If you’ve read any of our past articles, then you already know about this entire science that lies behind changing one of your bike’s components. So, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that even brake pads come in different shapes and sizes, and you need to do a little bit of research before buying a new pair. Not to worry, we did that research for you and we are going to give you a sneak peek into the world of bike brake pads.
Table Of Contents
Top 7 Best Bicycle Brake Pads Comparisons
Brand | Details |
|---|---|
 Alritz Bike Brake Pads Set | |
 ODIER Bike Brake Pads | |
 The Flying Wheels Complete Bike Brake Pad Set | |
 BASEEING Bike Brake Pads | |
 Pioneeryao Sport Road Bike Brake Pads | |
 Pangda Road Brake Pads | |
 Hotop Bike Brake Pads |
Brake Pads: In Depth
They are considered a consumable and, even if they last longer than some of your other bike parts, they will still need replacing. As you can imagine, when they become worn out, they become a serious safety hazard, so whenever you feel that your pedaling is disturbed even in the slightest, it’s time to go shopping.
Rim Brakes
This is one of the two major brake pad categories. As you may already know, this category uses the wheel’s rotating rim as a braking surface. The pivoted cantilevers arms hold the brake padding in place and, when you press your handlebar lever, the pads will start pressing against the rim. This type of brakes is commonly used on mountain bikes, but some roadies and city cyclists are drawn to the simplicity of the mechanism as well. Rim brakes can be either cantilever or caliper and this is also a factor to consider when you’re out shopping for new pads.
However, you can’t just choose any one of the available types of rim brake padding, as they need to match the style of the brake itself. Each type of brake will require a different type of pad, as well as matching bosses. What you can choose is the compound that should match your personal preference. You can opt for either the rubber part of the pad or purchase the pad and the backer together. Here’s your list of available options:
- Ones for dry conditions are very good, very silent and extremely powerful… but only when they don’t come in contact with water. It’s important to have brakes that don’t reduce modulation and pads that make as little noise as possible, to make your riding experience pleasant and stress-free.
- There are also wet weather padding, which can generally be purchased in either pink or red. They are softer and will provide your feet with a better grip in wet conditions, especially when it’s pouring outside.|
- If your bike has carbon rims, then carbon pads are your best options. By using matching compounds, there are less change of your braking system getting damaged.
- You can also opt for mixed compound pads, which are more suitable for people who want an all-year-round performance. They have a very particular design that allows the pad to be cleaned from dirt, mud and grime. The compound is also softer, to make sure you have added grip.
Disc Brake Pads
Unlike rim brakes, disc brake pads have a circular metallic disc that’s located on the wheel’s hub. With the help of a caliper, this disc rotates and, by pressing the lever, the pads are applied to the rotor. The resulting friction is what brings your bike to a stop. When it comes to disc brake pads, you have to make sure that they fit your brake’s model. In other words, you can’t choose the design and shape of the pad, but you can choose the materials from which it’s made. Here are your options:
Identifying the Pad Type
As mentioned before, brake pads have different shapes and sizes, so you need to know if your rim brake system require a road, smooth or threaded stud.
Smooth stud systems have a post which extends from the pad and connects to the caliper’s arm via a special mechanism. The post is thread-free. Smooth stud pads are very common on cantilever brakes. Threaded stud and road braking systems are quite similar in terms of appearance. Both of them are secured to the caliper’s arm. In order to tell them apart, you should know that threaded stud pads are characterized by the presence of four spacers: two of them are convex and the other two, concave. Road brake pads, on the other hand, have a thin washer, but they lack the four spacers previously mentioned.
Top 7 Best Bicycle Brake Pads Reviews
Alritz Bike Brake Pads Set
There’s a reason why Arlitz’s pads sell the way they do. Made from native Taiwanese rubber and don’t contain any asbestos or emery, which are quite a safety hazard. This particular set includes 3 pairs of 70 mm pads which are compatible with v-brakes for both mountain and road bikes.
Each of these pairs includes a pad for the left and one for the right side of your bike, so make sure you pay close attention to which is which before installing them on your bike. Since their design is slightly curved, they won’t hurt the wheel in any way. Every one of the break pads found in this convenient pack comes with 1 hex nut and 5 spacers. You will also receive an Allen wrench, for easy installation and removal of the pads.
Pros
Cons
ODIER Bike Brake Pads
Now here is a wide and generous variety of brake pads designed for different types of brakes. You have the possibility to choose from semi-metallic and metal compound brakes for Shimano, SRAM, Avid, Zee and more. The high number of compatible brake model are paired with quite some generous customer reviews that prove there’s something in this product page for everyone. Most of these pads are able to successfully withstand heat and perform with reduced noise levels. They are easily adaptable to most road conditions and durable enough to make sure they won’t need changing any time soon.
Pros
Cons
The Flying Wheels Complete Bike Brake Pad Set
For a price that’s close to nothing, you can purchase this set that includes 2 pairs of right and left brake pads. They are easy to install and have been constructed in such a manner as to avoid that plasticky feel that leads to a lot of annoying squeaking. Since they are made of native rubber, they are able to perform well in just about any weather conditions, while also being heat and abrasive-resistant. The pack is complete with a set of dished washers and nuts that will allow easy adjustment and installing of the pads. However, you will have to bring your own tools to mount the pads on your bike.
Pros
Cons
BASEEING Bike Brake Pads
Another very affordable set of braking pads is the one delivered by BASEEING. They are pretty similar in terms of characteristics to The Flying Wheels set we spoke of earlier. The kit includes 4 brake pads (2 sets) that are compatible with just about any type of v-brake. Suitable for aluminum rims, the pads are made from a special rubber compound that guarantees a low level of noise.
The curved brake body is here to make sure that the pads won’t get in the way of your wheels. Sadly, the Allen wrench required to mount the pads isn’t included in the package. While it’s true that this set has a very low price, we feel that they are somehow too cheap (no wonder the seller’s page presents them as a “cheaper alternative”).
Pros
Cons
Pioneeryao Sport Road Bike Brake Pads
At double the cost of the previous 2 sets, you can get a beautifully-colored combination of brake pads from Pioneeryao. Be it black, silver, red, golden, blue of fiber, each one of these braking pads measure 55 mm in length, making them shorter compared to other models in this review round-up. The removable screw makes it easy to take the pads apart and remove them, which the grooves are meant to disperse the water to make sure that your feet won’t slip off the surface. Thanks to their all-weather compound, they should perform just as well in the fall as they do in the summer.
Pros
Cons
Pangda Road Brake Pads
Aside from the 3 minutes spent trying to understand the “g” in “Pangda”, we found that this particular set of brake pads is fairly simple to use and decipher. You get 2 sets of both left and right pads, with an Allen wrench included for easy installation. Just like every other set in this round up, these babies also promised a reduced noise level thanks to the rubber construction. This should also translate in good breaking power in both dry and wet conditions, but we’ll leave that one for you to decide. Every pad comes with a nut and spacer, as well as a v-shaped pattern to allow water to roll off the surface of the pads.
Pros
Cons
Hotop Bike Brake Pads
If you are a fan of bargains, we’ve decided to add one more to this list: the Hotop brake pads. Available in black, blue and red, this 4 pad set is sold at a very good price, as long as you’re interested in products that are compatible with v-brakes. The curved brake body is here to make sure that the pads won’t get in the way of your wheels.
As with most similar models, these also have a curved design to prevent wheel contact. The combination between the rubber and the metal used in the construction of the pads should be able to provide you with a durable and anti-slip product. The grooves that are found on the surface of the pads should be able to get you rid of water that causes your feet to slip while pedaling in wet conditions. Each of the 4 pads in the set comes with its very own nut and 5 spacers for proper mounting.
Pros
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The Bottom Line
Obviously, we can’t give you the best braking pads because it depends on the type of brakes that your bike currently sports. What we can tell you is the difference between all the different types of pads that are currently available on the market. We do love organic brake pads because they are easy on your brake rotors and they generate good friction without requiring a tremendous amount of heat. Semi-metallic pads are also decent, especially if you consider the fact that they are very resistant and provide a good cold bite. They are, however, noisier compared to other types of compounds, and they are also more abrasive.
Ceramic brake pads may be tough, but they aren’t a very common choice. It could be because they are very expensive, or maybe because they aren’t as good at absorbing heat, which leads to possible overheating of your braking system’s components. Also, they were never conceived with performance in mind, so they are not suitable for racing bikes.
If we had to choose the best type of pads, we’d go with the semi-metallic ones. Even if they make a lot of noise, they are also more versatile compared to the alternatives. They have a higher thermal threshold and perform better in a wider range of weather conditions. However, a regular commuter will be more than happy with a pair of organic pads. They are simple, quiet and provide you will all the stopping power you could ever need in the city.