pads for lightweight rotors

[outtacontrol]

Just bought some Alligator Windcutter 6" lightweight rotors. Unfortunately, I have noticed a signifigant loss in braking performance.
I have Shimano M475 hydraulic brakes, which although nothing flash, worked ok before the rotor change. I have resin pads ATM and was wondering if there was a compatability issue with the rotors and pads.

Has anyone had any experience with this??

 

[Jimass]

Ride them for a while, and let them bed in.

 

[tasty.dirt74]

Thread should be renamed

"Pads for lightweight rider"

that is all.

 

[frensham]

If you put new rotors on your bike you should also put new pads on. The old pads will have grooves etc from the old rotors. The new (smooth and flat) rotors will only be contacting the raised bits on the pad - essentially you have less pad! Try new organic pads and all will be revealed.

 

[outtacontrol]

Ride them for a while, and let them bed in.

I thought it was only new pads that needed to bed in??

 

[T-Rex]

I thought it was only new pads that needed to bed in??

Nah, I agree with Frensham, I have struck the same problem, also when new pads are put onto really badly grooved old rotors. The pads don't contact the rotor across the entire friction surface, and you feel this as reduced stopping power.

Take it out for another decent ride, it should improve. If not, look for another problem, maybe pad contamination? I once dropped a bit of sunscreen onto a brake, it was all over for those pads....

 

[ssjgogeta]

Just bought some Alligator Windcutter 6" lightweight rotors. Unfortunately, I have noticed a signifigant loss in braking performance.
I have Shimano M475 hydraulic brakes, which although nothing flash, worked ok before the rotor change. I have resin pads ATM and was wondering if there was a compatability issue with the rotors and pads.

Has anyone had any experience with this??

That's the trade off. Leightweight rotors are well... lighter! They are however crap as far as braking is concerned. You can feel the whole rotor through the lever as the pads try to grip over the lack of surface area. They are also really noisy! Unless you are a light rider and need to shave a tenth of a second off your race time, I recommend sticking with regular rotors.

 

[No Skid Marks]

Take your pads out, and rub them in a circular motion on smoothish concrete.
If still crap, try sintered or a combo of 1 sintered and 1 organic.
Save your old pads, to mix n match, and or run in the rear.

 

[Gone Riding]

That's the trade off. Leightweight rotors are well... lighter! They are however crap as far as braking is concerned. You can feel the whole rotor through the lever as the pads try to grip over the lack of surface area. They are also really noisy! Unless you are a light rider and need to shave a tenth of a second off your race time, I recommend sticking with regular rotors.

Yeah, have to agree... my Anthem came with a Jet Black Lighweight Rotor and centrelock adaptor on the rear, and standard XTR rotor on front (XTR brakes). The rear would bite well on first contact but fade quickly on any constant downhill braking, while the front stayed reasonably consistent. The rear was really noisy too. I replaced the rear with the standard XTR centrelock rotor which was slightly heavier but only by 2g because it didn't need the adaptor. Braking power is great and fade comes on much later now... I won't be trying lightweight rotors again in a hurry.

I have heard others rate the same lightweight rotors well though on heavier riders and bikes. Mine were 140mm on rear, I suspect the others were running 160mm so maybe there's a significant difference between rotor sizes?

 

[outtacontrol]

Take your pads out, and rub them in a circular motion on smoothish concrete.
If still crap, try sintered or a combo of 1 sintered and 1 organic.
Save your old pads, to mix n match, and or run in the rear.

I have not been able to find sintered pads for my model brakes, but have just picked up some semi-metallic pads

Are they going to be any different than the resin pads, or are they the same?

 

[Broken Bones89]

Take your pads out, and rub them in a circular motion on smoothish concrete.If still crap, try sintered or a combo of 1 sintered and 1 organic.
Save your old pads, to mix n match, and or run in the rear.

are you mad?? i just get fine as fuck like 1200 grit emery paper and give them a quick rub on a flat surface, haven't had a problem yet

 

[No Skid Marks]

are you mad?? i just get fine as fuck like 1200 grit emery paper and give them a quick rub on a flat surface, haven't had a problem yet

WTF? 6 of 1, half dozen of the other. What's wrong with rubbing them on concrete? If you're going to throw shit, have a reason. No point buying stuff for no reason(wet n dry). I even use concrete to file my finger nails down.

 

[blacksp20]

I ran a set of jetblack lightweight rotors in 200mm/180mm size for a while and found them to be noisy and underpowered compared to regular rotors. New pads made no difference either so I went to 4 piston brakes and 180mm rotors. Slightly more weight but a tonne of power for my Clydesdale weight.

 

[Broken Bones89]

WTF? 6 of 1, half dozen of the other. What's wrong with rubbing them on concrete? If you're going to throw shit, have a reason. No point buying stuff for no reason(wet n dry). I even use concrete to file my finger nails down.

concrete is sooo inconsistent, emery paper will give you the same result (provding u use the same grit each time) every time guaranteed, concrete won't

that said if your pads are rooted they're rooted, and it won't matter what u rub them on it won't make a difference

 

[wombat]

I thought it was only new pads that needed to bed in??

Bedding-in/burnishing etc is largely about depositing a layer of the pad's friction material on the rotor's braking surface.

 

[No Skid Marks]

concrete is sooo inconsistent, emery paper will give you the same result (provding u use the same grit each time) every time guaranteed, concrete won't

that said if your pads are rooted they're rooted, and it won't matter what u rub them on it won't make a difference

"Inconsistent" is irrelivant. and Emery paper won't give the same result every time unless your using a machine, rubbing in a circular motion on concrete will give a variety of grinding, averaging out in probably a better more consistent result than too and fro rubbing on sand paper. Use two or more fingers on the back f the pad so that pressure is disperresed as best as possible.
Pads can get glazed or develop ruts, as mentioned, rubbing them on concrete, or emery paper (for those that like to consume and need an anal fix) will result in better performance. If the pads are contaminated, it's a different story. I soak them in metho, burn em, then rub them on concrete, then if possible, mix one uncomtaminated pad with one burnt rubbed pad.