Boopop
Legendary Member
I'll try to make this as quick to read as possible
1. Noticed a saddle rail broken at the start of a charity ride. Briefly showed it to mechanics at the start in case they had a spare saddle. They didn't. He pointed out my brake pads were worn. My Birzman pad checker said otherwise.
2. Nonetheless, my next trip was to the Peak District, so I replaced them anyway. Like for like Gorilla Brakes Semi-Organic pads on my SRAM AXS Force brake calipers
3. I bed them in, no issues seemingly.
4. I ride from Rugely Trent Valley railway station to where my relatives live, about 30 miles. On the very last descent (the Pinch, you might know it, in to Milldale) the pads start squealing.
5. I go on a ride the next day, 50 miles. Super loud squealing, infuriating, both front and rear. Nice ride though other than that.
6. I get some sandpaper and disc brake cleaner. Twice I sand the pads, clean the rotors. Seems like it might have worked when bedding them in again.
7. No, next ride I go on (35~ miles), still in the Peak District, screaming brakes.
8. I decide there's nothing for it, new pads and rotors (switched to Shimano rotors, supposed to be compatible).
9. Bed them both in...front brake starts squealing!

10. I give both calipers/brakesets a full blown service. I floss the pistons as per Calvin Jones (Park Tools) instructions, I then bleed both brakes as I've done before.
11. Bed the brakes in again...seems OK, maybe, oh, no - there we go again, front brake is squealing again.
I'm at my wits end, they were quiet before I changed pads. I've still got the old pads so I'm tempted to switch back to that on the front as a test. Or should I just give up on Gorilla Brakes? They are an odd brand but they've been alright up until now.
What would you do? I'm thinking I might just try some different pads, maybe SwissStop 35 RS.
Cheers for reading all of that.
1. Noticed a saddle rail broken at the start of a charity ride. Briefly showed it to mechanics at the start in case they had a spare saddle. They didn't. He pointed out my brake pads were worn. My Birzman pad checker said otherwise.
2. Nonetheless, my next trip was to the Peak District, so I replaced them anyway. Like for like Gorilla Brakes Semi-Organic pads on my SRAM AXS Force brake calipers
3. I bed them in, no issues seemingly.
4. I ride from Rugely Trent Valley railway station to where my relatives live, about 30 miles. On the very last descent (the Pinch, you might know it, in to Milldale) the pads start squealing.
5. I go on a ride the next day, 50 miles. Super loud squealing, infuriating, both front and rear. Nice ride though other than that.
6. I get some sandpaper and disc brake cleaner. Twice I sand the pads, clean the rotors. Seems like it might have worked when bedding them in again.
7. No, next ride I go on (35~ miles), still in the Peak District, screaming brakes.
8. I decide there's nothing for it, new pads and rotors (switched to Shimano rotors, supposed to be compatible).
9. Bed them both in...front brake starts squealing!


10. I give both calipers/brakesets a full blown service. I floss the pistons as per Calvin Jones (Park Tools) instructions, I then bleed both brakes as I've done before.
11. Bed the brakes in again...seems OK, maybe, oh, no - there we go again, front brake is squealing again.
I'm at my wits end, they were quiet before I changed pads. I've still got the old pads so I'm tempted to switch back to that on the front as a test. Or should I just give up on Gorilla Brakes? They are an odd brand but they've been alright up until now.
What would you do? I'm thinking I might just try some different pads, maybe SwissStop 35 RS.
Cheers for reading all of that.