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OK, I'd like to avoid all the usual brake pad controversy, but was wondering if anyone had tried disco brake pads [I did a search, but there doesn't seem to be many reviews out there]. If so, how have you found the performance and would you recommend them? They certainly appear cheap, and they also have a number of different types of pad available too so was thinking of giving them a go. Any user opinions?
used them for a week, they wore down to backing plate after 2 wet rides, power was ok though!
Were they just the regular ones? Doesn't seem like a great endorsement for starters in any case.
All mine shed their braking surfaces quite quickly, and in the end I got a full refund
Same here - used the regular pads in the wet, lasted 2 rides.
Regulars in the dry - fine.
Go [b]sintered[/b] (always worth the extra cash IME).
(they did have the "pad falling off the back plate" batch around the same time as Superstar, but that's been sorted.)
Cheers simon and Dez. I'm almost afraid to imagine what would happen if I had asked a superstar v's disco type question.
Currently using 4 sets of sintered that were bedded in correctly - lasting well so far in a lot of wet riding, plenty of power but bit of a squeler in the wet (07 and 08 XT)
Hmmm... seems like it's a question of being willing to take a gamble on the sintered sets. No overwhelmingly positive responses so far though.
Fitted a set to my Hope mini's & have worn down remarkably quickly
compared to O.E.Hope sets
will not purchase again (lesson learnt)
t/g
Truth is, if I'm buying budget, I'll buy SS or Disco sintered (eg for spare bike). They're ok, they work.
If I want longer lasting pads with a bit better perfomance (eg. for Alps trip) I'll buy Goodridge sintered, or similar.
You do get what you pay for.
Mmm, I agree in a way Dez, but these are for an only bike which I also commute on. I should probably just buy some aftermarket ones and some goodridge/magura ones and figure out how much it works out at once I see how long they last, then use whichever comes out best in the future.
just running some now - took them out around pines last week in the dry and they seemed fine. I'll let you know of any problems from my rides this week
cheers pook. be interested to see what happens.
Been using them for a couple of months with no problems in my Avid Juicey 3s. No problems so far but it seems it never rains in Southampton so not tried them in the wet.
Seems there might be a gap in the market for brake pads priced in between the 'so eniticingly cheap that you can't resist even though they cause controversy' and the 'you could get a quarter-of-a brake for that'. Still if I do try out the disco ones (not really sure I want to gamble on them), I'll put a post on here in a couple of weeks to say how they are fairing incase anyone looks.
One set of disco medium compounds lasted 30 miles of the HONC on their own as my rear brake blew up.
With just one (front) brake they stopped me well and there is still plenty of wear in them.
I've switched to disco sintered as it's my preferred compound unfortunately they didn't have any in stock on my previous order.
Medium compound squeals a bit in the dry and like a banshee in the wet, sintered is fine in the dry but squeals in the wet.
HTH
Been using them on the commuter, hardtail and full sus since Jan time. All medium compound with a mixture of avid J5's, old hope minis and M4s and latest XT. I have had no problems with premature wear. Very happy bunny.
its all percieved value, ive used the lot and they all work the same. Ive had hope and fibrax pads fall apart as well as Disco and superstar. I had a pair of superstar code sintereds which had the clarks brand logo on the back of them, so if you want to pay more just go buy them from clarks if it makes you feel happier.
Obviously a packing mistake in the factory!