Road disc pad recommendations

I have just swapped out my resin pads after 1000 miles or so. Not normal usage 350 miles in Tenerife and TdY sportive. I have fitted sintered pads, less wear, better braking and less squeal.

I have TRP Spyres and I tend to gravitate to Jagwire or Ashima semi-metallic pads; they're the ones that seem to work the best for me out of the options available in my country in the M525/M515 shape.

Shimano's B01S resin jobs are okay in a pinch, but tend to wear down quite quickly in the cut-and-thrust of the urban commute (especially the front pair). They're the ones that seem most reliably stocked though. The Jagwire or Ashima options can have touchy availability.

If you've fitted the TRP Hy-Rd's and they're scary - might be because you fitted them incorrectly. I put a front one on my Synapse as well and was quite dissapointed with the result (about the same or perhaps worse than the original cable calipers).

So I reread the TRP instructions, watched videos etc and realised that I'd fitted it slightly wrong. I'd tightened the cable a bit too much (so that the brake lever didn't get too close to the handlebars). But this prevents the hydraulics from working properly as (I think) it means the cyclinder doesn't open properly to recharge when you release the brakes. The result is ok but spongy.

When I reset the cable, making sure their actuation lever position lock thing was engaged and just taking up the slack in the cable, the difference was dramatic (after a few brake pumps ). It suddenly felt like 80 - 90% of the stopping power of full hydraulic, instead of the 40 - 50% that I could ever get out of the original cable calipers.

Thanks to all on the pad advice. Live in Bath (v. hilly!), so I've ripped through my pads.

My sintered pads make a lot more noise and have less bite than the organic (resin), which are quiet and have more stopping power & modulation. Shimano or Superstar Components are a toss-up for performance.

But they also wear quicker. By some margin.

Trying some Superstar kevlar ones next, supposedly last longer but the benefits of organic pads.

FWE semi sintered look perhaps OK? I haven't found many reviews, has anyone used them?

http://m.evanscycles.com/products/fwe/shimano-deore-m515-disc-brake-pads...

+1 for superstar pads. I use organics on my cx bike with shimano cable discs and sintered on my MTB with shimano hydraulics. Braking is good, lifespan is good, price is good.

I run shimano r785 disc brakes on both my road bikes (one which is my all weather work bike which gets covered in lots of grit & grime every week)

Once the original pads wore out i replaced them with superstar component pads

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/mountain/mountain-braking/mou...

I can say they have been brilliant, just as good as the original shimano ones, one set have done 2000+ miles on the work bike

Cost £18 to do all four brake calipers

The shimano ones cost £16 for one caliper!

My mileage varies, literally.

I have TRP Spyre brakes which use the same pads.   I found the original TRP organic pads wore very quickly.  I had to adjust them every 100 miles, and they only lasted 1000.  I replaced them with EBC Gold sintered pads and haven't had to adjust them at all in 500 miles.

The EBC pads seem to respond quicker in the wet, but they don't have the same overall  stopping power as the originals.   Think I'll be trying something different again next time.

I've tried a few and not really noticed any difference. Even between resin and sintered. Setup and clealiness seem to make the most difference. They seem to last an age as well so I wouldn't worry about them wearing down any time soon. I'd be interested to hear what others think.