Brake pads debonding from backing plates. Is this normal?

Over the last 12 months I have had a three pads debond (and fall off) from the backing plates. Yesterday this happened at the start of a downhill, so immediate loss of power when I grabbed the lever, some power returned when I pumped the lever a couple of times, accompanied with the grinding noise of metal backing plate contacting the disk.

Cause seems to be corrosion of the inside face of backing plate, prying the adhered pad material off the plate.

There are no big mountains round here, so I don’t wear out the pads very quickly so they tend to last a year plus. I was wondering whether over that year backing plate corrosion is quite normal? The outside face is painted and in good condition. The inner face is probably bare steel so vulnerable to moisture ingress and corrosion.

Pads are Noah & Theo ceramic. Maybe I need to try an alternative?

I had a few pairs of superstar pads do that a while back. I’ve also had the same issue on the car twice. Guess it happens but not that often – might be a bad batch?

You’re buying very cheap pads, buy ones by a reputable brand and they’ll be fine

I only buy genuine Hope pads and have never had this happen.  Brakes are an area where I’m happy to spend a little more money.

Had this happen with cheap pads, now only use Shimano.

probably cheap for a reason! Only ever buy genuine Shimano/SRAM/Hope pads (as applicable), never had this happen

About 10 years ago it was common with a few brands. Not had it since with any Uberbike, EBC, Clark or Nukeproof, brands I’ve used since then

No,not normal. Never had it happen, even with all sorts of aftermarket pads. Must be a bad batch. Mostly on uberbike pads now and they are fine.

Just to counter all the comments, I’ve been lucky enough so far to not have had any pad material debond on any of the pads I’ve used – EBC (about 20 years ago), Superstar (several years ago) and have been using Uber Race pads for the last 5 years or so.

I’ve seen it where people try and burn oil contamination off with flame

Perfectly normal for Superstar and Noah and Theo. Had it happen on both. Noah and Theo just ignored me when I contacted them about it, and I assume Superstar denied it happened to everyone who had that problem.

Sounds like I need to try a different brand then! I quite like the N&T ceramic compound – totally silent in the dry – although squeals like a banshee in the wet. Not sure whether other manufacturers have the same compound.

Username checks out

I had a pair of gorilla brake pads that happened to a couple of weeks ago. I messaged them through their website and they put two new sets in the post. Great service!

Never experienced this myself, use Shimano/Superstar/EBC/A2Z.

Definitely not normal. Never had it happen to any of mine or my friends. Used loads of different brands including cheap ones. Have a couple of lightly used bikes with very old pads, too

Only ever had it with Clarks.

Never had it with Superstar and they’ve been my go-to brake pads for over a decade

Yep had it happen due to rust on my commuter…

I had it happen once, to one Superstar pad. I seem to remember it being warrantied/ replaced FoC. Over the years I must have got through several hundred pads from my first Hope C2s through to my current Guide whatevers. Mostly Uberbike and Superstar but a fair number of Hope, Avid etc, as appropriate.

I stay on top of maintenance nowadays and will happily replace any dodgy looking component. Having said that, I blowtorched a set of Uberbike pads that were squealing like a stuck pig a few months ago. Since then they have been subjected to quite a bit of Welsh downhill nonsense plus fun and games in the Lakes. All seems well.

Yep superstar, although it was a good few years ago, and disco(?) Uber pads seem to squeal with my maguras so it’s galfer and magura in my brakes.

It’s a thing that can happen but it’s not normal. FWIW I had it happen with IIRC a Galfer one and partially with a Disco one but also with a stupidly expensive Carbon Lorraine motorbike pad and that was properly bum twitching. Even really good stuff can have failures.

(I’m discounting corrosion failures, that’s a different thing from debonding)

I’ve had this twice. Once on a pair of superstar (red, I think they were) around 16 years ago, and a few months ago on my van. The superstar one was much cheaper to fix than the van episode, which took out the caliper as well.

northerntomFree Member
You’re buying very cheap pads, buy ones by a reputable brand and they’ll be fine

DaffyFull Member
I only buy genuine Hope pads and have never had this happen.  Brakes are an area where I’m happy to spend a little more money.

Brand new Hope e4 caliper and hope (galifer i think pads)15 miles on it, pad delaminated

defiantly happens more with the cheaper pads, but the branded ones aren’t immune.