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Firstly, I've frequently wondered how brakes come so 'sharp' out of the box...Are there hundreds of Chinamen squeeling newly built brakes down steep hills outside the Shimano factory...?!
Anyway - I've never really 'bedded in' brakes as such. Normally popped them in and got going. never had much trouble.
However, after contaminating the pads on my new XTs, I swapped them for Superstar sintered - pads i've normally been fine with, but these were naff!
Done a few rides, never really got them up to 'heat', and they still felt contaminated.
Did a ride yesterday eve near Arundel and there were useless all the way round. The final 50m of the ride was down Arundel high street - a rather steep hill.
Pleasantly, after going at it hammer and tongs down the hill, and with 3 firm grasps of the lever, my brakes went from "[i]so you want to stop, well, let me check my diary and see if I can fit you in..[/i]", to "[i]getting off here sir? as you wish[/i]!"
I was so close to binning another set of pads, but a steep hill in a post end of the country has saved me a fiver......
DrP
I've never really bedded them in either (always thought that was a bit of a myth) - interesting. I may give it a try and see if I get the same result.
Really does work, takes me about 5 minutes, three pedals down a short hill, maybe 12 hard stops.
The problem with "bedding in" is I don't really see the difference between the recomended process, and just going for a ride down some hills..
I swapped them for Superstar
the next stage is delaminating from the backing...
I tried this when I had some new pads fitted to the car, but the car behind me on the hill smashed into the back of me on my first sharp stop 🙁
...Is dumbfounded people dont bed in their pads...... wonders if that has anything to do with the people who go through pads like its going out of fasion.....
[i]The problem with "bedding in" is I don't really see the difference between the recomended process, and just going for a ride down some hills..[/i]
Most people don't just go for a ride down some hills...they pootle through town, ride some woody singletrack, go up some hills, then do some twisty singletrack down and just feather the brakes. If you chose the boring road descent off a big hill and repeatedly stopped all the way down then you've bedded them in.
[i]I tried this when I had some new pads fitted to the car, but the car behind me on the hill smashed into the back of me on my first sharp stop [/i]
You are meant to brake gently for the first few drives after new pads on a car...they get hot enough to bed in during normal use! Its more common to overshoot the first junction, especially when you have a company vehicle and the garage don't tell you the van had new pads fitted during its service!
[b]DrP[/b] - [u]Member[/u]Firstly, I've frequently wondered how brakes come so 'sharp' out of the box...Are there hundreds of Chinamen squeeling newly built brakes down steep hills outside the Shimano factory...?!
Anyway - I've never really 'bedded in' brakes as such. Normally popped them in and got going. never had much trouble.
However, after contaminating the pads on my new XTs, I swapped them for Superstar sintered - pads i've normally been fine with, but these were naff!
Done a few rides, never really got them up to 'heat', and they still felt contaminated.Did a ride yesterday eve near Arundel and there were useless all the way round. The final 50m of the ride was down Arundel high street - a rather steep hill.
Pleasantly, after going at it hammer and tongs down the hill, and with 3 firm grasps of the lever, my brakes went from "so you want to stop, well, let me check my diary and see if I can fit you in..", to "getting off here sir? as you wish!"I was so close to binning another set of pads, but a steep hill in a post end of the country has saved me a fiver......
DrP
Damn, wish I'd read this [i]before[/i] ditching my brand spankers Superstar pads for EBC Greens! Like yours, my front pads got contaminated. The mate responsible for the contamination (whilst teaching me to bleed brakes!) replaced them with Superstar organic pads that, at first fitment, worked brilliantly (I made sure to clean the rotor with proper brake cleaner before fitting the new pads). After less than a mile of road commuting though, they developed a wierwolf-rivalling howl. My conclusion was that they were crap and I ordered up a set of EBC Greenstuff, on the basis that I always used them on my old bike and they were always great. It would seem that I should have just persevered with the Superstars until the howling abated... Oh well, you live and learn!
Bedding in pads makes a massive difference, I cant believe people dont do it.
You dont even need a hill, just pedal up to 20mph or so (the faster the better) , and then stop hard, really hard, so hard that you nearly go over the front . Repeat a few times and on the last stop you'll feel the brakes 'coming in' , they'll be a huge difference between bedded in and not.
Most people don't just go for a ride down some hills...they pootle through town, ride some woody singletrack, go up some hills, then do some twisty singletrack down and just feather the brakes. If you chose the boring road descent off a big hill and repeatedly stopped all the way down then you've bedded them in.
My case exactly!
Thinking about it, in the past I used to bomb up and down the road, grabbing a fist full of brake several times (after fitting new pads). However, we recently moved and live in a flat quiet little cul-de-sac, so this probably has had an effect!
DrP
...Is dumbfounded people dont bed in their pads...... wonders if that has anything to do with the people who go through pads like its going out of fasion.....
+1
The steep road in the Pentlands over Redford Bridge is ideal for bedding in brakes. Although you get some very confused looks from people out walking
IMO bedding them in works wonders - nice big hill, bit of abuse and they seem to work much, much better.
Never understood the faff about contaminating brakes either.
Even if you spray WD40 all over the bloody things, a few good hard applications from a high speed gets them working perfectly again in no time.
If you ever contaminate your pads wash them in the sink with some washing up liquid, dry them then refit.
For bedding them in I normally go to 20mph them do 6-7 hard bites on the lever, then a full on brake from 20mph.
I've never bedded any brake pads in on several bikes for years and never had any problems with brake performance or wear rate. It's an urban myth I reckon...
I bed in my bads BEFORE I FIT them 😉
Take them out of the packet, then use a flat piece of concrete / stone / paving flag, (I actually use a chisel sparpening stone), wet the pad and then rub it on the stone until you make a paste. Wash the pad clean in the water & repeat once more.
Fit pads and they will bite like **** first pull of the lever 8)
Used to spanner in a M/C 24hr endurance team and this was a sure fire way of bedding in new pads without having to waste practice time.
Similarly if you're fitting new discs too, just rub some fine wetted emery cloth round them a few time to take off the 'sheen'.
100mph plus - you are not bedding your pads in doing that.
another one claiming to be a mechanic and no idea at all.
Bedding in pads does 3 things, conforms them to the shape of the disc, smears a thin layer of pad material on the disc, cures the pad under heat and pressure. Doing what you did does non of those things. a rough surface will bed in quicker in use maybe.
forzafkawi
For some people / riding styles / brake manufacturers they bed in in normal use
TJ is correct here.
Most depressingly....he is correct 🙁
I [s]hate[/s] have to agree with TJ , but on this occaison he may be right.
🙂 🙂 😆 🙂 🙂 😀 🙄 
Erm slow n gentle is the best way for bedding pads in.
Its all about heat cycles bed them in too quick and you cook the outside layer. Great brake for a short while
But will delaminate and crumble
Think of it like baking a cake...too hot and burnt edges.
Sandpaper and brakecleaner for removing manafacturing resadue and give them time
Will end up with a controlable brake from new to worn out,
But with pads n discs being so cheap
Change them once a month and boast down pub your that fast your brakes cant keep up