Why do I go through brake pads so fast?

[Tech Tonics]

I seem to be going through brake pads faster than normal people.

A pair of pads lasts me 2 months. Elixir CR brakes and typically run metallic pads.

XC riding, 3-7 rides/week. I'm basically a hack with no real discernible skill other than a moderate tolerance for suffering.

Is it my lack of skill? My rotors? the brakes? The blistering fast speed at which I'm traveling smokes 'em?

I'm leaning toward "lack of skill" as the culprit. Not at all a DHer and don't really know what correct braking technique is.

So learn me some braking skills, bike nerds.

thanks

[stuckathuntermtn]

Break before the turn as much as you can. Heavily favor the front brake.
Clean your rotors with alcohol every so often, as well as hit up the pads with some sand paper. Try a bigger rotor in the front.

[Skipig25]

most people don't ride 7 days a week. consider $20 brake pads a trade off for how awesome you get to be.

[Tech Tonics]

^^ why be snarky? I'm not trying to be "awesome". I don't ride 7 days a week every week (duh). But I have had a few weeks this fall where I've gone 7 or 8 days straight.

I am fortunate enough to have a trailhead 2 blocks from my house. So a lot of my rides are 60-90 minutes.

People I ride with are not going through pads as fast and they also are riding most days.

[Sirshredalot]

What skipig said.

I ride 1-3 times a week and go through pads once to twice per year. Plus I take a couple months off every winter. I suppose that means if I rode as often as you I would go through a set in 2-3 months. I aspire to have your problem.

[grabtindy]

Only other thought would be to make sure you aren't dragging your brakes too much. When you brake, brake hard and with purpose, otherwise let them roll. Should make you faster if it doesn't make your pads last longer.

What brand pad do you use?

[alewi11]

I don't know if it's braking habits or the brakes, but I ride with guys using Elixirs and they go through brake pads much faster than me and my XTs.

[willmtbike4food]

I've also found people riding on Elixirs to go through pads a little more quickly than shimano users.

Rotors could also be a culprit. Some have much sharper edges than others, and an especially large venting cutout could also allow the pads to fall deeper into the void; then the sharp edge of the rotor that comes through next shaves a very small slice of rotor off with each pass. Shimano used to make a rotor that had only very small cutouts/holes in it (not too unlike Avids G3), but each hole had a rounded/chamfered edge to it. Might be worth giving a shot if you can find them for real cheap.

[t.odd]

I ride a LOT and ride elixers and only have to replace pads about once a year. is your alignment on the caliper off, maybe rubbing all the time slightly?

[XXX-er]

I've had hayes mags wear thru pads really fast when the area in the middle of the rotor (where the holes are) got really worn but those rotors had a lot of miles on them

is the surface of the disc flat or concave?

Do you go thru pads just as fast front compared to rear?

In any case it is either your choice of pads or a bad disc, you could change one disc and I would change whichever wheel seems to wear the fastest to see what happens

[jm2e]

I ride shit can Juicy Threes and due to their superior design they are constantly rubbing. I mean to say that I can't free spin a wheel for more than a few seconds before the brake rub stops it. And I've got about 1000 miles on my pads which still work fine. And I'm reluctant to put in new pads because the caliper is so finicky I'll have to bleed them again which, again due to their superior design, is totally toxic and anoying.

I'll just second the idea that you're more rad than me. Or your rotor is amazingly abrasive.

[raisingarizona13]

Try working on your cornering skills. If you can corner efficiently you will use much less brake. Cornering a bike right is a lot like turning your skis on edge. It's an advanced skill that I only started to learn after almost twenty years of mountain biking, I think the majority of xc riders don't know how to.

[tellybele]

Try working on your cornering skills. If you can corner efficiently you will use much less brake. Cornering a bike right is a lot like turning your skis on edge.

^^^This and what grabtindy said. Although, I have never heard anything good about elixir brakes. I always start with thinking/learning about/how to improving myself over buying more gear. 9 times outa 10 it is the user not the hardware...although, those elixirs...

[efsandstrom]

Break before the turn as much as you can. Heavily favor the front brake.
Clean your rotors with alcohol every so often, as well as hit up the pads with some sand paper. Try a bigger rotor in the front.

Like stuckathuntermtn said, cleaning the brakes is one of the best things that you can do for your brakes. Where do you live and ride? I live in Colorado where it is very dry obviously. If you are living in the pacific northwest or something like that the humidity, mud, grit, is going to come to your bike like a magnet.

[Arty50]

I asked one of my shop techs this very same question once.

His reply: "Stop using your brakes."

At first I laughed...then I tried it...now I go faster, have more fun, and my brakes last longer.

[icelanticskier]

^^^ya, brakes and speed do not go well together.

that said, bb7 ftw!

rog