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OH had a spin on my bike yesterday which prompted the question "why aren't my brakes as powerful as yours(Hopes)? I barely have to touch yours to stop".
So, can anyone recommend some new pads with good stopping power please. She currently has the finned shimano pads in, no idea what lining material.
What size rotors ya got? Are they clean? Once a year i clean and sand my rotors, new pads, bed them in properly and it makes a massive diff.
Organic pads gave more bite initially than metal
Otherwise i've heard trickstuff pads apprently do give more power.
If she is a bimbler? The pads probably never get hot enough.
@Scienceofficer you could be on to something there although they way she drags her brakes down every hill I would think they get pretty warm.
Do a quick bleed, check for air.
My full suss has been moth balled for winter. Took it out the other day, the brakes were fine when I put it away but were terrible, couldn't even get the back brake to skid.
Gave it a clean and service last night, pads were not worn but the rotors were filthy. The back brake had a few air bubbles in too. All cleaned and bleed now and feel good. Will test it tonight and see if it needs new pads.
I'm using uberbike components sintered pads at the moment. I always buy them on a bank holiday when they have 25% off.
All pads are basically the same. However they do pick up contaminants and grease very easily, often when sitting in the garage as you use spray lubes etc on other bikes. Or they can get it from road spray where there's oil or fuel. Or just randomly because the gods don't like you.
You could clean with alcohol or something but I find dousing them with a good bike cleaner as you wash the bike works very well. Spray all over the disc and caliper, operate the brakes a bit, maybe turn the wheels or ride a few metres dragging the brakes, then rinse thoroughly.
+1 on a bleed.
+1 on a pad and rotor sand to start with.
Are you on original Shimano? I find them ok to meh - last ok, pretty quiet, but a propensity to glaze and not as ultimately powerful as many aftermarket pads.
We run Uberbike Kevlar pads across a few bikes - great power and quiet.
All pads are basically the same
How so? In that they are pad shaped?
If after the above you decide to change pads, Rahox were very good for shimano brakes.
How so? In that they are pad shaped?
They're sintered metal. I'm not sure that reputable brands have greater or lesser friction characteristics do they? I mean it's not exactly cutting edge tech. Happy to be proved wrong with figures tho.
In these situations it's unlikely ever to be the quality of the pad. Truth is, type aside, pads are pads. If you want fins because they look cool, maybe glue some onto your bike elsewhere?
Rotors covered in crap and worn to a sheen, or contaminated pads on the other hand...
Clean the pads, sand the pads, bake them in the oven for 10 mins (xt oil goes above 200), clean the rotors, sand the rotors, bed the brakes in.
I did this yesterday and had to completely readjust my riding style as i can now lock both wheels accidentally with one finger. The first overzealous pull was like left foot braking in an automatic, and I almost chewed my garmin mount.
Ok folks I'll start with a good clean and bleed and go from there Cheers!
As others have said, a quick 5 minute bubble bleed - while the pads are out I often stick them in the oven for 10 minutes as high as it'll go then give them a sanding to remove the glaze, and then finally spray with brake cleaner (I use the muc-off stuff)... I also spray and wipe clean the rotors with the cleaner. Wait for the pads to dry from the cleaner then reassemble. I rarely sand the rotors unless all of that doesn't make a difference.
All pads are basically the same.
No, a some brakes use OEM resin pads, especially Shimano. I think this was mostly to keep them quiet. Some Shimano rotors have "Resin Pads Only" stamped on them. IME, sintered pads give more power, but less modulation. Cleaning everything, fitting new sintered pads, and bedding them in makes a huge difference.
From the CRC website:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-h03c-metal-disc-brake-pads/rp-prod124951
Shimano Saint-Zee H-Type Disc Brake Pads
Always use Shimano Disc Brake pads to ensure top brake performance and to maintain the safety of your Shimano brake system. Shimano have adopted ICE-TECHNOLOGIES into their disc brake pad range to provide the cooling technology required for consistant performance.The Metal Pads have a "high" stopping power and the resin pads have an "above average" stopping power.
Metal Pad Features:
Metal pads consistently perform well in dry or wet conditions, and have excellent power and durability.Radiator Fin - provides long pad life and less fade by cooling technology
Rigid compound
Longer services life
High power in severe conditions
Design for muddy and sandy conditions
Resin Pad Features:
Resin pads make less noise than metal pads and offer better modulation.Radiator Fin - provides long pad life and less fade by cooling technology
Flexible compound
Less noise
Focus on controllable performance
Designed for dry and wet conditions
Shimano say only use a shimano pad, I wonder why that is? 🤔
I agree, most of it is marketing BS and made in the same factories.
Road bikes coming with finned pads in the UK, what's the point? Yes, they look cool but to replace they are about £15 a caliper.
I'd rather but 4 sets from uber bike for £20 and change them more often than have one fancy set I run down to the bone as they are too expensive to replace.
Uberbike have been great, really impressed with their sintered pads.
I've had original shimano pads not last a full ride in the lakes. I don't see them as a superior product but I do see the higher price tag!
All pads are basically the same.
No. The proportions of resin, metal, and kevlar fibre vary, as does the type of metal and quality of resin. Pressure and heat during formation will also have an effect on density and hardness.
These factors combine to form a whole gamut of pads with differing characteristics, similar only in so far as they are brake pads for use on discs.
Even my lazy first hit google-fu disproves your statement molgrips.
OK, so gave the brakes a good bleed which improved the lever feel massively. While there I took the pads out which were very glazed but had plenty of meat on them so gave them a light sand on a flat surface to take the glaze off, lightly sanded the rotor and cleaned it with IPA. Quick test in the drive and they felt OKish but howled like a banshee. Don't worry says I, that will stop when they bed back in.
Ride today and they howled every time she braked, towards end of ride there is a steepish off road descent and she said these brakes won't stop me. So, swapped bikes for the ride home. She was right they were pretty crap and took a massive effort to stop along with the howling.
Ride ends with a two mile steep road descent home so I think I'll get em bedded in down here. So, get a bit of speed up and with a combination of dragging them and alternatively jamming the front and rear on all the way down they feel really good by the time I get home. Howling stopped and can lock the back wheel easily.
Brakes cool down in garden for twenty mins and I go to put bike back in shed. Brakes howling again and not feeling so good.
What do you all reckon? New pads time?
I am sure others will disagree with this but a local bike mechanic told me to never clean my brakes, especially rotors as the need a layer of material on them to work best, and they work better dirty. His top tip to stop squealing brakes is to find a muddy puddle with fine,wet clay type mud in it, pick some up and rub it on your rotors then go a quick spin pulling the brakes a few times. The fine mud/clay acts as a type of sand paper clearing away what ever is causing the squeal and beds the pads in. Works for me.
Where is the facepalm emoji
Are you absolutely sure the disc caliper is centred and both sides are making contact nicely?
Best way to clean pads is to soak them in a solvent and set fire to the ****ers
Seriously 😉
Brakes cool down in garden for twenty mins and I go to put bike back in shed. Brakes howling again and not feeling so good.
Leaky seals in calipers?
No sign of any leaks.