Other Can we talk brakepads

ebikeZA

Active member
Apr 2, 2018
281
140
Cape Town
I need to replace my brake pads as they have been contaminated (hoping I can clean the rotors)
The choice here is rather limited so need to order rom across the pond. So if I am going to go to all that effort, what brake pads would you all recomend for my Codes.

Thinking metallic will give me better braking performance ?

And brand? Sram is twice the price of Galfer, Braking and others ... are they that much better?
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,143
4,673
Weymouth
I use these with SRAM RSC brakes. Low cost....no idea of postal charges to you though..company based in UK.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,143
4,673
Weymouth
Lots of brands...........probably very few manufacturers and, most, if not all, will primarilly be suppliers to the automotive industry. Little surprise that all the brands offer very much the same pad compounds choices
 

Money Pit

New Member
Subscriber
Jan 27, 2024
39
26
UK
Lots of brands...........probably very few manufacturers and, most, if not all, will primarilly be suppliers to the automotive industry. Little surprise that all the brands offer very much the same pad compounds choices

This is true. It's very unlikely many bike brands are producing brake pads. A handful of factories will take orders from tens of bike brands and produce them something to meet a requirement and price point.

Said factories would keep their number of unique pad compounds minimal to keep costs down so chances are nearly every brand will be made from same stuff.

Just get cheapest that works imo.
 

Mcharza

E*POWAH BOSS
Aug 10, 2018
2,514
4,796
Helsinki, Finland
Lots of brands...........probably very few manufacturers and, most, if not all, will primarilly be suppliers to the automotive industry. Little surprise that all the brands offer very much the same pad compounds choices
Galfers are made here in EU, actually in Spain. Long experience in cross and moto.
 

Rando_12345

Active member
Nov 16, 2022
198
263
France
Galfer purple or green, pretty much the best there is, but pricey.

Otherwise, if you know you will run codes for a while, buy a box of 3-4pairs of pads, if you can find them they work out much cheaper than individual pairs.
 

vertrkr

Member
Nov 19, 2021
31
60
California
In the US many seem to like the MTX Gold pads, myself included and I'm 270 lbs. Almost no noise on steep downhills and good stopping power/modulation with crappy trek oem brakes with magura mdr rotors.

 

CarolinaCrawler

Active member
Jan 30, 2023
174
183
North Carolina
I have used Truckerco for years. They are cheap and work well. Resin is the quietest for me.
I've had great luck with Truckerco resin and semi metallic. I have struggled getting the sintered metallic brakes to bed in without glazing. Got some mt7 sintered pads and they worked fine, just a little grindy noise. Got some for some 8120 brakes and could not get them to work for anything. They are still in the drawer as spares.
 

RoJo

Active member
Apr 24, 2019
204
174
Surrey
My favorite are the MTX Gold pads.

My favorite budget pads are the Discobrake Pro ceramics.
I get on really well with Disco Brakes Semi Metallic. Not overly powerful but consistent performance throughout and great value.
I tried their Kevlar pad a few times and honestly can't tell the difference. Curious about Ceramic Pro, have you compared these to semi metallic as I'm curious to know your opinions.
 

Natch

New Member
Feb 10, 2024
30
17
Oregon
I get on really well with Disco Brakes Semi Metallic. Not overly powerful but consistent performance throughout and great value.
I tried their Kevlar pad a few times and honestly can't tell the difference. Curious about Ceramic Pro, have you compared these to semi metallic as I'm curious to know your opinions.
The Ceramic Pros are the only Discobrakes I've tried. If you end up getting some please make sure to post your comparison of the two!
 

irie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 2, 2022
2,022
1,966
Chichester, W.Sussex, UK
Front and rear Shimano D03S resin pads in Shimano M6120 calipers with Shimano M6100 levers and Swissstop 220mm Catalyst Pro rotors.

Silent single finger braking, no dramas. Sorry to be boring.
 

ebikeZA

Active member
Apr 2, 2018
281
140
Cape Town
Thank you for all the comments and advice.
I found some Galfer pads on bikein and ordered 4 sets of purple and 2 sets of black. Let’s hope they work well.
I’ll put another order in later for the 2.0 disk rotors. Is there a significant performance increase when going from the 1.8 centerline to the 2.0 galder (or even the 2.0 sram ones) >?
 

Mcharza

E*POWAH BOSS
Aug 10, 2018
2,514
4,796
Helsinki, Finland
Thank you for all the comments and advice.
I found some Galfer pads on bikein and ordered 4 sets of purple and 2 sets of black. Let’s hope they work well.
I’ll put another order in later for the 2.0 disk rotors. Is there a significant performance increase when going from the 1.8 centerline to the 2.0 galder (or even the 2.0 sram ones) >?
Nice, put the purples rear and black std pads front.
The advantage that I have found in the thicker 2.0 mm rotors is that they do not heat up so easily.
And according to their recommendation, it should be changed when the rotor has worn to 1.5 mm
 

Rando_12345

Active member
Nov 16, 2022
198
263
France
Not sure about performance, but Galfer or HS2 thick rotors make codes feel a lot nicer by reducing the huge lever throw (i.e. amount of pull required before they engage), a bit of a pain to not have them rub all the time though...
 

CarolinaCrawler

Active member
Jan 30, 2023
174
183
North Carolina
Not sure about performance, but Galfer or HS2 thick rotors make codes feel a lot nicer by reducing the huge lever throw (i.e. amount of pull required before they engage), a bit of a pain to not have them rub all the time though...
I swear by thick rotors. I've started running Magura MDR-C rotors on all my bikes regardless of brake brand. They are nice, 2.3 mil rotors that are 25 bucks shipped to the house. I haven't had to true a rotor in a year.
 

ebikeZA

Active member
Apr 2, 2018
281
140
Cape Town
I swear by thick rotors. I've started running Magura MDR-C rotors on all my bikes regardless of brake brand. They are nice, 2.3 mil rotors that are 25 bucks shipped to the house. I haven't had to true a rotor in a year.
Are they not a nightmare to set up with that thickness and rubbing.
 

Ickle_legs

Member
Feb 9, 2020
20
12
Sussex
I've been impressed with Gorilla brake pads 'Multi compound copper kevlar' in Guide REs(on full fat Levo) and Code R. Decent stopping power and much quieter in the wet than OE pads.
Have also bought Gorillas 'Ceramic with nano tech' but yet to try them out.
 

SwampNut

Well-known member
Oct 26, 2022
296
350
Peoria, AZ USA
Galfer or EBC metallics. Always more grip, better feel, better consistency in rain, but they might have a little squeak. Which is useful to warn hikers.
 

CarolinaCrawler

Active member
Jan 30, 2023
174
183
North Carolina
Are they not a nightmare to set up with that thickness and rubbing.
Its funny, the only brakes I've had an issue with rubbing are the Magura's they are designed to work with. I've got them on Sram and Shimano brakes currently and don't have an issue. I also have TRP brakes but they use their own 2.3 mil rotors.
 

Downhillr

Active member
Jul 2, 2021
220
102
SF Bay, California
I need to replace my brake pads as they have been contaminated (hoping I can clean the rotors)
The choice here is rather limited so need to order rom across the pond. So if I am going to go to all that effort, what brake pads would you all recomend for my Codes.

Thinking metallic will give me better braking performance ?

And brand? Sram is twice the price of Galfer, Braking and others ... are they that much better?
Many of the folks I m our riding group have moved over to these MTX pads, particularly the Gold version. We ride a lot of steep, gnarly trail here in California’s SF Bay Area, and rain ir dry they exhibit good power, modulation and great fade resistance's…
 

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