so... after having put on about 4000 miles on my bike i notice that the rear brake is screeching considerably. Turns out i wore out my brake pads entirely. And i mean entirely. When i took the bike to the shop the mechanic told me that my specific model of bike and Brembo's had a reputation for having this little problem. Anyway he installed what he said were superior brake pads that should last at least twice as long as the originals.
question...?.
1) i know there are many variables but how much mileage should i get out of my brakes as an urban commuter?
2) what are some good manufacturers...?
thanx :thumb:
You had Brembo pads in your rear caliper?
I would expect 4000 miles out of a pair of Ferodo pads (back in the '80's these were the best stopping pads available, but they didn't last long).
Rear brake pads should last considerably more than 4000 miles (maybe a sign you're using the rear brake too much), say 10,000 commute miles.
I currently have EBC pads (they've come a long way since the '80's), I believe I bought the black EBC pads, so they're not the green kevlar, but they're not double 'H' (HH=high friction code).
I've got 11,000 miles of my F and still plenty of pad left.
For some brands, sources and prices see my Suzuki GS500 Brake Parts (http://www.bbburma.net/Documents/GS500_Brake_Parts.txt) listing.
And next time, you can replace the pads yourself with some needle nose pliers and maybe a flathead screwdriver. (See the "REPLACING THE REAR BRAKE PADS" section about halfway down the HOW TO: Rear Rotor Replacement (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13144) page.)
BTW, I replaced my stock rear pads at around 16,000 miles. I put in a set of EBC Kevlar pads and 18,000 miles later they still look great (see the pictures in the HOW TO). A lot of the difference is because I started relying on the front brake more.
Like you said, there are a lot of variables. I'm sure you do a LOT more stopping-and-going in NYC than I do in Orem. And all those touring miles I put on are pretty light on brake wear. So, your mileage may vary. Considerably.
I think he has a Duc Monster which has Brembo calipers as stock equipment.
oic
Quote from: dgyverI think he has a Duc Monster which has Brembo calipers as stock equipment.
Oh, yeah, that's right! I forgot.
Thanx guys...the info is still relevant. The M620 and GS500 are almost the same in both weight and dimension,,,and since i mostly commute then braking from high speeds isn't really an issue...ie..i ride about at the same speed on either bike.
I never thought of myself as a heavy user of the rear brake but i'm a lot more conscious of it now.. ;)
bikes have rear brakes..... :?
i've never wore out a set
i have replaced some from P.O. wearing them out and contamination...
I thought I was the only one not to wear out rear brake pads.
Nope...you're not the only one. The rear brake on the R1 is worthless under normal riding conditions. I did try trail braking on the track last year, though :)