Which brake pads for my mountain bike?

redrabbit

I have a 2009 Trek 6500 mountain bike, specs are here:
https://archive.trekbikes.com/ca/en/2009/trek/6500#/ca/en/2009/trek/6500/details

I was riding today and the front brake sounds horrific. It clearly needs the pads changing

I've no idea what to get. Can anyone link to wiggle and recommend/advise which ones will fit and which are good?

I don't ride any extreme routes, just gravel tracks and muddy lanes usually

Thanks

reaperactual

Your pads are possibly contaminated or basically worn down to nothing so worth having a look to investigate what the reason for the noise is first.

I guess your rotors are :edit: marked for use with 'resin only' pads so you're better off replacing with resin (organic) pads:-

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-shimano-deore-m515-m525-tektro-disc-pads

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-b01s-resin-disc-brake-pads

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113388863525

These options will work or any B01S pads will be compatible. I've bought a few sets off the seller on the ebay link and has always been delivered fast, or even the next day.

redrabbit

reaperactual said:

Your pads are possibly contaminated or basically worn down to nothing so worth having a look to investigate what the reason for the noise is first.

I guess your rotors are resin only so you're better off replacing with resin (organic) pads:-

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-shimano-deore-m515-m525-tektro-disc-pads

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-b01s-resin-disc-brake-pads

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113388863525

These options will work or any B01S pads will be compatible. I've bought a few sets off the seller on the ebay link and has always been delivered fast, or even the next day.

Thanks reaperactual. I think they are contaminated - I watched a YouTube video and they sound similar to the one on there - extremely loud. Also the front break is now soft and doesn't catch much, also sounds a bit crunchy.

They've not been changed for about 3 years - I don't use the bike every week but enough, so they're definitely due a replacement.

thanks for the links. I will try removing tomorrow and see what shape they are and investigate further

reaperactual

No problem @redrabbit.👍 If they're contaminated and feeling soft/spongy too I'd suggest maybe theres a leak from the piston seals or hose connection at caliper?

Whatever it is that combination of issues doesn't sound good or safe 😬 so the top priority is to find the route cause.

brundonbianchi

It depends on the sorts of riding you do. The noise is more than likely due to contamination, if you have organic ( resin ) pads, they work well when cold, but tend to fade quite badly if you are putting a lot of heat into them. Metallic pads don’t work brilliantly when cold, but do work better than resins when you put heat into them. I tend to use semi metallic pads, as you get the best of both worlds, and unless you’re racing, or just bimbling about, will be a good choice.

rafletcher

reaperactual said:

I guess your rotors are resin only so you're better off replacing with resin (organic) pads:-

What bollocks. The discs will be the same as all discs - stainless steel. The rest is marketing censored . It’s the pad material that changes.

reaperactual

rafletcher said:

reaperactual said:

I guess your rotors are resin only so you're better off replacing with resin (organic) pads:-

What bollocks. The discs will be the same as all discs - stainless steel. The rest is marketing censored . It’s the pad material that changes.

Anything below RT56 rotors are resin only, says it right there on the rotor. RT66 and above are made of toughened heat treated steel. It wasn't b#llocks when I wore out a 'resin only' rotor in 6 months using sintered pads.

You do you and ignore if you think it's 'maketing censored' and save a couple of quid on your rotor budget.

I'll stick with my own opinion based on an actual real life experience but thanks for the heads up and the attempt to re-educate me @ratletcher.

ed1973

I think the confusion has come when reaperactual said resin rotors, (RT56 and RT66 are both made of metal) what he means is the rotor can only use resin pads, he is quite right it will state that on the rotor.
I hope this has cleared this up.

reaperactual

I said rotors are resin only and maybe wrongly assumed the OP had the common sense to know that rotors are made of metal and not resin.

My apologies for any confusion and bewilderment caused to @ratletcher. Rotors are made of either hardened heat treated stainless steel or softer non heat treated stainless steel. I shall edit as not to cause any more misunderstanding.

Thanks for pointing this error out and clearing things up @ed1973 I appreciate it Buddy. 😎👍