I have purchased some of the cheap new XT brakes from germany.

I have been running them with normal kevlar pads here, but thought I would invest in the new “finned” pads to take to the Alps.

Normally, i would say organic resin pads in summer and metallic pads in winter, but I can see advantages of both in long Alpine runs.

Organic, greater “bite” and less bed in time after changing them.
Metallic, slower wear rate and stay cooler.

What say you???

For me, it would be (and is) SSC red Kevlar pads in the alps.

SSC red Kevlar pads + 1

I went to alps last year with organic resin pads they lasted all week and were fine 35-50mile a day for 7 days. I don’t think they even went down that much. I think big rotors help keep them cool.. 🙂

I had Avid brakes in the Alps last year and that put me off SSC Kevlar pads for life (being Juicys and a knightmare to swap the pads over) i find them fine and good value here in the UK, but over there I went through 3 sets in one day, the seperating spring seemed to deform a few times with the heat and also had a set where the pad material itself simply fell off the metal backing.

Why not take both types?

Certainly with the long traverse and descend riding I’ve done out there in the past it’s paid to have sintered pads handy on wet days.

I’m taking sintered next time as kevlar and organic both lasted me just hours on long downhills. I do have particularly hungry brakes though, apparently.

I fitted Superstar kevlar pads before going on a DH holiday, they lasted 3 days with minimal wear before I broke my arm.

I’d go for resin/organic and bigger rotrs as noted above will have the biggest impact on cooling.

I could take both Tasso, but they are £25 a pair, so £50 for the one set for the bike! Then i’ve got to buy the ice-tech rotors at £33-36 each.

I was going to treat myself to them for the Alps and take kevlar pads as spares, as I can really only afford the one set, that is why i thought i’d ask peoples views on the best to buy.

– advice retracted

If you’re on XT then easy enough to swap pads so I’d go for “lots of cheap pads” as the killer option, probably resin ones. Bed them in now so they are good to go. It’s well worth taking plenty of spares, if you see the price of brake pads in Morzine you’ll weep…

Anyway aren’t you worrying about this a bit prematurely – presumably you’re going to the Alps in summer?

Metal pads. SS kevlar did not work for me (4-5000 vertical m vs 20000 for original resin formula). Now run original metal and still going strong (after ~10 000 vm).

Juicy 7’s with SSC Kevlars, lasted 4 days. I had another set that only lasted one day, as I didn’t bed them in properly.

I’d recommend the Kevlars, worked well in the snow, rain and sun!

I missed that you wanted finned pads.

You know you can get four pairs of non-finned ones from Superstar for £20 – £25 though?

Yep, i know that i can get lots of pairs from Superstar for “much cheapness” and i’ll take them as spares to the Alps, just thought that as i’v bought these lovely shiney XT brakes, i might as well see what the fuss was all about with the “finned” pads and the Ice Tech rotors, see if all this technology actually works!

I had a few hairy moments last year thanks to the Superstar pads though, nothing like doing 30-35mph downwards only to find that the pads have failed and the pad has dropped off the metal backing, thankfully on flat pedals and had to a Flintstones and brake with my feet!

What size are your rotors?

At the moment 180 front and 160 back, but as i’ve got to buy new rotors, i thought about 203 front and 180 rear (Shimano Ice-Tech).

Sorry – I’m obviously missing something. Why do you “have” to buy the rotors?

As long as the diameter is correct I’ve run all sorts of combinations without issues. The biggest problem and cost is usually wearing through orgnic pads when it’s wet and as they are more expensive than ever to buy them, carrying suitable spares for differing conditions seems like the most sensible course of action.

Rotors don’t wear out, pads do; yet they aren’t massively different in price.

Tassos, I don’t have to buy new rotors, i’ve got Hope ones on bike at present but they are looking very battle scarred and could do with replacing and as I said, if i’ve got the new shiny XT brakes, thought I might as well give the pads and discs that are designed to go with them a go.

But they are expensive, so that is why I asked the question to the collective knowledge of ST, which of the pads you thought would be best.

Well, I’ve been to the alps brake drag central which is Verbier several times and whilst I’ve been through 4 sets of pads in a week & and pads/backing/half a piston on one wet fast retreat I’d never spend money on finned pads which will last a few days maybe a week and wont give you any perceptable benefits, unlike buying bigger rotors which will give more retardation* and aid cooling. If your flush spend the money on a LBS mechanic PROPERLY bleeding your brakes before you go.

*its proper word.

203 front and 180 rear (Shimano Ice-Tech).

Would be great, that what run (non Ice-tech that is)

I think the OP would like to combine the whole system, as it was designed and then test it in the Alps. Shimano spent many ££££’s designing a system that will work optimally when all elements are used together, and while SSC can make some cheapy pads, they’re not going to offer the ultimate in performance, kinda like putting some really cheap pads from halfords into your GT3RS with carbon ceramic brakes.

Personally I’d go with organic for the alps, the extra bite will give you more confidence, so you will drag the brakes less and build up less heat. Sintered work well in S Wales where it’s always bloody raining!

Fair enough. Most of my alps trips has involved riding around Verbier over the last seven or eight years. Your idea of upgrading the rotor sizes is likely to give you the most improvement for your money I would expect even if they weren’t ice tech ones. After getting massive brake fade on 160mm Hope Minis on an early alpine foray my mates and I quickly upped to 200+ discs on the front and the same on the back where they will fit.

Not having used the exact brakes you are asking about my opinion is based purely on using different rotor sizes with different calipers and running both organic and sintered pads (mainly with Avid Juicys).

If you can only afford one type then go sintered as it’s be gutting to wear through organics in one long descent if you get caught out.

Thanks Gearfreak, a straight answer.

I am not a rich man, but thought i am going to replace my rotors I might as well get the Ice-Tech ones, and if I get the “finned” pads I can see whether they are any better than Superstar or the other cheap ones. If they aren’t then i’ll know in the future not to buy them again.

I think the OP would like to combine the whole system, as it was designed and then test it in the Alps. Shimano spent many ££££’s designing a system that will work optimally when all elements are used together, and while SSC can make some cheapy pads, they’re not going to offer the ultimate in performance, kinda like putting some really cheap pads from halfords into your GT3RS with carbon ceramic brakes.

I’d agree, but……..

Someone might make a ‘better’ pad than shimano?

No one uses ceramic brakes (or even cast iron which would be a step forewards in terms of coeficients of friction) on MTB’s. So most pads are going to be made from very similar materials, whether they’re made by ferrodo, QH, brembro or some factory in the far east, the processes and materials wil be broadly the same.

I don’t like SSC, but as no one’s done a lab test to determine whether their pads are more powerfull or not it seems a little harsh to say they’re crap compared to OEM shimano.

Scud – I have a 203 6 bolt rotor you can borrow 😀

Here’s my 2p.
I went to Morzine with organic ‘DH’ pads which lasted all of half a day. I then fitted Fibrax sintered pads which lasted the rest of the week (and most of the year). The weather was dry and dusty apart from 1 afternoon. I had no brake fade at all with my OEM Shimanos that came on the Stumpjumper (it was a few years ago and people with original Hopes were suffering on the longer descents). At the time I was probably 14-14.5 stone and rode with a fully laden camelbak and the brakes/pads were more than up to the job. Metal pads every time imho

EDIT: I did upgrade the front rotor to 203 and rear one to 180 before I went.

If you’re going with a 203 rotor, you should be fine on pretty much anything as long as you don’t weigh a ton and drag them all the time. (which, to be fair, on some routes you probably will). Course, alpine riding comes in lots of different flavours.

I’d suggest superstar kevlar myself- effective in most conditions, very tolerant of overheating should you manage to cook them…