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Which brake pads?

markfogelmarkfogel Posts: 29
edited March 2016 in MTB buying advice
I recently ruined by brake by flying downhill with worn out pads, by the time I was at the bottom I had a seized piston and damaged rotor. I ordered a replacement Avid DB3 (same as the original) and it came with soft resin pads which only lasted half a day at Bike Park Wales. I had sintered Aztec pads previously which lasted longer but were a bit noisy and had much less feedback or feel.
Just wondering what you guys use/recommend?

Thanks,
Mark

Posts

  • PoitrPoitr Posts: 35
    I buy the cheapest semi-metallic pads I can find on Ebay. So far they have been as good as anything else I've used. The ones I currently have in the back were 2 pair for £2.50 from China.
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I use Superstar, Uberbike or Nukeproof sintered pads. Which ever is cheapest.
    Kevlar pads are hopeless. I have killed a set in an hour at Val D'isare.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    I use Superstar, Uberbike or Nukeproof sintered pads. Which ever is cheapest.
    Kevlar pads are hopeless. I have killed a set in an hour at Val D'isare.

    stop draging the brakes then :P
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I don't! There's a lot of heavy braking in Val Black, 45mph straights in to tight turns.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • bigmitch41bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    Uberbike finned for me at the moment
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Finned are a bit pointless for UK riding. You never get descents long enough for heat to be a problem.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • swod1swod1 Posts: 1,639
    Überbike semi metallic, I'm using at the moment, not a fan of full metal pads after using sintered pads for a year in my xt brakes I didn't like the brake feel in the wet.

    Going to try the race matrix pads at some point, must be decent if the syndicate team use them.
  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Finned are a bit pointless for UK riding. You never get descents long enough for heat to be a problem.


    you're pointless
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    POAH wrote:
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Finned are a bit pointless for UK riding. You never get descents long enough for heat to be a problem.


    you're pointless

    Now there's a well reasoned argument against my point.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    Much as I hate to agree with RMSC, I agree with RMSC, part from a few downhill courses we don't get anything like the descent that risks overheating a pad such that you need finned in the UK.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    The longest descent I have found in the UK was 4km in the Howgill Fells but that didn't have much gradient so required little braking. Fort Bill world cup track doesn't even overheat standard pads.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • FishFishFishFish Posts: 2,152
    OK but you do set up your bike in the UK for what you intend to do and I go to Tenerife from time to time which means I have brakes and pads set up to a standard beyond what I'd need in the UK. I don't have the ballls for the Fort William series downhill (or even some of the pubs!). And no one is pointless on this forum.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • FishFishFishFish Posts: 2,152
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    POAH wrote:
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Finned are a bit pointless for UK riding. You never get descents long enough for heat to be a problem.


    you're pointless

    Now there's a well reasoned argument against my point.

    Actually it is not a well reasoned argument it is the emanation of a bell head.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • bigmitch41bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    Finned are a bit pointless for UK riding. You never get descents long enough for heat to be a problem.

    They work for me, just stick with the standard pads mate.
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • step83step83 Posts: 4,170
    Went back to sintered after using superstar kevlar, initial bite was good but seems once you get them wet they just become hopeless.
    Titanium Px Spitfire
    Easty commuter
    Tripster AT
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Step83 wrote:
    Went back to sintered after using superstar kevlar, initial bite was good but seems once you get them wet they just become hopeless.

    Never noticed that
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • markfogelmarkfogel Posts: 29
    One more question, does the design of the rotor affect pad wear? for example a rotor with small holes vs a rotor with big holes? Just wondering if the first example below would cause excessive pad wear due the big sharp edges...

    http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Aztec-Stainless ... AuOa8P8HAQ

    vs

    http://www.woollyhatshop.com/shimano-rt ... AjXW8P8HAQ


    I am going to order metal and race matrix from Uber as these seem to be best priced at the moment as will be going back to Bike Park Wales this Sunday.


    Thanks!
  • petriodetpetriodet Posts: 44
    i've try the sintered and the kevlar and both fell below my expectations, the sintered felt hard and i didn't like the feel and the kevlar had great feel and stopping power but didn't last long, i'm on the race compound at the moment and seem to be holding up great at the moment, the only thing is they seemed to take a long time to bed in.
  • FishFishFishFish Posts: 2,152
    when I install new pads I file them to make the surface rough to assist bedding in. I think it helps - anyone else do this?
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    No, the bedding in process is the surface of the pads wearing to match the grooves in the disc. Filing won't help that.
    I quite often fit new pads before a downhill race. It never takes more than one run to bed them in.
    You need heavy braking to bed in pads, not sustained gentle braking.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    Agreed, the correct way to bed in brakes is short sharp hard applications, you don't want to get the pad too hot during bedding in which dragging the brakes is almost guaranteed to do, fresh pads glaze very easily.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    I just fit them and ride.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    You don't ride fast enough to drag your pads (you'd come to a complete stop), so it would certainly work for you!

    For info the Shimano procedure is 20 stops in relatively quick succession from a comfortably fast pace.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Chunkers1980Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    ......in a safe environment
  • mattyfezmattyfez Posts: 638
    Yeh similar to car brake bedding.. Get some temperature in them by riding normaly and braking more than nessesary (probably not relevant on a bike, but on a car if you do an emergency stop on a disk/pad that's been sat overnight and is - 1c, you can thermally shock the metal leading to failure due to the rapid change in temperature) and then do a series of 'emergency stops' from fairly quick to almost a standstill, get back up to speed, rinse and repeat.
  • mark_fogelmark_fogel Posts: 158
    FishFish wrote:
    when I install new pads I file them to make the surface rough to assist bedding in. I think it helps - anyone else do this?

    I just put them in and do a few hard stops usually that's enough for me. Just installed aztec sintered pads on 180mm rotor.. Oh the noise.... Never heard so much squeal from anything before.. Not really sure if it's the pads or the rotor!
  • swod1swod1 Posts: 1,639
    mark_fogel wrote:

    I just put them in and do a few hard stops usually that's enough for me. Just installed aztec sintered pads on 180mm rotor.. Oh the noise.... Never heard so much squeal from anything before.. Not really sure if it's the pads or the rotor!

    Must have been something on the disc as normally get noise on metal pads in the wet, in the dry you can just hear the abrasive sound metal on metal.

    One time a mate put new pads in and must not have reset the Pistons as when the wheel spun sounded like he had a voilin on his bike.
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    My brakes sounded like a rutting moose this morning until they bedded in.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    When I had Avids and a lightweight disc with metal pads they would scream like a Banshee on every minor application of brakes (so everyone knew when I was being a cissy!), It was clearly a resonance as it never changed pitch, I don't think the lack of stiffness in the silly CPS mounting helped, switching out to organic pads made it a lot better, fixed when I swapped to A shimano IS mount calliper which is mounted much more stiffly.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
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