Brakes are important

[mrkenny83]

My brakes have been acting funny, and it was time for my bike’s one-month checkup (happy one-month birthday!). Can you believe it – after just one month, I had completely wore my brake pads down!

I guess the hills on Custis can really do a number….

How often do you need to get your brake pads replaced? I’m wondering… if I continue on as I normally do, will I need to replace my pads monthly? For realsies????

Topic

[jabberwocky]

I think it depends on how much you use them. Mine tend to last a long time (years), but I admit that I don’t use them much. :p

Its also the pad material. An aftermarket pad (kool-stop etc) might last longer.

[DaveK]

Road bike needs pads twice a year, commuter… I’ll tell you when I replace them. The brakes on my commuter are terrible so I concentrate on not needing them as much as possible. It’s on my list to convert that bike to run a front disc brake, maybe over the winter. I run kool stop salmon pads on both right now, although I’m pretty impressed with the Swiss Stop pads that came on another bike I’m working on.

[Greenbelt]

Even with disk brakes, I’m going through pads quickly — I’m on my 2nd set since April. I’m amazed how fast I go through them commuting. The rain, the road grit and grime, the hard stops and downhill slowdowns really take a toll I guess.

[KLizotte]

I wore out the factory issued pads on my commuter Trek 7300 hybrid in 8 months (about 2,300 miles). I don’t recall off hand what kind of pads the LBS installed to replace them but I hope they last longer. One month does seem extreme though I suspect factory issued pads are of the cheaper variety.

[consularrider]

I just replaced the original pads for my mechanical disc brakes on my commuter bike after 20 months and a little more than 11,000 miles of all weather riding. I’m still on the original pads (SRAM Rival side pull) for my road bike after 15 months and 5600 fair weather miles. On my old commuter with cantilever brakes, I replaced the pads a couple times a year (had switched to the salmon Kool-Stop).

[mrkenny83]

@KLizotte 10769 wrote:

I wore out the factory issued pads on my commuter Trek 7300 hybrid in 8 months (about 2,300 miles). I don’t recall off hand what kind of pads the LBS installed to replace them but I hope they last longer. One month does seem extreme though I suspect factory issued pads are of the cheaper variety.

Everyone was quite shocked that they were COMPLETELY worn after only one-month of riding. My commute is only 30 miles round trip, and I don’t ride everyday. I estimate it was only 500 miles….

They definitely replaced them with something better. My old brakes made a funny noise, and these are as quiet as my 2 kittens basking in the sunlight. It’s like a brand new bike.

[Mark Blacknell]

Something seriously off with wearing through a set of pads in a month. Just so you know. Pay attention to this set and report back in a month

[mstone]

machined rims? you might have had metal shavings wear off and burn through the pads (which should not happen again with a new set).

[pfunkallstar]

I think MStone is right. Hopefully those old pads have honed the break surface a bit, otherwise super fine grit sandpaper on the rims can control squeal and also extend pad life.

[Author]

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