FR205M Metal Pads

Each pad compound has different performance characteristics. For most riders, one of the characteristics is a dealbreaker which makes the choice easy. Here are the main dealbreakers:

A) Are you a heavy (or aggressive) rider who brakes a lot on long descents? Get Metal
B) Do you hate the feeling of on/off brakes? Get Resin
C) Do you like riding in the wet regularly? Get Metal
D) Do you strongly dislike brake noise? Get Resin (note that they are loud when wet)
E) Do you want to minimise the cost of bike parts? Get Metal

If you want to know more about pad compounds have a look at our article.

Systematically bedding in your brake pads before riding them is the best thing you can do to maximise braking performance. Below is a procedure for bedding in pads:

1) (Optional) If you are changing pad compound or brand: Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol. Use a very clean cloth, rag or paper towel.
2) Install pads
3) Install wheel
4) Check that your brake pads contact each side evenly when brakes are applied.
4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).
5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material which is what we are trying to avoid.
6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty times.

If you want to know more about bedding your pads in have a look at our article.

E-bikes are a lot heavier than normal bikes which makes them harder to stop. Compared to a lighter normal bike, to slow down in the same period of time requires pulling the brake levers harder and your brakes will get hotter. Although e-bikes have higher braking requirements, we don’t offer e-bike specific pads because we already offer our highest performing compounds. The best pad compound for you depends on your bike setup and preferences.

If your current brakes aren’t doing enough for you, consider the following situations and solutions:

A) If your brakes aren’t slowing you fast enough, consider installing some larger rotors to get more braking power.
B) If you use resin pads and your brakes lose power when hot, consider trying metallic pads.
C) If you use metallic pads and your brakes lose power when hot, consider installing larger rotors to get more braking power.

You can learn more about our pad compounds here.
You can learn more about brake fade here.

At very high temperatures brakes tend to lose performance (brake fade). The purpose of finned pads is to decrease brake fade through an increase in surface area for cooling. While they sound nice, we don’t offer finned pads because their performance gains are low compared to other solutions which cost you less in the long run.

The most effective solution for brake fade is increasing the size of your brake rotor which gives it a much larger surface area for cooling (significantly more than finned pads). Increasing the size of your rotor also provides you more power and reduces pad wear rate as well as the fatigue on your braking finger. Yes, even 203mm rotors aren't enough for a lot of us!

If you want to know more about the ins and outs of brake fade have a look at our article.