[shiftersteve]

Looking for advice on replacement brake pads for a Hayes 6 inch MTB setup. Lots of aftermarket choices. I'm pretty aggressive with the brakes and prefer quick grabbing and max braking power over longer pad/rotor life. What are the pros and cons between metallic, sintered, and organic?

 

[mellow_sparky]

Sintered pads will typically give you the best performance from a braking standpoint. They are the best in terms of holding up to heat - they also provide the most consistent performance in wet conditions. Sintered pads typically last much longer than metallic or organic. On the down-side, they are also the loudest pads - they typiclly make more noise when braking. Additionally, these pads usually cost more (but will last considerably longer).

Semi-metallic pads are the next best thing -- they tend to be super quiet and give a more "soft" feel to braking. I actually like these for general trail riding -- they work just fine in normal conditions and they make no sound at all. They do tend to fade more with heat and wet conditions.

Organic pads will be the softest and fastest wearing. However they will run very quiet and they tend to be the least expensive. If you only ride occasionally and not under any extreme conditions, you might select these to optimize on price.

 

[shiftersteve]

Excellent, thank you. I orderd up some sintered pads along with a new rotor and will see how they work.