Brake pads

[RayD8r]

I go through a lot of brake pads. I use the B01S style. Any tips on best pads for a heavy use(daily)commuter bike. I'm in Denver, CO. and it's pretty treacherous riding. I'm usually in level 3 or 4 PA, I do between 1 and up to 25+ miles a day, mostly city and suburban. Need a lot of brakes because the drivers out here have no regard for us. I also get contaminants on them a lot, different things from road gunk to whatever the smart a$$es downtown do. I usually just clean the rotors with denatured alcohol and throw new pads on because I haven't had any success cleaning them well enough to be re-used. I've tried scuffing them with the mesh sanding sheets like some have suggested but it never does anything. The pads just never work again after they have been contaminated. Which brings me to the question I came here to ask. Does anyone know where I can get these pads in bulk, say, more than 10 pairs but less than a factory case that's $200? This is of course the ones that are suggested above. I seem to be spending a small fortune on brake pads, like almost enough to make this e bike thing not worth it. Thanks for any input on this

Ray.

 

[Kootbiker]

I think you should consider a better complete brake system. Bigger rotors and harder compound pads. What brand and model of braking system do you have?

 

[Weeksy]

There's something not quite right here, i go through pads about once a year.

FWIW we used to run Uberbike Race Matrix but have recently swapped to Galfer Pro due to improved performance. They're expensive as heck at $30 a set though...

 

[RayD8r]

I think you should consider a better complete brake system. Bigger rotors and harder compound pads. What brand and model of braking system do you have?

I'm running 160mm Shimano Deore rotors with BR-M375 calipers, cable pull with the levers that came with the conversion kit. The brakes work great with clean rotors and new pads and if they don't get any contaminants on them, they last a couple of months tops.

I don't have funds for expensive brake upgrades because the reason I'm on the bike every day is that the cvt in my car has failed which is a $4000+ repair and that's priority.

The bike is a 2008 Iron Horse Maverick 1.0 aluminum frame with a 500 watt brushless motor & a 48v 13aH battery. It makes the bike a little heavier but I don't think enough to cause that much brake usage.

Prior to installing the electric motor on the bike, I was only using it about every to every other weekend, just riding around casually on the trail system here around Denver and the brake pads would last a year or more but I didn't have the issue of contaminates because I wasn't on the roads the motor vehicles use much and it wasn't locked up outside downtown ever. Some people apparently find it amusing to mess with peoples bikes. I've had all sorts of interesting things happen to it while I was working and it was with me locked up locked up outside where pedestrians have access to it, one of these being contaminated brakes. I assume this because the brakes will be working just fine on my way to work but when I leave to go home, no brakes. So after creeping home using my boot between the tire and seat post tube for a brake, I clean the rotors and throw a fresh set of pads on and... brakes work like new. And this does not happen on sites where my bike is parked where people other than the guys I work with can get to it.

 

[Spin]

AliExpress These are actually decent and dirt cheap

 

[KnollyBro]

AliExpress These are actually decent and dirt cheap

View attachment 142087

I am currently testing some pads and 2mm rotors on my rear brake from Aliexpress on my emtb and Park bike. No complaints so far. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Spin]

I am using the resin pads in the front and the gold in the rear at the moment . They do what they need to do.
I wasn't brave enough to try any rotors from Ali though

 

[Aushiker]

I am currently testing some pads and 2mm rotors on my rear brake from Aliexpress on my emtb and Park bike. No complaints so far. What could possibly go wrong?

View attachment 142230

View attachment 142231

Crash into a tree?

 

[KnollyBro]

Crash into a tree?

Well... having experienced brake fade from glazed and worn out shimano ice rotors, I am willing to give the 2mm rotors from Aliexpress a try as, for the most part, a steel rotor is a steel rotor. I will report back after my next park day at Whistler if I made another bad decision.

 

[Spin]

I'm guessing the rotors on Ali don't meet sizing or surface tolerances specified by the company they are being supplied to.
I don't think they will suddenly explode or something like that

I bought and fitted a set for a guy I do bike servicing for , with his consent of course.
He's a big guy and likes to ride the brakes on long descents. He's had no problems after a few months of using them paired with the gold pads.

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

Well... having experienced brake fade from glazed and worn out shimano ice rotors, I am willing to give the 2mm rotors from Aliexpress a try as, for the most part, a steel rotor is a steel rotor. I will report back after my next park day at Whistler if I made another bad decision.

I run Magura MDR-C rotors on my Shimano brakes. They are 2.3mil thick and pretty cheap on Amazon.

 

[KnollyBro]

I run Magura MDR-C rotors on my Shimano brakes. They are 2.3mil thick and pretty cheap on Amazon.

Yet still double the price of the Aliexpress rotors. Not that I am cheap but I often wonder just how different a piece of steel can be considering they are all probably cut out at the same factory due to cost of equipment used. Only time will tell

 

[Weeksy]

Yet still double the price of the Aliexpress rotors. Not that I am cheap but I often wonder just how different a piece of steel can be considering they are all probably cut out at the same factory due to cost of equipment used. Only time will tell

Depends what you're doing/expecting i guess. We run SRAM HS2 rotors for DH racing which are £65 a pop.... that's a LOT... but braking really really matters sometimes.

 

[Polar]

Regarding brakes I don't care what it cost I just want the best brake components for my type of use it's actually a very cheap health insurance.
Buying knock off at Ali or eBay is just as safe as buying 18650/21700 battery.

 

[KnollyBro]

Regarding brakes I don't care what it cost I just want the best brake components for my type of use it's actually a very cheap health insurance.
Buying knock off at Ali or eBay is just as safe as buying 18650/21700 battery.

My point regarding the Aliexpress rotors was in reference to the OP who was complaining about going thru so many brake pads. I was wondering if he was wearing out his rotors as well. Like I said, I am testing out the rotors on my rear brakes so I am not that concerned. I use Magura MDR-P rotors on my front brakes.

 

[Astro66]

I have put 10,000km on my Lekker commuter ebike. I only run Aliexpress pads and rotors on that bike because it gets so much use. Whilst I only run factory Pads and Rotors on my EMTB

The Ali pads have a 70% life of the original Tektro Pads. So about 1000km The rotors seem to last just as long.

I also run the Ali Pads in my sons commuter ebike. I have probably fitted about 15 pairs of the Ali pads to both bikes. I have never had an issue with the pads. They cost 5 times less than the Tektro and Shimano ones. I can get 4 pair for US$7.

But I would not use them on a downhill mountain bike, where brake failure could kill you. For road commuting they are fine as the probability of losing both front and rear brakes at the same time are a fraction of the probability of being hit by a car.

 

[KnollyBro]

Depends what you're doing/expecting i guess. We run SRAM HS2 rotors for DH racing which are £65 a pop.... that's a LOT... but braking really really matters sometimes.

I hear you but I often wonder where SRAM gets their stuff made. Its not like their parts are made in Jolly Old England or made in 'Merica (not sure what the German and Japanese equivalences are? ) where you can expect to pay top dollar. Having spent at least 5 hours of riding steep trails lasting up to 15 minutes long, (at Whistler) on my Aliexpress 2mm rear rotor, I can say that it didn't fade but it did turn a darker shade of grey where the pads came in contact. Exactly the same results I get when using the Shimano Ice rotors for 4 times the cost. The Magura 220mm MDR-P rotor on the front is still a nicely polished silver color. I used Code RSC brakes with Metalic pads. YMMV.

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

Yet still double the price of the Aliexpress rotors. Not that I am cheap but I often wonder just how different a piece of steel can be considering they are all probably cut out at the same factory due to cost of equipment used. Only time will tell

You talked me into it. They looked good so I ordered a pair of the 203mm 2.3 mil thick rotors for my downhill bike to try. I figured that would be the make or brake place to try them!

 

[Astro66]

Weather has been pretty wet here, so I've been burning through the pads pretty quick.

Decided to try a set of AliExpress 4 piston Shimano Pads, (AUD$3) on my EMTBs rear brakes. Saving the AUD$30 Shimano pads for the front caliper.

So far so good. No observed loss of braking power. I guess I need to try it on a downhill course, to see if I get brake fade.

But I think I'll run with this system on my EMTB as well. Shimano Factory Pads on the front. AliExpress Pads on the rear.

 

[megabobra]

Weather has been pretty wet here, so I've been burning through the pads pretty quick.

Decided to try a set of AliExpress 4 piston Shimano Pads, (AUD$3) on my EMTBs rear brakes. Saving the AUD$30 Shimano pads for the front caliper.

So far so good. No observed loss of braking power. I guess I need to try it on a downhill course, to see if I get brake fade.

But I think I'll run with this system on my EMTB as well. Shimano Factory Pads on the front. AliExpress Pads on the rear.

Which ones did you try? I've got a set of the Cooma golds on the way to try out; they seem to get some good feedback, or at least that they're no worse than OEM pads.

 

[steve_sordy]

@RayD8r Ref contaminated pads. Are you aware of the "Disco Inferno"?

Tools: iso-propyl alcohol, 100-120 grit emery paper, blowlamp.

Clean the pads with the IPA, leave them wet and turn the blowlamp onto them. Keep the blowlamp on the pads. I find it best to do one at a time, although you can position one of them close to the one you are working on to warm it up. At first, you will notice a lot of smoke coming off the pads which is the contamination burning off. Keep the flame on until the smoke stops and the corners of the pads are glowing.
Once the pads are cool, place the emery paper on a flat surface and rub the pad over it in a circular motion until the pad is clean. Repeat with the other pad and then fit them to your bike and bed them in.

If your pads were contaminated, then don't forget to clean the discs with IPA, or the pads will get contaminated again!

PS: I put the pads onto a concrete surface for the blowlamp treatment.

 

[KnollyBro]

You talked me into it. They looked good so I ordered a pair of the 203mm 2.3 mil thick rotors for my downhill bike to try. I figured that would be the make or brake place to try them!

I have been running them on the rear brake on my Park bike and my KSL for the past 20 plus rides without issue. YMMV!

 

[Base]

Looking at the bike and if still stock parks like the fork I would be weary to slap on a 203mm rotor but it would be good, going to 180mm would be good as well. You would also need the right adaptors. I'd stay with the current brakes using those pads since they are cheap as going to 4 piston will start adding up more. Unless you buy a bunch from Amazon/Aliexpress but without knowing if the pads are long lasting/performance as they claim, you dont want to be stuck with a bunch of crap.

 

[Aushiker]

According to Magura, they specify brake pads with no more than 30% metal, which in the Cooma range means their organic pad EX Plus range.

They also do a Ceramic pad for about AU$1.00 more for four. What is the thinking on Ceramic pads? An even better option than, say, the EX Plus pads?

 

[Astro66]

Which ones did you try? I've got a set of the Cooma golds on the way to try out; they seem to get some good feedback, or at least that they're no worse than OEM pads.

These were unbranded.