Who make the best / best value disc brake pads?

[neilski]

I'm a bit behind the times but I've just ordered my first ever bike equipped with those newfangled disc brakes and wondered whether people stick with OEM pads when the original set wear out or if there's a recognised brand that everyone buys like we all do with Kool Stop Salmon for rim brakes in the wet (or is that just me?).

The brakes are SRAM Level T.

To confuse me further, the recommended pads seem to be Avid Elixir DB and so far I haven't found any SRAM branded ones. (I'm aware the Level T brakes are a replacement / rebadge of Avid DB3).

Whatever I buy are going to take a bit of a battering riding down Death Road in Bolivia every other day so buying a cheaper than OEM version in bulk would be good if it's going to be up to the job.

[Ian_sUK]

I've tried most brands over the years and been most impressed with Uber. No squeal or juddering in my Shimanos (unlike some others). Pick the compound based on your riding. I run the race compound front and sintered in the rear.

[neilski]

Thanks. Those Uber pads have some sort of spring clip holding the pads together that the originals don't. What difference does this make, if any?

[timnoyce]

It might be that the photo is for a different fitment of pad to the ones that you require. The spring essentially just keeps the pads clear of the rotor when the pistons aren't deployed. This avoids rubbing and premature wear. I'd imagine that if you order the correct pads, they'll come with a spring if they are required as they are normally specific to the brake caliper type.

[neilski]

It could just be me being a 'tard. Looking at other brands, they have an exploded view showing the spring clip.

Edited by neilski on Thursday 6th July 12:59

[timnoyce]

Also, looking at the photo of the caliper on the website that you linked to, there is clearly a spring!

[Celtic Dragon]

Neilski, I have DB3's on my 26er and use Uber pads.

That spring is just to keep the pads apart, and the Uber pads come with spring as well, its not attached to the pads themselves.

[P-Jay]

neilski said:

take a bit of a battering riding down Death Road in Bolivia every other day

Seriously?

Sometimes it's worth going OEM?

Anyway, at least these days the after-market pads you can buy are very good quality, maybe not up to OEM quality but 'good enough'. In years gone by I've had pads break up.

I use Superstar but I've nothing against Uber or Disco for that matter - given your requirements it might be worth having a look at Superstars Artic pads if they make them for your brakes - they erm.. borrowed an idea from Shimano to put a massive heat sink / radiator on the back of the pads to aid cooling, they work really well in the Alps etc if you're brake dragging for long distances. They've never really caught on so the kits are actually cheaper than the normal pads at the moment - the rads are reusable but will only accept the special half thickness superstar pads.

[neilski]

P-Jay said:

neilski said:

take a bit of a battering riding down Death Road in Bolivia every other day

Seriously?

Sometimes it's worth going OEM?

Anyway, at least these days the after-market pads you can buy are very good quality, maybe not up to OEM quality but 'good enough'. In years gone by I've had pads break up.

I use Superstar but I've nothing against Uber or Disco for that matter - given your requirements it might be worth having a look at Superstars Artic pads if they make them for your brakes - they erm.. borrowed an idea from Shimano to put a massive heat sink / radiator on the back of the pads to aid cooling, they work really well in the Alps etc if you're brake dragging for long distances. They've never really caught on so the kits are actually cheaper than the normal pads at the moment - the rads are reusable but will only accept the special half thickness superstar pads.

Yes but it's just a road and not a very steep one at that.

I saw those arctic pads and something similar from Uber but they struck me as giving extra cooling at the expense of pad thickness so I bought a few packs of the regular Uber ones in race and sintered compounds to see how I get on.

Thanks for your help everyone.