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Submitted by
steve
a Downhiller
from spearfish SD
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | these are the touchyest brakes i have ever used!!! by buddie has hayes downhill and they are pretty powerful but they lacked in modulation. if you get the chance buy the hayes downhill purple. but back to the avid review these outperform every hayes and shimano by along ways(except the downhill ones) | | Weaknesses: | i don't know what everybody else in talking about with the wet weather problems??? mine are a little less grabbie when when but if you pull them they will stop you no proplem. so no NOOOOO weaknesses | | Similar Products Used: | hayes, shimano, hope(hope rules but very $$$$), | | Bike Setup: | idenity judge, race face, avids, XT, azonic outlaw wheels, piece of crap manitou fork | | Bottom Line: | they absolutly rule buy them. plus they are cheap | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from SAN MARCOS, CA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$21.00 | | Strengths: | long wearing, great power | | Weaknesses: | only if something goes wrong in break-in period | | Similar Products Used: | EBC Gold | | Bike Setup: | NRS 3 | | Bottom Line: | I have the opposite experience with the avid and EBC pads than the previous reviewer.
First, I was not happy with the perfomance of avid's C-4 original pads. So I bought $21.00 EBC Gold sintered pads and while they were really powerfull, they lasted 5 rides in dry California conditions. So I went back to my 1-month old original avid pads. But I noticed a glass-like surface on them, so I put them on a grinder for couple of seconds. It has been 6 months now, 500 miles later and I am still riding the originals front and back, they are just as powerfull as the EBC's were and i just can not see a sign of wear. Go figure.
You can see my Avid mech. brake follow up review for some hopefully usefull hints. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ziggy Stardust
a Cross Country Rider
from outer space
Date Reviewed: February 17, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Ummm...they look nice and new when they are nice and new???? | | Weaknesses: | They are awful...plain and simple. Oh, they're also expensive. Really, the best of both worlds. | | Similar Products Used: | EBC Golds -- they ROCK | | Bike Setup: | Bianchi DISS | | Bottom Line: |
After buying my bike with the Avid mechs, which came with the stock Avid pads, I was shocked to see these pads melt away in less than four ~1 hour rides (in mud). After each ride I saw this black gooey stuff running down the rotors, and unbelievably I was almost down to metal in only a week of riding...INCREDIBLE.
Then I went to the LBS and he was kind enough to sell me another set for $25...I just bought a set of pads for my car recently and they were only $20..GIMME A "BRAKE"!! Then I reinstalled them on my bike and, again, they melted away in 4 rides...UNBELIEVABLE SHIITEEE!!!!
So I switched to EBC Gold (hard compound pads), and they lasted all season in the mud (still going strong). I got them for $15/set at aebike.com. I recommend EBC golds, they've been great pads for me. Avid has some kind of cheddar cheese brake lining material scam going on.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jimbolya
a Cross Country Rider
from boise, idaho
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | devil's slide/trail 4 in boise foothills | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Purchased At: | b3's and c3's @ beyond bikes, c4's @ rei & avid | | Strengths: | avid's new c4 pads are long wearing and do the job, 'cuz they're 'sintered' (pad compound is heated to malleable state and formed without melting-like metamorphic rock!) not to mention, they're cake to replace in the field, but that strength is more for the brakes themselves. | | Weaknesses: | price. new c4 pads are $20-25. | | Similar Products Used: | avid b3's and c3's. | | Bike Setup: | custom xcountry/race with most excellent avid mechanical disc brakes: 185mm on front, 160mm on rear. | | Bottom Line: | when i got my avid mech's, one brake was set up with b3 pads and the other was set up with c3 pads. the b3's didn't last. the c3's were doing fine, but when i complained to avid, they sent me new c4's (for a few sheckles.) these c4's are long wearing and stop on a cow pie. i use automotive disc brake cleaner on both my pads and discs to get the glaze off, and that helps reduce the noise, except when they get wet. but who cares...they work better than most rim brakes, even when they're wet and screaming. any avid mechanical disc brake fan should get these pads. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from Eden Prairie
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | The Farm | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Erik's Bike | | Strengths: | Good stopping power | | Weaknesses: | Hideous pad life | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes | | Bike Setup: | S-Works Enduro, Hayes Hydraulic Front, Avid Mechanical Rear | | Bottom Line: | Comparing the pad life to the best (Hayes), these things are a joke. I put new Hayes pads in front at the beginning of the 02 season, broke my bike last fall and built my new bike up with the Avid mechanicals in back in November. I have a point here somewhere....my Avid pads wore out mid-season this year and I still have the original Hayes pads up front. Since the front does most of the braking, one would think this scenario would be reversed but the Avid pads are so pathetic they wouldn't last a whole season while the Hayes are still going strong near the end of their second. If you are buying brakes and want to save some money, get the more expensive Hayes Hydraulic. You will be ahead in the long run just because of replacement pad costs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
D. McNeill
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Treadlies | | Strengths: | The stock Avid B3 pads are powerful but... | | Weaknesses: | ...they wear out faster than cellophane shoes. | | Similar Products Used: | EBC Green | | Bike Setup: | '03 Haro Escape 8.2 | | Bottom Line: | When the Avid B3 pads wear out, replace them with the newer Avid C4 ones. They seem to be holding up much better although they aren't as powerful. Can't have everything I guess. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Niel
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary Alberta Canada
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$36.00 | | Purchased At: | Bow Cycle | | Strengths: | Performance is what you'd expect from Disc brakes | | Weaknesses: | I ride about once per week, far less in the winter. This is the 3rd set of pads I'm on now. AVID pads wear out WAY to quick. I'm going to give Koolstop replacement pads a try. They will probably wear out just as fast, but at least they are cheaper. | | Bottom Line: | AVID pads wear out WAY to quick. AVID's customer service is great, they seem to replace the pads if you call and complain, but there is no excuse for how fast this pad material wears out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
shanedawg
a Cross Country Rider
from san jose,ca
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | jenson | | Strengths: | Good feel at the brake lever. Good customer service from Avid | | Weaknesses: | bad batch of pads recently. Price is too high for disc pads. $25 is way too much. I can get disc brake pads for my car cheaper and the pads for my Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle cost about the same as the avids but they last much longer ( 17,000 miles and running) | | Similar Products Used: | hayes, shimano XT disc | | Bottom Line: | I have two different bikes with Avid disc brakes and can say that the first set that I bought in summer 2001 gave me no trouble and the pads lasted about a year. The second set of brakes I bought in summer 2002 for my wife's bike and they were part of the batch that everyone is complaining about. When we went on a nasty wet/gritty ride in Dec 2002 my brakes worked great and needed maybe one click of the red dials however hers needed many turns to keep the lever from hitting the bar. When we got home I checked out the brakes and noticed that her pads were worn down almost to the metal. I called avid and they sent out two replacement sets of the c4 pads and they are much better. I am dissapointed that avid did not test the pad compound well enough but I am please that they remedied the problem so quickly. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Whitney
a Weekend Warrior
from Washington DC
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS, Jensen | | Strengths: | These pads are very easy to install/remove, and provide excellent stopping power. | | Weaknesses: | The small metal spring causes problems when putting wheels onto the bike- if you bend the spring, all hell breaks loose. Expensive- $25 a pop for one wheel. Not particularly long-lasting, just 6 months or so. | | Similar Products Used: | Magura Julie | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Dale Bad Boy Ultra | | Bottom Line: | Avid mechanicals are a dream- easy to adjust, replace, etc. But their pads are the only option- the Aztec aftermarket ones that are supposed to be compatible are NOT. For better or for worse, this is it. I think $25 for a pair of pads is absurd, but then the pricing of all replacement parts for the entire bike industry is absurd. Half the cost would be acceptable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Misha
a Weekend Warrior
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Fantastic, Extremely good braking power wet or dry. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC | | Bottom Line: | This is an Update on my previous review, I email Avid and they send me 4 sets of the latest pad. This time I have no problem on heavy rain or really muddy trail. The braking power was really awesome. I had hayes pad on the rear and tried avid on the front and I find the avid has better braking power compare to the hayes. They're great company and they respond to my complain really quickly. Thumbs up! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
arse
a
from Loops
Date Reviewed: February 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | none really. | | Weaknesses: | Awful pads that came with the brakes. I talked to avid about it and they are giving me some new C4 pads. From the stock pads, constant squeaking, regular glazing over, super fast pad wear, no power at all. | | Bottom Line: | I have to give Avid a good rating for giving me new pads right off the bat when I complained about my stock pads. It is nice to see that a company knows the needs of bikers. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brewha
a Weekend Warrior
from South Jersey
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great stopping power, One finger control | | Similar Products Used: | First disc setup | | Bike Setup: | Truth, Fox F/R ,XO,Crossrocs UST | | Bottom Line: | I had no luck with the pads that came with the brakes.I went to Utah for some Epic riding and was impressed with the power of the brakes.Then it rained.Mud was everywhere. I was on Blowhard, bombing down and I had to keep adjusting the red dial.Then halfway down,I lost them.If it wasn`t so muddy ,I think it would have been bad. Next ,I called Avid and told them, and I had 2 new sets within a week.The new pads have been great.Sometimes they chirp when wet. They are made with metallic compound so you will get some noise.But I had them on for over 4 months and not even one adjustment.One finger braking is great.More control over scary stuff.The mechs are perfect for the riding I do.Price was great also.And setup was less than 10 minutes.Make sure you dial the magnet back in before you put new pads in.Then go ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cramer
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Rapids, MI
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came stock on bianchi siss | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | everything | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes | | Bottom Line: | My brakes constantly needed adjustment, had poor stopping power compared to my v-brakes, and squealed all the time. Then, after only a couple hundred miles, I found the pads had worn out completely. WTF?! Hopefully I just got a bad set and can get them replaced by Avid. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a Racer
from Pelham, NH
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | UPDATE TO 12/29/02 POSTING
Great dry conditions performance | | Weaknesses: | One or two rides durability in wet conditions | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes full hydraulics | | Bike Setup: | Dean Torreys Ti cyclocross with Avid mechanical road-specific disk breaks | | Bottom Line: | This is an update to my 12/29/02 post below. When I could not find 3rd party replacements for Avid's 2002 model year B3 pads (EBCs are not 2002 compatible), I decided to contact Avid directly. I received an email reply from Avid's tech service the next day. Avid acknowledged that a "very small number" of B3 pads were defective. Avid has just released the C4 pad with reformulated compound, which will come standard on 2003 disk brakes. They sent me two pairs of C4 pads to try out. The material looks slightly different, and maybe a little thicker. One of the pull-tabs has a new bend in it also, and "C4" is stamped in the back side metal. I will put time on these pads as soon as one of the snowiest winters we've had in some time lets up. I have to give Avid 5 chilis overall for such prompt, personalized response, and 3 chilis until I prove these pads last a lot longer in wet conditions. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Misha
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Great when its dry. | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't last, pads turns into sanitary pads when wet! | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTCSE3 | | Bottom Line: | it only last me 200kms, the first few ride on dry condition the pads were great when I had my first wet condition I had no braking power absolutely zero I tot I had problems with adjustment. The second time I went thru XC and it started raining again I lost braking power and halfway my pads scratching on metal! Avid pads really really sucks! Its dangerous too as we were climbing 6KM uphill and when we're returning its 6kms downhill and I had no brakes all the way down, crashed twice. Avoid avid pads. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Pelham, NH
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Pads last one or two rides in wet conditions | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes hydraulics | | Bike Setup: | Dean Torreys Ti 'cross, set up with Avid's road-specific disk stoppers | | Bottom Line: | I just built up a 'cross bike with Avid's road-specific disk brakes. In just over a week of wet FLAT ROAD riding, the pads were down to bare metal. I thought I was having a cable slip or stretch problem, having to make repeated adjustments during a single rainy ride. The pad material turns to mush when it gets wet and disappears very rapidly. I've gotten over 2000 miles out of a set of Hayes pads on other bikes, which included nasty off-road conditions and big mountain descents. I will try EBC Gold pads shortly to see if there's an improvment. I hope they perform better. My frame is disk specific, and presently only Avid offers a road STI lever compatible disk brake. If the EBCs don't make the grade, I may try the standard Hayes pads. They do fit the caliper, but a small amount of pad material will need to be trimmed to accomadate the H-spring. Any suggestions are welcome. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Didn't last long enough determine. The first three rides on these brakes in dry weather were great. However, on the fourth ride in the rain....... | | Weaknesses: | Three minutes in the rain and the pad material was gone-I kid you not. I was dumbfounded as I watched the brake lever
literally collapse back against the handlebar. | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | FS with Avid mech. front and rear. | | Bottom Line: | I understand Avid knows of this problem. What they're doing about it I don't know.
Maybe some of you out there can help: Is this problem typical of disc brakes? Does anyone know of aftermarket
pads that really work-rain or shine? I've heard Fibrax pads are good-if you can find them. I've also heard Avid
pads are made by EBC. I don't know for sure. If so, then I'd be leary of EBC.
Need good advice on this, please.
4 flamin' chili's in dry weather, 0 flamin' chili's in wet weather. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch, NewZealand
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Warfdale, Oxford | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambriabike | | Strengths: | Good stopping power at the expense of high wear rate | | Weaknesses: | High wear rate, don't get them wet or bye bye they are gone and no stopping. arghhhhhhh! | | Similar Products Used: | Koolstop seem to work better, will see how long they last | | Bike Setup: | ATX890 Giant, XTR, Avid mechanical 203mm, Duke xc 80mm | | Bottom Line: | Good but not that good, why be sucked into buying something they engineer to wear out fast, go after market. Save you cash. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Brownfield
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco CA US
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | you wish | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Works well as long as you dont contaminate them. | | Weaknesses: | Wears too fast | | Similar Products Used: | Kool Stop, EBC (gold) | | Bike Setup: | SC Heckler w/Avid mechs | | Bottom Line: | Wasnt crazy about the magnet pad retainer meltdown; Avid customer service provided a couple of sets (for $, not free) with the spring clips to solve problem, seems to be okay so far (not really about the pad, but it's related). The other pads I've tried seem to wear a little better but still experimenting (EBC green is next up). I thought they wear rather quickly and after reading other reviews I guess I'm not alone in this opinion. I ran into a friend who uses them also and in some local mud riding went thru a relatively new set in a day! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Gehret
a Downhiller
from Trabuco Canyon, Ca
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine Rim, Moab | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great stopping power, and relatively quiet, compared to Hayes. Avid's customer service department rocks! These guys have helped me out numerous times. | | Weaknesses: | I just got a set of the new version of these pads with the little retainer clips. I've had them on for about a month, and already the pads are worn down to the clip, which is now rubbing on the rotor. So what I did was take the retainer clip off, and now they're good for another 2 months or so. | | Similar Products Used: | Hayes, Shimano XT, Shimano 525, Hope minis, Coda Expert(Sh*T) | | Bike Setup: | Giant AC-Air with Avid mechanical discs | | Bottom Line: | Hayes pads seem to have a longer life. I remember going a full year on a set of Hayes pads. My rear brake avid pads only lasted 6 months, and the replacement pads I just got are almost shot after 2 months. They do have good stopping power, and have not come apart on me like Coda pads are known to do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Karlovich
a Cross Country Rider
from Belmont, Ca, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Soquel Demo Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | cambria | | Strengths: | Works great. | | Weaknesses: | Wears out quickly. | | Similar Products Used: | v brakes. | | Bike Setup: | k2 4000 proflex 1998 | | Bottom Line: | Works well, but wears out quick. I don't know if this is typical of disc brake pads or not. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitch N
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | thredbo | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | illawarra cycles | | Strengths: | on avid mechanical brakes it feels like a V brake but it stops better and when i just got them they were great | | Weaknesses: | the product worked well for the first 400km then they started to scream every time u stop and if they get a drop of oil on them they r gone | | Bike Setup: | full upgraed 2001 ATX 840 | | Bottom Line: | if u have alot of money they r a good brake | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Utah
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The ones in Phoenix that you can ride in the winter | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | I have these on my Avid Mechanical brakes and have had no problems. They stop on a dime and have great modulation. | | Weaknesses: | After coming down the trail on Pikes Peak (Bar Camp?) they seemed to be a little glazed, and they squeaked, but that went away after awhile. I've heard people complain that they wear to fast, but I haven't noticed. | | Similar Products Used: | rim brakes | | Bike Setup: | 01 Jamis Dakar Comp stock | | Bottom Line: | These are great, I've already gushed on the Avid Mechanical brakes in another review, so I'll let it go at that. I can't imagine wanting anything more in a brake. (I'm sure someone said that when vee brakes came out too) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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