So I was wondering at what point y’all change your brake pads.

Avid Elixir pads, so they have the metal spring clip thing that goes on the inside of the pads to hold them apart.

I change them when this metal spring is in danger of becoming part of the braking surface.

But looking at the amount of braking material left, vs amount used, it’s a huge amount left over. Theoretically loads of life left, if it weren’t for the spring thing.

I’m a naturalised Yorkshireman, so this represents a waste of money to me… 🙂

Metal on metal + 2 rides.

doesnt the spring come with the pads?
so use it till the spring is no longer a spring.

i tend to change pads if they are getting thin, before a weekend away riding, sticking the part worns in my bag for an emergency and giving chance to bed in new pads in a controlled environment.

Change them quite frequently usually way before they are worn out

imo fresh brake pads are one of life’s simple pleasures along with tyres, chains, sprockets, cassettes, BBs etc

Erm, usually when the pad wears so much that the disc starts catching on the springy thing… 😳

Change when the spring has partially worn away and starts making a clicking sound on the rotor.

Or if you make the mistake of buying 4 sets of supertar pads then change them during during the first ride when the pad material falls off the backing plate.

Just after the piston punches through the pad backing plate and becomes the braking surface, and even then.. 😉

I’ll usually wait until the spring is hitting the rotor but often replace before this if I’m paying attention and preparing for a longer ride. I’d rather waste a sliver of brake pad than have to change them during a ride.

Depends what I’m doing- if I’ve got a long or really abrasive day, I’ll change earlier. But usually I run them til there’s basically no friction material left. Sometimes a bit longer 😉

@Northwind – does this not leave mangled metal spring bits in brakes?

I think I change them too early because I don’t want to get to the point of the spring being mangled, but I suspect that I am not getting my money’s worth, as it were.

I also wish there was a way of recycling the metal backing into new pads, but I guess it wouldn’t be viable.

The spring provides a good enough wear indicator for me. You usually hear it making contact before it eventually gets ingested, and starts making clicky noises. However those usually stop after a couple more descents, at which point I’ll consider finding a new pair of pads.

It should probably be noted I subscribe to the ‘run it till it doesn’t work’ school of bike maintenance, then think about fixing it.

With Avid pads I used to change earlier than when fully worn as I found it helped prevent the Avid Piston Problem. Then I gave up with Avid brakes