UKC

I was just doing some online shopping to buy some K03S (Ultrega/105/Tiagra) brake pads and, as with so many bike components, there seem to be very few Shimano ones available with loads of the obvious online shops having no stock. Has anyone tried no name or weird name generic alternatives? If so good or bad or no noticeable differences? I see that Decathlon sell a pair for about 7.50 and I just ordered via Amazon two pairs for the same price (Shimano originals seem to be 10-12 quid if you can find them).

I don't seem to go through brake pads as quickly as some, and have always just bought Shimano ones in the past as they aren't a particularly expensive component to replace, but what with the "global component shortage" looks like when the current ones on my gravel/do everything bike wear out, I'll be trying the Amazon specials...

Try diskobrakes - I use the yellow ones which are great

Decathlon brand may be considerably better, but I bought some random brand cheapo pads off amazon as a stop gap when I couldn't get any sram guide pads a while ago.

When I put one of the cheapo pads down on the table after taking it out of the packaging, the pad bit came away from the metal backing bit. I bought 2 pairs, so still had 3 pads. Another pad, the same thing happened while riding, luckily I didn't crash! But it ruined the day out. (I know continuing to ride with them was daft).

I won't buy mega cheap ones again.

I'm currently using sintered pads from this company https://noahandtheo.co.uk/ on my MTB and on the girlfriends road bike and they have been fine so far.

Not Shimano on mtb, but Formula Cura and have bought a few times mtb pads from RaceTi (.com) - their equivalent pads to Cura. Would be worth seeing if that company do an equivalent for your pads; I’ve had excellent service from them; great pads and a little cheaper last time I bought. Their stock does vary though I think and they don’t seem to show on website if no current supply available of things. Email contact ime is good though.

Largely a BTW, previously had excellent experience of one no name generic mtb pads when I needed to get hold of pads quickly a few years ago when in shortage. No name from a chinese supplier through Amazon. Had numerous good reviews and they appeared honest enough reviews to try. They were much cheaper than well known brands; turned out to be very good pads. So good bought same ones several times, probably 8/10 pads in total, before the pads became unavailable and then the seller disappeared a few months later from Amazon back in 2020.

Maybe I was just lucky with that no name.

Evaduol 4 Pairs Bike Brake Pads currently £8.99 on Amazon.

OK so far.

There are good and bad out there.

From my experience on mtb (sram or avid brakes depending on which bike).

I've tried most of Disco Brakes and none lasted at all, sintered were worst oddly. One wet ride and was down to the backing plate! I wouldn't buy from them again.

Uber Bike do a variety of pads, I tried their race matrix (which get good reviews on forums) I found they last forever but not the best braking unless your getting them really hot which I wasn't on the local trails.

Nukeproof semi-metallics work pretty well.

Currently using ceramic pads from Total Bleed Solutions which are working really well wet and dry and lasting so far. I will stick with these for now.

Evans own brand FWC are relatively inexpensive and I've found them ok. 

I tend to use EBC for disk brake pads - never had any issues with them on my XT MTB brakes.

Superstar components used to have a good reputation for brake pads, although I've not personally tried them.

Slightly off-topic, but it is to do with which brake pads to buy.

I have not researched this at all really, but have had the experience of buying pads from my lbs that were so grabby that my bike skidded easily whenever I used them. I didn't notice the make.

What causes this? Is that a brake pad thing or to do with my rims? If a pad thing, I will use this thread for good recommendations. 

https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/shop/mountain/mountain-braking/mount...

You may need to use the pad identifier link to identify exactly the right pad you need.

You said rims, you mean rim brakes? My question is about disc brake pads. I have rim brakes on my road bike but I ride it so little these days I've not needed to replace the pads in forever and have a spare set in my box ready for when I do need to change!

Doh! I should read more carefully.

Second vote here for Noah & Theo.  (And a gratuitous off-topic vote for Epic Bleed Solutions, for those who are in to that sort of thing.)

I did have one of the epic bleed kits and it worked ok for a few goes then the seals all failed and the hoses went opaque and hardened.

Oh, that's shame.  Mine has been fine for three years or more, no degradation of the seals or tubes so far.  How long did you have yours?  I also wonder if it might be to do with the use of mineral oil (Shimano) vs DOT oil (everyone else, AIUI).

One of the things I like about Epic is that you can buy individual seals and such for the kits if the originals wear out, get lost or otherwise become unserviceable.  Far easier than trying to work out the search term that will find you the o-ring you need in Google or on eBay IMO (I guess that comes down to a time vs money call).  Even if an item in a kit isn't listed on their web site as being available to buy on its own, I've found that they are willing to accommodate special requests if approached politely.  Basically, their customer service is pretty good.  All IME, of course, and YMMV.

Can't remember how long I had it, I don't find I need to bleed brakes too often since I stopped storing my bikes in a damp student house cellar. The brakes use dot 4/5.1 and there was probably residual fluid in the kit when it was packed away. Maybe that did it. The kit wasn't expensive so it consider getting another one.

I've used Decathlon loads. No complaints at all. Can't tell the difference from Shimano, to be honest

It’s a technique thing. Modulate your lever pull vs grabbing a whole load of brake.

My cheapies from amazon arrived yesterday, although I had only recently put my spare Shimano set on the bike, so it might be a bit of time before I find out if they are any good!

In a fit of forward thinking and organisation I've also just ordered a spare mech hanger for the mountain bike from the amazing Rearmechhanger.com (which really is a business that does exactly what it says on the url!). 

Thanks for the steer from whoever it was above to brake pad specialist webshop, I might well use them in the future. I somehow like the idea that of business that specialist! A bit like someone who just does thousands of different types of rear mech hangers.

Sounds likely.  AIUI DoT fluid is quite aggressive (which is one reason why Shimano don't use it, again AIUI) and could well attack the PVC tubing and such like provided in these kits.  The tubing itself should be straightforward to replace, being fairly standard stuff - you just need to work out the size needed to fit securely over the bleed nipples and so forth.  It's the more specialist bits 'n' bobs like o-rings, and the small widgets that help to make the job that bit easier than a plastic bag and a rubber band, that it's useful to be able to buy from an informed source IMO.

I do always wash my brake bleeding kit out after using it, but I'm anal like that.

The brakes I have this kit for use syringes and screw in fittings. Older/simpler models I have are like car brakes, simply fill the reservoir, open nipple, pump, close nipple and repeat. no kit required.