BRAKE PADS & ROTORS

How to choose between the different pad-compound and disc options Organic pads

Organic (aka non-metallic/ non-sintered) pads are made up of Kevlar, rubber and silica, bound with resin. They’re soft so wear quickly (especially in mud) but are quiet and work well from cold. The organic material insulates pistons from the heat, so less is transferred to the fluid, but they’re more prone to pad-fade (overheating) and glazing. They bed-in quickly and minimise rotor wear. Good for fine-weather trail riding.

Metallic pads

These pads (aka sintered/ non-organic) are highly durable and resistant to glazing, but can be noisy. They take time to warm up, longer to bed-in and work best at high temperatures, although the metal particles in the pad material transfer more heat to the piston and brake fluid. Great for muddy and descent-focused riding.

Semi-metallic pads

Semi-metallic (aka semisintered/semi-organic) pads are made of organic material mixed with metal particles. They offer better stopping power than organic pads, especially in the wet, and quicker warm-up than sintered pads. However, they’re more prone to glazing than organics, and not as quiet. They’re the priciest option, but good all-rounders at all temperatures.

Rotors

Brake rotors (aka discs) are cut from steel (sometimes attached to an aluminium ‘spider’ to save weight) and their shape is optimised for shedding dirt and water. Cut-outs and fins increase the surface area to help dissipate heat into the air. Rotors range in diameter from 140mm to 225mm, with larger discs providing more leverage and therefore braking force while building up less heat, but increasing unsprung and rotating weight, and costing more. Most used to be 1.8-1.85mm thick, but brands are now introducing thicker rotors (up to 2.3mm), claimed to offer improved cooling, slightly more power and a firmer lever feel.