Bike disc brake pads are generally universal. The only slight difference between them is their metal composition, the diameter of the pads, and size.
However, these differences are not considered to be very large things. So it can be said that bicycle disc brake pads are universal. Today I will discuss this topic in more detail over the Disc brake pad compatibility chart, the differences between different types of brake pads, correct rules for changing brake pads, the perfect type of brake pad for your bike, and many other important things with you to realize the whole topic.
What Are Bicycle Disc Brake Pads?
A disc brake pad is a brake pad that is made of a special block with braking material properly bonded to a metal backing plate.
The bicycle’s metal plate adds structural rigidity to the braking surface. And, also helps to hold it firmly in the caliper that the brake has. Instead of using rims as the braking surface of the bike, disc brakes use a circular metal disc mounted on top of the hub of the wheel. And, this disc in the brake rotates through a special type of caliper which includes a special type of brake pad. By pressing the brake lever, the pad is applied to the rotor which slows down the bike due to friction at various times.
Disc brakes are most commonly used on MTB bikes. However, in addition to mountain bikes, riders can get disc brakes on road bikes as well in some cases.
Most Of The Bikes Have Disc Brakes
Yes, most bikes have disc brakes. Because with these types of brakes, you can enjoy many benefits while riding.
Disc brakes are most common for mountain bikes (including almost all Downhill bikes), and are found on some Hybrid and Touring bicycles.
In the late 2010s, disc brakes also became increasingly common on Racing bicycles. Sometimes these brakes are referred to as front brakes. Also tend to perform equally well in all conditions, including water, mud, and snow.
- The braking surface is further from the ground and potential contaminants such as mud can coat or freeze the rims and pads. So the Mountain bike with disc brakes is less susceptible to mud build-up provided that the rear frame and front fork yoke have sufficient clearance from the wheels.
- Disc brakes are made of materials that dissipate heat better than wheel rims, but undersized sport-size discs will be too small to take advantage of that fact.
- The rotor has holes, providing a path for water and debris from under the pads.
- With disc brakes, it is possible to ride a bicycle with buckled wheels, whereas with rim brakes it is not possible because the buckled wheel is bound to the brake pads.
- All types of brakes will eventually wear the braking surface, a brake disc is easier and cheaper to replace than a wheel rim or drum.
- The use of extremely wide tires favors disc brakes, as rim brakes require forever to be armed to clear wide tires. And, the long arms make it more flexible, reducing braking. Disc brakes are not affected by a tire width.
- Unlike some rare rim brake designs, disc brakes have adjustable front and rear suspensions.
- Different wheel sizes can be used with the same frame: the same frame built for 29″ tires can often fit 27.5+ (650+) tires, despite the two wheel sizes having different rim diameters.
Yes, this is possible with disc brakes, so long as the rotor sizes are the same, and consistent and the frame has sufficient clearance. But this is impossible with rim brakes, as different rim sizes do not allow same-sized rim brakes to work with different-sized wheels.
- Wheel size alternation with disc brakes allows larger rim size wheels with outer diameters (29″) with higher volume wider tires with the same outer diameter size as more options including using a smaller diameter rim size wheel (27.5+) consistency is important as it preserves the frame geometry between the two different wheel sizes.
👉 Disc Brake Pad Compatibility Chart
| BP 01 | Deore
BR – MT 410/ 575/ 525/ 515/ 615 Alivio Acera Altus |
|---|---|
| BP 02 | XRT
BR- M 9000/ 9020/ 987/ 988/ 985 XT BR- M 8100/ 8000/ 785 SLX BR- M 7100/ 7000/ 675/ 666 Deore BR- M 6100/ 6000/ 615 |
| BP 03 | XTR
BR- M 9120 XT BR- M 8120/ 8020 SLX BR- M 7120 Deore BR- M 6120/ MT 420 Saint Zee |
| BP 04 | Dura Ace
Ultegra 105 Tiagra XTR BR- M 9100/ 9110 XT BR- M 8110 SLX BR- M 7110 GRX Metrea |
👉 Differences Between Ceramic Brake Pads & Semi-Metallic Brake Pads
1. CERAMIC BRAKE PADS
In most cases, ceramic brake pads on bicycles are made from a material similar to the type of ceramic used in ceramic and plate making. Its material is much thicker and also considerably more durable.
These brake pads contain very fine copper fibers which are mostly embedded, thereby helping to increase the friction between them and hence the thermal conductivity.
Various research shows that this type of brake pad was manufactured by Guco in the mid-1980s. And, they are steadily gaining in popularity for several specific reasons.
- Noise Level: Ceramic brake pads are much quieter than other pads. Sometimes there is little to little extra noise when applying the bicycle brakes.
- Tear And Wear Residue: Ceramic brake pads produce much less dust and various types of particles than organic brake pads. In short, these brake pads are less likely to get dirty.
- Temperature and Driving Conditions: Compared to other types of organic brake pads, ceramic brake pads have a much wider range of temperature and driving conditions as well. Also, likely to be more reliable.
Riders find the ceramic brake pads somewhat limiting. Initially, it can be seen that the cost of ceramic brake pads is quite high as they tend to be the most expensive of all other types of brake pads because of high production costs.
It is also observed in various cases that since both ceramic and copper materials can absorb less heat, more heat generated by the braking of the bicycle can pass through such brake pads. Besides that, the remaining parts of the braking system can also be moved there.
But all of these brake pads are not very effective in extreme driving. If the rider uses this pad for cycling in very cold weather or various upcoming races, chances are that the output will not be very good.
2. SEMI-METALLIC BRAKE PADS
Semi-metallic brake pads differ greatly from full-metal brake pads. The main reason is that they use 100% metal-free compounds for bicycle brake pads and use fillers.
Brake pads that are full metal brake pads are usually reserved for extreme braking requirements in real-world applications. Here, the rider can get anywhere from 30% to 70% metal on semi-metallic brake pads. Many of which contain special alloys of copper, steel, iron, and the like. These various metals are combined with graphite lubricants and various fillers to complete the brake pads.
Given that metal brake pads contain compounds that vary. Each different type of race offers its benefits for all types of riding, from commuting to track racing.
For riders who value high-performance, semi-metallic brake pads may be easier to choose. It will offer you superior braking performance across a wider range of temperatures and conditions. As you may know, metal is a very good conductor of heat. In that case, metal brake pads are more heat resistant. At the same time, the cycle’s braking system can help cool down even more at higher speeds.
Brake Pad Type Comparison: Ceramic & Metallic
| Aspect | Ceramic Brake Pads | Semi-Metallic Brake Pads |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Higher Price | Less Price than Ceramic |
| Performance | Medium | High |
| Noise | Very Low | High |
| Tear & Wear On Brake | Very Low | Medium |
So, Are Bicycle Disc Brake Pads Universal?
In most cases, bicycle disc brake pads are universal. But there are some different answers to this query on many sides.
According to many, bicycle brake pads are not all the same, besides they come in different shapes to the riders.
On the other hand, the small differences between the size, diameter, or composite metal used in making the brake pad of the bicycle do not have a big impact on the bicycle. So, you can easily assume bicycle disc brake pads as universal.
But when you are installing a new brake pad on your bike, never forget to check that it is properly compatible with the bike. As I have already informed you that disc brake pads may not be universal in size at times, choosing the right size can be very important in that case.
Reasons For Disc Brake Pads Problems
- Overheating: Overheating is the main shortcoming of disc brake pads. Due to excessive heat, such problems occur in the disc brake pads of the bike.
- Grabbing or Sticking: Grabbing or sticking is one of the problems with brake pads.
So the bikers need to clean the brake pads every few days. If not cleaned, the disc or brake of the bike gets jammed. As a result, the pad of the bike can get stuck at any time.
- Brake Fluid: Most riders use a type of fluid in brakes. This is because the brakes are dirty and do not jam. But this fluid can be dangerous to the disc brake pads. This is why the brake fluid level needs to be checked regularly. And if you can’t do this test yourself, you can take it at the service center.
Many bikers use such fluids to ease the disc brake pads but don’t know that excessive use of these fluids can damage the bike’s pads.
- Brake Air System: Air is used in the braking system of a bike. But many times this air does not play an effective role. Because sometimes excess air gets inside the braking system.
And because of this, the possibility of accidents can also increase. So it is necessary to be aware of the brake air system. This air system or air can cause disc brake pad problems.
- Brake Lever Pin: The brake lever causes problems with bike brakes or discs. There is no option to check the sliding pin If the pin is bad, there is a problem with the disc brake pads.
- Tuning: If there is a problem with the tuning of the bike, it can slowly get involved in the disc brake pads. So, it is important to keep the tuning of the bike right. Because the tuning of the bike is not right, the disc may have problems.
- Rotor: Disc brake pads apply pressure to the rotor instead of the wheel, and this pressure is transmitted hydraulically rather than by cables. But if it gets disturbed, then there is a problem with the disc of the bike.
- Pistons: Pistons play an important role in brakes. Because this system requires the help of the piston to complete the work of the disc brake pads. Similarly, if there is a problem in the piston of the bike, then it causes a problem in the disc brake pads.
- Plates & Disc: Plates and disc pads of a bike can cause problems with the brakes of a motorcycle or bike. For this reason, plate and disc pads should be checked regularly. Due to the cracks in them, the disc or brakes of the bike may go bad.
From the above discussion, now we can understand what can cause problems in the bike disc. Besides, if we know and are aware of these reasons, we can easily get rid of or avoid disc brake pad problems.
Method For Easily Replacing Brake Pads
First of all, there is no need to pay a lot of money to a repair shop for new brakes. Most bicycle brake pads are easy to replace. Just follow these simple steps that will be pictured below. And, after that, you can replace your bicycle brake pads at home with great ease.
All the tools you will need-
- C- clamp
- Regular wrench
- Allen wrenches
- Hammer
- Crack
- Small Bungee Cord
Unbolt The Caliper
Two brackets that hold the brake calipers.
- The brake capture must be removed so that the brake pad moves to the top. In some cases, the pad will come out without removing the caliper, but many times it won’t.
- Behind the caliper, you’ll find a bolt on either side. It should be an Allen bolt, a hex bolt.
- Hold the caliper from above and lift it, wiggling it around to loosen it.
- Pull it out and slightly away, making sure not to put any pressure on the black hose that is still connected to the brake line. If there is a place to safely change calories, do it. If not, you’ll need to take your bungee cord and hang the caliper off of something.
- The huge coil that may stare at you is a good place to spring. But do not block the catcher by the brake line, this may cause damage and brake failure!
Remove The Old Brake Pads
Before pulling out the old brake pads, take a second to see how everything is installed. If there are little metal clips around the brake pads, note how they are there, you can get it right when you put things back together.
- If your bike has a little metal tab holding onto the brake pads, put the new pads in the slot with any metal clips you remove because you will need them in a minute.
- Go ahead and slide the new pad into place, making sure you don’t forget the little clips you removed recently.
Brake Piston Compressing
As your brake pads wear, Caliper adjusts itself so that you will have stronger brakes throughout the life of the pads.
- If you look inside the caliper, you will see a circular piston. This is what pushes on the brake pad from behind. The problem is, that it adjusts itself to match your rot pad. Instead of destroying your new pad, you have to push the piston back to the starting point.
- Now take the C-fork and place the screw end against the piston with the other end of the bracket around the back of the capper assembly.
- After doing that, you can slowly tighten the thighs until the piston moves far enough that you can easily plop the caliper assembly onto the new pads.
Reinstall The Brake Calipers
With the piston compressed, you should be able to easily slide the caloric assembly over the new pad.
- Once you have it there, you replace the removed bolts and tighten them snugly.
- Brakes Depress the brake pedal a few times so that you have firm brake pressure.
- The first pump or two will soften as the piston pad finds its new starting point behind.
- And, make sure all bolts are tight.
👉 Long-Lasting Brake Pads For Your Bicycle:
1. SwissStop FlashPro Original Black Brake Pads:
If you are looking for the best all-around brake pad, this might be the right one for you.
2. Alritz Bike Brake Pads Set:
Those who are looking for a long-lasting pad with the Best value will be fine for most riders.
3. SHIMANO 2 Pairs Disc Brake Pads:
Most people like to do Casual Cycle Riding. But that’s why a proper brake pad is very important. So, you can use it safely.
In the case of casual riding SHIMANO 2 Pairs Disc Brake Pads can provide outstanding output.
4. Panda Road Brake Pads:
These types of brake pads work very well for cycling with road bikes. For those riders who cycle with road bikes, it will work very long-lasting.
5. Kool Stop Dual Compound Mountain Pads:
Most reasonable & suitable for Mountain Bike Riding. For riders who do regular mountain cycling, this brake pad can be great for those types of Riders.
To Wrap Up
Throughout today’s article, I have tried to provide a lot of detailed information about bicycle disc brake pads & disc brakes which will be much more necessary for you shortly.
As a biker, you must have proper knowledge about bicycle disc brake pads. In every scenery and knowledge earning matters in cycling, this post about brakes and Disc brakes just gets you ahead of many.
