What compound do you want to use; sintered, organic, kevlar?

toastedone

Sounds like your thinking superstar, i heard the organics wear alot quicker than the sintered and the sintered are will wear the rotor out quicker. I do general xc riding in the wet manchester area

blister pus

Organics are the softest compound with the nicest feel but will wear quickly, great in certain conditions but not Manchester / Peak district. Kevlar sit in between organic and sintered and are a half way house, but still more suited to to drier conditions from my experience, they last longer than organics. Sintered are hard, last the longest, ideal for wet and grit and there's no point using anything else in the Peak district (where I live).

They can also be rougher than a bears ass when you get a bad pair, the sound they can make can be unbearable. If you bed them in properly they won't damage a rotor. Make sure the rotor is suitable for hard pads before you buy. Shimano have a label on some rotors specifically telling you they are only suited to certain soft pads.

Superstar (along with Disco brakes) are the best value and probably the most commonly used, but the sintered pads can squeal to an unacceptable level sometimes. To a point where I had to change to EBC for the last set. The sintered, when they work, they're worth the saving over the others. When they don't work your ears will hurt and you'll be looking to pay more.

cooldad

SS kevlar are excellent.
Ignore the stickers on Shimano rotors. They are stainless steel, like all other rotors, and don't wear any quicker.

blister pus

They do but the problem is more grip and squeal using the harder pad.

cooldad wrote:

They are stainless steel, like all other rotors

and a different composition that doesn't deal with the heat generated by sinetered pads very well at all.

I found out the hard way when i was being a tight arse buying the sale rotors at on-one one year. I remember overshooting a regular road stop by 15 feet and then doing homework when I got back home

cooldad

If you insist. I've used all three compounds on Shimano rotors and IMHO the rotors make no difference.

blister pus

you don't ride hard enough or fast enough to know any different.

cooldad

Obviously I am not as heroic as you.
But as a matter of interest, could you explain the technical difference between the alloys used in Shimano and other rotors.

blister pus

Not unless Shimano are prepared to give exact details over no. But you can check with John Stevenson of BikeRadar who spoke with Shimano to confirm it. Link

cooldad

This:

John Stevenson wrote:

Craig

According to Tim at Shimano Australia, some Shimano disc rotors do use a steel composition that is adversely affected by sintered pads.

"It can chew 'em up," is what he tells me.

Probably best, therefore, to stick with the resin pads, or upgrade your rotors.

OK but in three years of Shimano rotors and SS sintered pads, noy only are my rotors not chewed up, they don't even show any signs of wear.
Obviously I either don't ride hard enough, or excessive braking is for pussies.

blister pus

I live in the hills, I have to use brakes and rely on them, that's why i know what I know and those rotors at 30+ mph down a hill do not stop you and are dangerous. Upgrade to SLX rotors where it doesn't matter, or something else, and you have no problem braking on a dime down the same hill.

toastedone

I ordered organics

Neal_

I like organics but wore out both front and rear nearly new pads in one 3 hour ride at a wet and gritty Rivington, sintered are the only pads for those conditions.