resin or metallic pads ?

[solo]

well i would like to know what people think
i am up for a new set of xt brake pads and would like to know whats better the resin or metallic pads.
stock standard ones are metallic arent they ? have lasted me exactly one year since new bike
very rarely ride in the wet

[udi]

Do a search, been covered in detail plenty of times before.

The stock pads in XT are resin, get the metals next time (M06) as they bite harder, last longer, and perform better in the wet.

[Tom2304]

I prefer resin as they squeal less and I find modulate better. They do wear out a little faster though.

[udi]

Shimano sintered pads don't squeal at all (i've run them for years in all conditions), if they are squeaking it'd be an indication that you've got a foreign substance on your rotor. They'll make slightly more noise than resin pads but squeaking/squealing isn't one of them.

Also, the modulation claim is lame - the pads (or brakes) in question are nowhere near grabby enough that you can't control them with your fingers. Like I said, the sintered pads will translate to more bite, longer life, and far better wet weather performance - and more bite means less finger effort to stop/slow down.

Learn to use your fingers properly and run the superior pad compound would be my advice.

[skwiz05]

Shimano sintered pads don't squeal at all (i've run them for years in all conditions), if they are squeaking it'd be an indication that you've got a foreign substance on your rotor. They'll make slightly more noise than resin pads but squeaking/squealing isn't one of them.

Also, the modulation claim is lame - the pads (or brakes) in question are nowhere near grabby enough that you can't control them with your fingers. Like I said, the sintered pads will translate to more bite, longer life, and far better wet weather performance - and more bite means less finger effort to stop/slow down.

Learn to use your fingers properly and run the superior pad compound would be my advice.

The question of modulation is quite variable, even throughout different batches, and does vary with different riding conditions and the users care of their rotors (ie: bed them in Properley and alignment and keep contaminant free etc).

Ive had instances where ive gone from two finger back to one finger control through 1) only changing pad types, 2) or a good alcohol clean, rotor surface rough-up with emery and proper bedding in.

Resins, when bedded in properly etc have always given me better modulation/grip, but dont remain as consistent over time, without having to clean and re-align as they wear down more often than sinterred/metalics.

So overall, I'd say sinterred/metalics win.

My preference for metalic pads is Carbone Lorraine (Clarks) brand if you can get them. Work well for me in DH and XC, all conditions nil fade.

Info from the site:
Clark's formed a global partnership with Carbone Lorraine, the world's largest disc brake manufacturers. Founded over 100 years ago, the company manufacture for the aviation, automotive, motorcycle, train and cycle industries. Jumbo jets and TGV trains all stop on Carbone Lorraine pads!

[udi]

The question of modulation is quite variable

Quite the contrary, it's a very black and white affair. I haven't noticed any performance variation in different pairs (read: 20+) of the pads in question, shimano are always quite good in regards to consistency. Obviously there will be differences in grain from pad to pad and batch to batch but that's negligible IMO. Finally, user error isn't a factor in debating the modulation affair, when discussing it i'd make the assumption that brakes were correctly aligned, bled, and uncontaminated.

I think when it comes to downhill you can wipe away any regurgitated claims (i'd go as far as saying bullshit) about modulation. The more bite and stopping power you have, the later you can brake, and the less you'll have to ride the brakes. That translates to a greater average speed, and less hand/arm pump. It also means more traction because you aren't constantly dragging the brakes.

Not locking them up is simply down to finger control, and when you've got gravity and speed against you while braking, it's not hard to accomplish. It's easy to dismiss bitey brakes as "not having enough modulation" because you can't control them - but given some ride time on strong brakes and enough time to correct your riding/braking style, it's only going to shave seconds off your time.

I think the only situation where you might benefit from a brake with less bite/power is if you were riding say northshore skinnies or super wet offcamber roots (at XC speeds) all day. In those cases there would be little benefit to having better brakes (given the limits of traction), and the relative ease of locking up would push the ability of the human hand. However, I think I can safely say that those aren't common occurences in Australia, or at least don't make up the majority of any track.

I'm just tired of hearing that brake X has "great power and modulation", where modulation can refer to anything from a poor bleed, to poor alignment, to pads that don't have enough bite. Obviously this isn't you, but it definitely is 80% of the noobs on this site in any given brake thread.

[Matt H]

I'm just tired of hearing that brake X has "great power and modulation", where modulation can refer to anything from a poor bleed, to poor alignment, to pads that don't have enough bite. Obviously this isn't you, but it definitely is 80% of the noobs on this site in any given brake thread.

I think that a lot of the time modulation is confused with the actual progressiveness of the lever action (Hayes 9 vs. Shimano XT) In the case of shimano, the lever has a progressive action whereas hayes seem significantly more sudden in resistance. I'm also aware that variables such the bleed and lever position can play a roll in this but I'm saying it's purely from my own experience.

[ryno]

ignore this post, wrong section:o

[xc_machine]

Rik would have overed this better than anyone else..
I think this is how it goes:

RESIN-Wear out quick but have more grab.
METAL-Less touchy, but last longer.

[A-line4lyf]

To my knowledge, metallic pads wear the rotor out much more quicker than the resin, but they do last longer. Resin pads dont last as long but they save the rotor a lot more.

[solo]

i did a search and found heaps of threads but none on this actual subject
thankyou for your opinions i will get the metallic ones i dont think i am too worried about wearing out my rotors by that time i'll have replaced the bike easily the last pads lasted twelve months in all conditions and i like the feel they already had
and before anyone asks yes i know how to bed them in properly

[Oddjob]

Shimano sintered pads don't squeal at all (i've run them for years in all conditions), if they are squeaking it'd be an indication that you've got a foreign substance on your rotor. They'll make slightly more noise than resin pads but squeaking/squealing isn't one of them.

Thats crap. Shimano sintered XT/XTR pads are the noisiest things I've ever run. Those things howl like absolute banshies when they get hot. Before you ask the pads were brand new ones which I bedded in and ran through a few heat cycles in XT 2 pots on Shimano 6 inch disks that had been 'cured' and kept clean with isopropyl. Performance wise they aren't bad but they're not fantatsic either.

Anyway answering the question. XTs come stock with one set of sintered and one organic pad, the idea being that your fit one of each to the front and back caliper. IMO sintered are superior to organic in every respect except noise.

My preferences for pads are:

Goodridge sintered
EBC Gold
Clarks VRX

[top_dog]

Thats crap. Shimano sintered XT/XTR pads are the noisiest things I've ever run. Those things howl like absolute banshies when they get hot.

I disagree. They make a sort of scraping (almost metal on metal) noise but they don't howl, or zzzzzzz like Hayes.

And I am currently running metal pads in the front (8") and resin in the back (6") and I can't tell the difference.

[udi]

Thats crap. Shimano sintered XT/XTR pads are the noisiest things I've ever run. Those things howl like absolute banshies when they get hot. Before you ask the pads were brand new ones which I bedded in and ran through a few heat cycles in XT 2 pots on Shimano 6 inch disks that had been 'cured' and kept clean with isopropyl.

Haha, it's not crap at all - you just made the stupid mistake of cleaning your discs with isopropyl alcohol. The stuff is RARELY pure and most of the stuff i've seen leaves an oily residue when burnt off.

Like topdog said - the shimano full sintered pads don't squeak or squeal (when used and kept clean correctly), they just make a light scraping noise of metal on metal like any full sintered pad would. I'd know, i've run at least 20 different pads (shimano sintered) on various rotors, various brakes, and various bikes.

[|Matt|]

Haha, it's not crap at all - you just made the stupid mistake of cleaning your discs with isopropyl alcohol. The stuff is RARELY pure and most of the stuff i've seen leaves an oily residue when burnt off.

Like topdog said - the shimano full sintered pads don't squeak or squeal (when used and kept clean correctly), they just make a light scraping noise of metal on metal like any full sintered pad would. I'd know, i've run at least 20 different pads (shimano sintered) on various rotors, various brakes, and various bikes.

What do you clean your pads and rotors with? I run Saints with the Hope made Shimano rotors and they are quiet, and I'd like to keep them that way!

[Elbo]

I run EBC Green's on the rear, very good for light braking, but terrible for prolonged braking, such as going down any long hill. They heat up something shocking, smell terrible and feel 'floury' through the levers. After a while, they feel like they have glazed over and don't grip against the disc. I preferred the sintered pads that came with my Hayes HFX-9's. I know these brakes aren't the best, but the standard pads offered the best power, but definitely not the best modulation out of the HFX-9's.

[NCR600]

What do you clean your pads and rotors with? I run Saints with the Hope made Shimano rotors and they are quiet, and I'd like to keep them that way!

Lab grade IPA is the go. Personally I think people around here clean their brakes way too often, and generally using rubbing alcohol that pharmacists sell as IPA, whatever shitty cross-contaminated metho they've got lying around applied to an oily rag or some other impure solvent.

I rarely use anything to clean brakes other than a good flush throuugh with the hose if they've been squealing. 99% of the time this will cure any noises.

The other 1% of the time a bit of emery and deglazing the pads cures it. This is the time to use solvents. The only other time I'd use a solvent is when the disk is now and is covered with whatever protectant the factory uses, or if I've put greasy fingerprints on it from other work..

[Oddjob]

Haha, it's not crap at all - you just made the stupid mistake of cleaning your discs with isopropyl alcohol. The stuff is RARELY pure and most of the stuff i've seen leaves an oily residue when burnt off.

Like topdog said - the shimano full sintered pads don't squeak or squeal (when used and kept clean correctly), they just make a light scraping noise of metal on metal like any full sintered pad would. I'd know, i've run at least 20 different pads (shimano sintered) on various rotors, various brakes, and various bikes.

Meh whatever...