Which Brake Pads should I use?
The Ultimate Guide to Brake Pads: Choosing the right AMP Brake Pad for your Bike
When it comes to bike maintenance, one of the most important components to consider is your brake pads. Your choice of brake pads can make a huge difference in braking power, durability, and overall performance. In fact, slowing down in a predictable and effective way will make you faster.
In this guide, we’ll break down which AMP brake pads are best suited for your groupset to ensure smooth and efficient stopping power.
Why do Brake Pads Matter?
Brake pads are essential for slowing down and stopping your bike safely. Over time, they wear down and need to be replaced to maintain optimal braking performance.
Choosing the right brake pad ensures compatibility with your braking system and maximizes performance.
Which Compound should I use?
There are various brake pad compounds available in the market and choosing the right one can be a daunting task.
In this guide, we will explore the pros and cons of the four main types of brake pad compounds:
Organic, Ceramic, Semi-Metallic, and Metallic.
Organic Brake Pads sound nice!
Organic brake pads prioritize a natural approach, incorporating rubber, glass, and resins in their composition. These eco-friendly pads offer a quieter ride and reduced rotor wear, catering to environmentally conscious bikers. However, they may wear out faster and lose effectiveness in high-temperature conditions.
Organic brake pads tend to perform reasonably well in wet or rainy conditions. The softer composition helps maintain consistent friction even in damp environments. However, due to their organic nature, they may exhibit a slight reduction in overall braking efficiency when soaked, making them less ideal for extremely wet conditions.
✅ PROS
- Earth-friendly vibes: Made from natural stuff like rubber and resins, organic brake pads are a win for eco-conscious bikers.
- Quiet operators: These pads don’t make a fuss—less noise means a chill ride on the trails or streets.
- Easy on rotors: Soft and gentle, organic pads won’t go hard on your bike’s rotors.
CONS
- Heat challenge: When it gets hot, organic pads might take a hit, making them less ideal for wild mountain descents or long road stretches.
- Quick wear: Their softness means more frequent changes, especially if you’re putting your bike through the wringer.
- Limited performance on rainy days.
Ceramic Brake Pads sound special!
Ceramic brake pads focus on cleanliness and performance, utilizing ceramic fibres, filler materials, and bonding agents. Manufactured through intense pressure and high-temperature processes, these pads excel in dissipating heat, minimizing noise/vibrations, and reducing dust.
Ceramic pads offer an extended lifespan, making them a popular choice for bikers seeking a balance between performance and durability.
Ceramic brake pads are known for their stable performance in wet weather. The ceramic compound is less affected by moisture, ensuring reliable braking even when it’s raining.
✅ PROS
- Minimal noise and dust: Enjoy a tidy ride with ceramic brake pads—they keep things quiet and clean.
- Heat masters: Handling high temperatures like a champ, ceramic pads are your go-to for intense downhill rides or marathon road cycling.
- Long-lasting buddies: Ceramic pads stick around longer than other types, giving your bike some serious staying power.
- Good performance on rainy days.
CONS
- Pricey pals: Quality comes at a cost—ceramic brake pads can hit your wallet harder than other options.
- Slow to bite: They might not grab right away, but once they do, they’re solid.
Semi-Metallic Brake Pads – interesting?
Semi-metallic brake pads combine organic compounds with metal fibres like copper or steel. Through a bonding process involving heat and pressure, they strike a versatile balance between affordability and efficiency. Despite generating a bit more noise and dust, these pads provide reliable performance, making them an attractive option for bikers seeking a cost-effective solution.
Semi-metallic brake pads offer decent performance in wet conditions. However, the presence of metal can lead to increased noise and potentially more noticeable wear in prolonged wet conditions.
✅ PROS
- Good all-rounder: Semi-metallic brake pads strike a sweet balance, performing well in various biking situations.
- Heat-friendly: They handle high temperatures better than organic pads, making them versatile for mountain biking and road cycling adventures.
- Budget-friendly buds: Semi-metallic pads won’t break the bank, offering a cost-effective yet reliable choice.
CONS
- Bit noisier, bit dustier: Expect a tad more noise and dust compared to ceramic pads, though less than the organic crew.
- Rotors get a workout: The metal content might wear down rotors a bit quicker than ceramic pads.
- Not ideal on rainy days.
Metallic Brake Pads are the Heavy-Hitters!
Metallic brake pads embody high performance, crafted with a mix of metals like iron, copper, and steel using a sintering process. These robust pads handle extreme temperatures and deliver superior braking power, ideal for heavy-duty biking. Despite increased noise and dust, metallic brake pads are the top choice for bikers prioritizing maximum performance in challenging scenarios.
Metallic brake pads generally provide reliable braking performance even in wet conditions. The metallic compound is less affected by water. However, bikers will experience more noise and dust, especially in prolonged wet riding situations.
✅ PROS
- High-performance champs: Metallic brake pads are your go-to for intense mountain biking, road cycling, or any heavy-duty action.
- Heat masters: Handling crazy temperatures, metallic pads keep your braking game strong even under extreme conditions.
- Great performance on rainy days (but noisy!).
CONS
- Noisy and dusty: Brace yourself for some noise and dust—metallic pads aren’t the cleanest performers.
- Rotor wear alert: The hardness might put your bike’s rotors through the wringer, but they’re tough enough to handle it.
So whether you’re riding the mountains, the roads or both, picking the right brake pads is key for a killer riding experience.
There are plenty of considerations:
Riding preference, terrain, weather, and budget when choosing between organic, ceramic, semi-metallic, and metallic brake pads.
With this knowledge, you can confidently equip your bike with the perfect brake pads for a safe, efficient, and fast ride.
AMP Brake Pads and Their Compatibility
AMP offers high-quality brake pads designed to fit a range of brakes. They are offered in 3 specific levels.
1️⃣ Carbone SL
Carbone SL is the top of the range offering with SL = Super Light. By definition these Brake Pads are simply the lightest available at only 8.8g (including spring, Shimano Dura-Ace).
Offered in a Ceramic compound, they are 15% cooler than traditional pads when means better braking power.
They are also lighter and stiffer than common pads materials, carbon fibre is outstanding when it comes to vibrations which makes them very quiet, almost silent!
2️⃣ Carbone
The Carbone are offered in Organic and Ceramic compounds.
Organic are suitable for soft riding and have a quick bedding in period.
Ceramic offer the ultimate performance. Extreme braking power with excellent vibration dissipation. Perfect for long runs and powerful braking. Recommended for wet conditions and e-Bikes.
These pads are 25% lighter than traditional pads (13.7g).
3️⃣ Podium
Podium are the value option and come in Organic and Metallic compounds.
Metallic are made to last. They give their best when ridden at high temperature. Perfect for long runs and powerful braking.
If you want a bigger version it's just here
Below is a breakdown of which AMP brake pad works with different brakes, so find your brakes and you'll find your Brake Pads:
⭐ BRAKE PADS - Shimano Dura-Ace/Ultegra/GRX/XTR M9100
Compatible with:
Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
Shimano Ultegra R8070
Shimano 105 (R70XX)
Shimano RS805/RS505/RS405
TRP HYLEX FM
TRP T-910 FM
The Shimano Dura-Ace/Ultegra/GRX/XTR M9100 is available in Carbone and Podium. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - Shimano XT/XTR/SLX
Compatible with:
Shimano XT M750/M8000/M8100
Shimano XTR M9000/M9020/M987/M985
Shimano SLX M675/M666
Shimano Deore M615
Shimano Alfine S700
Shimano S785/R785/CX77/R517/R317
Not compatible with XTR M9100 and XTR M9120
The Shimano XT/XTR/SLX is available in Carbone. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - Shimano Deore
Compatible with:
Shimano Deore M3XX/M4XX/M5XX
Tektro Auriga Pro/Aquila/Draco/HDC 300
Clarks M2
The Shimano Deore are available in Podium. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - SRAM 2020 Magura Campagnolo Trickstuff
Compatible with:
ROAD/GRAVEL
SRAM:
SRAM AXS 2020+
SRAM Red Red ETAP 2020+
SRAM Force 2020+
SRAM Rival 2020+
SRAM S700 2020+
Campagnolo H11
Although our pads shape may differ from the Campagnolo original shape, they are perfectly compatible.
MTB
SRAM:
SRAM Level 2020+ all models (T, TL, TLM, ULT)
SRAM DB1/DB3/DB5
Magura:
Magura MT2
Magura MT4
Magura MT6
Magura MT8
Although our pads shape may differ from the Magura original shape, they are perfectly compatible.
Trickstuff:
Trickstuff Piccola
The SRAM 2020 Magura Campagnolo Trickstuff are available in Carbone SL, Carbone and Podium. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - SRAM 2019
Compatible with:
SRAM Red Red ETAP ≤ MY2019
SRAM Force ≤ MY2019
SRAM Rival ≤ MY2019
SRAM S700 ≤ MY2019
The SRAM 2019 are available in Carbone and Podium. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - Formula Cura/Cura
Compatible with:
Formula Cura 2 pistons
Formula Mega
Formula The One
Formula R0
Formula R1
Formula RX
Formula RR1
Formula T1
Formula C1
Not compatible with Formula 4 pistons.
The Formula Cura are available in Podium. Check them out just here.
⭐ BRAKE PADS - Hope E4
Compatible with:
Hope E4
Hope M4
Hope RX4+
Hope RX4 Shimano
Note: not compatible with Hope RX4 SRAM (Dot).
The Hope E4's are available in Podium. Check them out just here.
When should I replace my Brake Pads?
You should check your brake pads regularly, especially if you ride frequently or in harsh conditions. If you hear a high-pitched squealing noise or feel reduced stopping power, it’s time to replace them. If in doubt, ask your mechanic!
Final Thoughts
Selecting the right AMP brake pad for your brakes ensures you get the best braking performance possible. Always match your brake pad with your brakes for optimal results, and remember to replace them when needed to maintain safety and control.
Now that you know which AMP brake pad fits your brakes, you can confidently upgrade your braking system and enjoy a smoother ride!