Okay, so I did a search on this, and couldn't find much of a collected resource on the subject. I've heard things here and there, but want to hear what all you freeriders and racers have to say.
I have the older ('03) XT disc brakes (but this is really a universal subject for the most part - pads of different shapes will still work relatively similar). I just replaced the pads with EBC reds when the stock ones disappeared (oddly enough, the rear wore out first, but I put the old front pads on the rear, and the new pads on the front). About 2 lift-serviced days into the new set of EBC reds, the other stock pair wore out on the back, and I replaced those with EBC red's as well, not knowing how fast the the new set of EBC's were wearing (I left the worn pads on the front, and put the new EBC's on the rear). The first set of new EBC reds (on the front) lasted me 2.5 days at Whistler and 2 days at Hemlock, and then they were gone.
Now that one pair is completely gone after 5 full days of riding, I am believing what people say about them wearing fast. In a pinch, I replaced my spent set of EBC red's halfway through the day at Whistler with some Axiom pads I found at a shop for like $15US (Axiom on rear, EBC on front).
Now to the issue. I was thinking it'd be a good idea to see if anyone else knows anything else about other potential good performers in the pad department.
My conundrum is this though: to create friction necessary for stopping, something is going to wear down over time. Usually that is the pad, but I'm afraid that if I find my "ideal pad" that wears slowly AND brakes well, that it will wear down the rotor instead of the pad (I am thinking that EBC golds' may do this).
Let the information flow.
I have the older ('03) XT disc brakes (but this is really a universal subject for the most part - pads of different shapes will still work relatively similar). I just replaced the pads with EBC reds when the stock ones disappeared (oddly enough, the rear wore out first, but I put the old front pads on the rear, and the new pads on the front). About 2 lift-serviced days into the new set of EBC reds, the other stock pair wore out on the back, and I replaced those with EBC red's as well, not knowing how fast the the new set of EBC's were wearing (I left the worn pads on the front, and put the new EBC's on the rear). The first set of new EBC reds (on the front) lasted me 2.5 days at Whistler and 2 days at Hemlock, and then they were gone.
Now that one pair is completely gone after 5 full days of riding, I am believing what people say about them wearing fast. In a pinch, I replaced my spent set of EBC red's halfway through the day at Whistler with some Axiom pads I found at a shop for like $15US (Axiom on rear, EBC on front).
Now to the issue. I was thinking it'd be a good idea to see if anyone else knows anything else about other potential good performers in the pad department.
My conundrum is this though: to create friction necessary for stopping, something is going to wear down over time. Usually that is the pad, but I'm afraid that if I find my "ideal pad" that wears slowly AND brakes well, that it will wear down the rotor instead of the pad (I am thinking that EBC golds' may do this).
Let the information flow.
