Replacement disc brake pads supply - Shimano XT M785

[I like Skol]

I have M785 brakes on my MTB and my rigid hybrid commute machine. Absolutely great brakes and leagues ahead of the Tektro tosh my hybrid started out with. One thing experience has taught me is that resin pads are noisy when damp and braking power can be a bit unreliable/inconsistent, maybe due to contamination from riding on wet, dirty, oily roads? In contrast, sintered/metal pads don't seem to have the off days like the resin ones do.
My hybrid XT brakes were supplied with the sintered and finned pads (F03C) and these were great.
When they wore out I bought genuine Shimano sintered but without fins (G03S) replacements. These were also great.
I have fitted XT disc brakes to my MTB recently and these seem to be grey import items boxed in Chain Reactions own boxes but the price appeared good. Once I started using them I soon realised they were maybe a bit iffy on the consistent great stopping power front! Worked ok at first then were noisy when wet and seemed to go right off the boil for a couple of rides (including Llandegla where they worked about as well as wet caliper rim brakes at one point!!). Anyway, today I popped out the pads to see what they were and confirm my suspicions. One set is finned resin (F01A) and the others unfinned resin (G01A). I knew I was getting a set without fins but with the resin pads maybe the cheap deal wasn't such a deal?

My hybrid is now very close to needing new pads. I'm in luck here because I have also fitted the Deore M615 disc brakes to my oldest son's bike and guess what.... they also take the same pads so, IF I can get a good price, I can stock up on a few sets

Here's my plan.

• Swap the awful resin pads to my commuter and live with them while using them up as quickly as possible.
• Find a good deal on genuine Shimano pads.
• Fit sintered/metal pads to the MTB (with or without fins though?).
• Stock up on a couple of sets of the non-finned sintered variety for when the hybrid ones need doing plus some spares for the 'fleet'

Who has a hot lead on a supplier selling these at a great price? I do like genuine parts as you know exactly what you are getting with much less risk of getting naff, chocolate teapot, lookalike parts.
My previous purchase of the sintered/non-finned pads were from Rose in Germany but they are ex-stock at the moment and they are only showing 1 set of the finned variety

Google isn't helping, where should I be looking?

Suggestions please

 

[User33236]

Check out http://www.discobrakes.com

 

[dan_bo]

Check out http://www.discobrakes.com

 

[Kestevan]

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/...c-metal-41579?currency=3&delivery_country=190

Think these may be the pads you're after..... failing that they have pretty much every type. Prices are usually pretty good, and they don't hang about with delivery either.

 

[Cubist]

I use Superstar Components kevlar pads.

If you aren't downhilling in the Alps you don't need finned pads. The kevlar pads bite straight away, don't need bedding in, aren't noisy in any of the brakes we use (XT, SLX, SLX) and cost £25 for four pairs.

What's more, you can mix and match your order. Today I ordered some Magura pads for a bike I'm fixing, and a couple of Shimano for the spares box to benefit from the discount.

Superstar also do organic pads for £18 for four pairs, or sintered for £22.

Superstar buy their pads from the same people as Uberbike and Discobrakes, but neither of those do mix an match. Many years ago there were stories of pads detaching from the backing plates, but I have never had a pair fail, and opinions on all the forums I visit are that this is a thing of the past.

 

[I like Skol]

Thanks for this guys. The sintered pads from Discobrakes appear very reasonably priced and at that price worth a punt for one set to see how good they are. I still want the genuine finned variety for the MTB as compared to the hybrid it does massively lower mileage so replacement won't be often and I don't want to compromise on such a critical component when I am risking my neck on the rough stuff at speed. I think @Kestevan has linked to the cheapest source for those so far

If the Discobrakes ones work out then a bulk buy of 4 sets would be the way forward.

 

[I like Skol]

I just ordered some genuine sintered/metal pads with the fins from Merlin. Bargain price if bought in orders of 4 for £15/pr. This is cheaper than anywhere else on the web including the likes of Rose etc. They are hardly any dearer than the cheapest non-finned genuine Shimano sintered pads from Europe once you factor in the postage costs (although stumping up £60 did sting a bit).

I will save these for my MTB and try the Discobrakes sintered option when the time comes for the Hybrid to have some. I will try the resin MTB ones in the hybrid for the time being.........

 

[stevede]

I bought some from this eBay seller. First lot were cheaper standard ones and wore out very quickly. The sintered ones I have in now http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171124584559 are excellent and nowhere near as noisy as the original Shimano.

 

[Jody]

I use Superstar Components kevlar pads.

The kevlar pads bite straight away, don't need bedding in, aren't noisy in any of the brakes we use (XT, SLX, SLX) and cost £25 for four pairs.

What's more, you can mix and match your order. Today I ordered some Magura pads for a bike I'm fixing, and a couple of Shimano for the spares box to benefit from the discount.

Superstar also do organic pads for £18 for four pairs, or sintered for £22.

Hi @Cubist

Is this cost right? I ordered some sintered pads 2 packs rather than the bulk 4. Only one pack has arrived even though I paid for 2. I can't get through on the phone and not had an email response.

 

[Cubist]

Hi @Cubist

Is this cost right? I ordered some sintered pads 2 packs rather than the bulk 4. Only one pack has arrived even though I paid for 2. I can't get through on the phone and not had an email response.

keep trying. They usually answer the phone.

 

[Jody]

Must be something going on as I have been trying since this morning and can't get through. The phone hasn't rung this afternoon and a message saying they are extremely busy and not taking phone orders.

On a plus note the bag of Haribo went down well.

 

[Kevoffthetee]

How did this go in the end, I'm just about to order some kevlars but was swaying towards Uberbike

 

[compo]

How much difference is there between sintered pads and resin pads. My Trek FX7.3 came with resin pads and a warning to only use the same for replacement yet I regularly read of people swapping them out and using sintered pads. Is it worth changing when replacing them, and out I change the disc rotor as well?

 

[Cubist]

How much difference is there between sintered pads and resin pads. My Trek FX7.3 came with resin pads and a warning to only use the same for replacement yet I regularly read of people swapping them out and using sintered pads. Is it worth changing when replacing them, and out I change the disc rotor as well?

Depends on usage. Sintered pads are good in wet conditions and gritty rides. The downside is increased rotor wear, but given that you can get replacement rotors for a tenner each it doesn't seem like a huge price to pay.

I use Kevlar pads. They bite well from cold, but wear quickly in snotty conditions. I prefer them to sintered or resin personally, on the sort of stuff I ride most.