Hi folks. Can ahyone tell me if i can use the shimano J03a pad on a road bike? i can get them for 1/2 the price of the L03a..

They are different shapes so no.

No one seems to have L03A pads in stock, so I’ve ordered a set of Gorilla pads (Kendal based company).

Their website is unhelpful (they seem to have about 30 different compounds and only half of them have an explanation) but seem more reliable as a company than the no-name four-for-a-tenner ones on eBay.

If you’re not in any rush I’ll update this post in a week or two with how well they work. Given that at the moment the brakes are metal on metal, they can really only improve things.

No one seems to have L03A pads in stock

They’re discontinued. Replacement is L05A-RF

https://bikecheck.shimano.com/global/en/parts-selectors

or this

https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/service-upgradeparts/road/category/disc-brake-pads.html

These will tell you which you can use, including the cheaper non-finned pads.

I’ve got a set of new set of SwissStop Disc 34 RS for Shimano road brakes if anyone’s interested? £18 posted.

Eventually went for some non finned KO3S, £10 an end. Hopefully better than nowt 🤞

I have a couple of sets of unused L03A pads going spare. PM me if you’re still in need of some.