Brake pads

How it works

Brake pads are two friction pads mounted in the caliper, one on each side of the disc. When you pull the lever or press the pedal, hydraulic pressure pushes the caliper pistons, which clamp the pads against the disc: friction turns the bike's energy into heat and slows it down. The lining wears with every stop, faster in town, in the mountains or when riding hard. The main types are organic pads (soft and progressive, suited to relaxed riding) and sintered pads (sintered metal, more durable when hot and in the wet, common on modern bikes); use the type specified for your disc. A worn pad loses bite, may squeal, then starts cutting into the disc with its metal backing, which costs far more. A glazed (overheated) pad or one contaminated with oil or grease slips and brakes poorly: it must be replaced, not cleaned. Pads are always changed in pairs on a caliper, and on both calipers of the same axle.

Maintenance tips

• ✓Check lining thickness regularly: most pads have a groove or wear indicator; replace them before reaching the manufacturer's limit.
• ✓Always replace pads in pairs, on both calipers of the same axle, with the type (organic or sintered) suited to your disc.
• ✓A pad soaked with oil or brake fluid cannot be saved: find the leak (fork seal, caliper) and replace the pads.
• ✓After fitting new pads, pump the lever before riding, then bed them in gently over a few dozen kilometres.
• ✓Brakes are safety-critical: if you have any doubt about fitting or braking power, have a professional check them.