I've always run resin pads on shimano resin pad only centreLock disks.
thinking about trying some semi-metalic pads but not sure if i really need to upgrade my disks too?
Ta.

I've run all types of pads on Shimano discs. I'm not saying it's the correct thing to do but I've never had any problems.

on both gravel bikes have dura ace ICE rotors, those things are very good

on one gravel bike have resin front and metal rear
on other gravel bike have resin front and rear.

so far thinkin resin and metal work better.
dragging the rear brake down a steep hill there was no brake fade with the metal pads and metal pads
same with resin pads could feel the rear brake starting to give and heated up

If they are marked as "Resin Pads Only" then yes, change the rotors.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:02 am I've run all types of pads on Shimano discs. I'm not saying it's the correct thing to do but I've never had any problems.

Ditto.

Righto. Will stick with my cheap Shimano disks then. Thanks.

they won't...well it's quite unlikely, that they will disintegrate instantly even if their is some weird mismatch. You're mostly likely to reduce durability targets at most.

Didn't know they had different disks for different pads. Sounds like Shimano b******* they are stainless steel so any pads will be fine

It's only some (cheaper) rotors that have the limitation. They are clearly marked.

techno mail wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:54 am I've always run resin pads on shimano resin pad only centreLock disks.
thinking about trying some semi-metalic pads but not sure if i really need to upgrade my disks too?
Ta.

If you're changing pads in order to get better heat management it'll well be worth investing in floating rotors (alu spider things) and larger rotor sizes too.

Ashima ARF-3
Doesn't get any better. I've used Hope Saw, TRP floating, Shimano floating (ice tec - unbelievable what happens to them when they get really hot) and Superstar flaoting.
Hope and TRP rotors are really good.
Yet, the Ashima one's feel best of those mentioned.

The growing pile of bent (due to heat) rotors (none of them floating design) in my cellar tells a story. This pile was started winter 15/16. Foto from last summer. I've since added 4 Shimano and two SRAM rotors to it. All bent beyond repair. The Shimano were free. I still have 4 of them.





No chance to either bend them back cold or heat them to 800 °C and cooling them down really really slow (48 h) with weights on top.

The only time I have to change rotors with spiders is when they get too thin or I've knocked them into rocks (letter rarely happens).

I'm absolutely not trying to say non spider rotors are rubbish, but rather that IF you have issues with too hot brakes, much can be done with rotors too.
But yeah, pads first, it's cheaper.

Alpinum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 7:45 pm If you're changing pads in order to get better heat management it'll well be worth investing in floating rotors (alu spider things) and larger rotor sizes too.

Ashima ARF-3
Doesn't get any better. I've used Hope Saw, TRP floating, Shimano floating (ice tec - unbelievable what happens to them when they get really hot) and Superstar flaoting.
Hope and TRP rotors are really good.
Yet, the Ashima one's feel best of those mentioned.

The growing pile of bent (due to heat) rotors (none of them floating design) in my cellar tells a story. This pile was started winter 15/16. Foto from last summer. I've since added 4 Shimano and two SRAM rotors to it. All bent beyond repair. The Shimano were free. I still have 4 of them.

Thanks, I can't find these in Centrelock flavour though?

I prefer the feel of organic pads. The newer styles of brakes tend to have much better pad clearance so wearing through pads quickly isn’t as big a deal as it once was. Also helps with rotor life. In the workshop I don’t see that many worn out rotors, and bent beyond belief/repair often comes from a crash or mishap. Good innit when things actually improve.

techno mail wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:00 pm Thanks, I can't find these in Centrelock flavour though?

Uh... sorry...

Quick search and I see TRP and absolute black make center lock rotors with alu spiders. Must be more out there.

mountainposture wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:06 pm I prefer the feel of organic pads.

Sometimes it's not about the feel, but about simply having a working brake when things seriously heat up.

mountainposture wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:06 pm The newer styles of brakes tend to have much better pad clearance so wearing through pads quickly isn’t as big a deal as it once was.

Pads still have the same thickness and having used disc brakes back in the day when they just emerged for MTBs I can't remember using pads longer or shorter than then.

mountainposture wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:06 pm In the workshop I don’t see that many worn out rotors, and bent beyond belief/repair often comes from a crash or mishap

200000 - 300000 m vert loss and the rotors are done. Some ride this amount of loss in 20 - 30 days on the bike.
Mishap - riding steep mountains for too long?

I’d reply with clever little quote things but haven’t got so smart on this forum yet. I’ll practise

Maybe I’ve never heated a brake up so much I’d feel the need for sintered pads. Could be where I ride, could be riding style, although I’m sure I use my brakes plenty on downs. Pound of finest mince anyone?

In terms of clearance, modern pad/piston retraction means the pads don’t rub as much as they used to. Thankfully gone are the Avid days of a set of pads a ride.

And most of the rotors I see are from UK riding predominantly so it takes a while to get so much very descent built up.

Re: heat management, shimano ice tech really does work. Quite impressive when you watch it through a thermal camera.


flir_20171119T141132-montage by Chris Reeves, on Flickr

Zippy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:19 am Re: heat management, shimano ice tech really does work. Quite impressive when you watch it through a thermal camera.


flir_20171119T141132-montage by Chris Reeves, on Flickr

Comparison to a regular rotor?

Ice tec works okay until the alu core melts and contaminates the friction surfaces. Dangerous stuff when challenged.

But I see IR photos from a road bike with tiny discs and road riding is very different to offroad when it comes to heat accumulation. On road you get much higher speeds, thus more wind cooling and even a steep road is almost flat compared to a steep single track.

Off for a little ride now with very shitty brakes. But it's flat so... pfff. And no traffic too. Double pfff....

Enjoy the afternoon

Alpinum wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:01 pm Comparison to a regular rotor?

Ice tec works okay until the alu core melts and contaminates the friction surfaces. Dangerous stuff when challenged.

TBH - as it's only a cheapo camera, what I can do is limited...but I'm interested. Ermm, I have some non ice tech rotors with regular pads I could test too - but I won't be able to easily generate much meaningful data...

For some reason I had an ice tech rotor on my commuter bike - that see's a lot of use, and one day I noticed I'd worn through the outer layer and got to the alu core - it promptly got a boggo disc fitted and I rolled my eyes at putting an expensive disc on the commuter machine!

Alpinum wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 6:14 am

techno mail wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:00 pm Thanks, I can't find these in Centrelock flavour though?

Uh... sorry...

Quick search and I see TRP and absolute black make center lock rotors with alu spiders. Must be more out there.

TRP look like a good option, and wow those absolute black rotors are pricey!
Going to try out the pads first anyway, will report back once I've settled on a setup.