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What's your disc brake pad mileage?

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What's your disc brake pad mileage?

Old 08-03-22, 06:22 PM
  #26  
Polaris OBark
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Originally Posted by sean.hwy
Having trouble finding replacement GRX brake pads for the gravel bike.
I just ordered some L05A (the new version) from Performance
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Old 08-03-22, 06:27 PM
  #27  
sean.hwy
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I thought GRX only L04C and L03A

Have you installed the L05A on your bike ? That's a great price.

Amazon wants' $85 for L03A :/
https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-L03A-...s%2C189&sr=8-7



Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
I just ordered some L05A (the new version) from Performance
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Old 08-03-22, 06:28 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by sean.hwy
I thought GRX only L04C and L03A

Have you installed the L05A on your bike ? That's a great price.

Amazon wants' $85 for L03A :/
https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-L03A-...s%2C189&sr=8-7





They are new, and they came with my new set of GRX calipers. So they will work. L03A are unobtainium (except for insane Amazon scalper prices).

Here are both, L03A in the middle, flanked by L05A:




Last edited by Polaris OBark; 08-03-22 at 06:34 PM.
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Old 08-03-22, 06:33 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
They are new, and they came with my new set of GRX calipers. So they will work. L03A are unobtainium (except for insane Amazon scalper prices).
very good to know thank you

going to plan an order now
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Old 08-03-22, 06:40 PM
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I think any pad that starts with L0 will fit.
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Old 08-03-22, 06:41 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by bampilot06
I’m at 10,000 miles currently on the original set of pads.
Full disclosure: This guy ^^^ lives in the land of no elevation and few stop signs
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Old 08-03-22, 06:43 PM
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I put new pads on just before riding Crater Lake (44 miles) a couple of weeks ago. I think about 1/2 of the padding remains.
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Old 08-03-22, 06:59 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
I put new pads on just before riding Crater Lake (44 miles) a couple of weeks ago. I think about 1/2 of the padding remains.
Are you stopping a trailer with 200 lb dog?



Going to do the Tahoe loop this weekend.

Loops like my brakes will be fine for this weekend. :-)
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Old 08-03-22, 07:03 PM
  #34  
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I may have over-exaggerated, but I did do a lot of braking. (The road had only just opened and the craters in the pavement were almost as big as the one in the volcano.)

Avoid the smoke!
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Old 08-03-22, 07:07 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Full disclosure: This guy ^^^ lives in the land of no elevation and few stop signs

Its true, to save some weight I might just remove them.
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Old 08-03-22, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
In general, if the spring clip isn't rubbing the rotor, I'm fine with it, but Shimano does have a min thickness spec out there - should be easy enough to find.
With most disc brakes, it’s easy enough to just find a good angle and view the pads without even removing them… and, as you note, if the spring clip isn’t sticking out above the pad, they’re fine.
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Old 08-03-22, 09:39 PM
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They develop a dog-bone pattern when they are completely worn down.
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Old 08-04-22, 01:29 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
I just ordered some L05A (the new version) from Performance
Did you actually get them yet? I heard Performance was unreliable.
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Old 08-04-22, 11:55 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by greysquirrel
Did you actually get them yet? I heard Performance was unreliable.
They just shipped. The pair in the photo are those that came with my new GRX calipers.
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Old 08-04-22, 12:53 PM
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looks like I bought it just in time.

says label created but not shipped yet for me.



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Old 08-04-22, 01:13 PM
  #41  
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WorldWideCycle has a slightly better price, but they aren't available yet. I suspect there is a huge backlog of people using crappy 3rd-party pads for the last couple of years in Dura Ace, Ultegra, 105 and GRX flat-mount calipers that use L03A (probably others as well that I am not aware of).
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Old 08-04-22, 01:59 PM
  #42  
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The L05A-RF is replacing the L03A pad. Something about a new compound that brakes the same but lasts longer, etc. I have ordered a set, but I stocked up on L03A pads and still have a few sets before I get to the newer pads.

I see the L05A on Amazon right now for about 35 bucks shipped.
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Old 08-04-22, 02:28 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by KJ43
I stocked up on L03A pads and still have a few sets before I get to the newer pads.
How much toilet paper did you hoard during the pandemic?

I confess to hoarding J03A (which is what my main rides use). I got two pairs of L03A from Mike's Bikes just before they went AWOL, sent them to my kid, and then his bike shed got robbed.
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Old 08-04-22, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
How much toilet paper did you hoard during the pandemic?

I confess to hoarding J03A (which is what my main rides use). I got two pairs of L03A from Mike's Bikes just before they went AWOL, sent them to my kid, and then his bike shed got robbed.
Haha. None tbh, but we did start buying the bigger packs from Costco (when luck had it in stock). There were some days when alternatives had to be put into play, but managed to minimize that and got through the early dark days when paper products were scarce.

Having stuff stolen sucks.
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Old 08-05-22, 07:32 AM
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Part of my motivation starting this thread was to determine if I needed to get some additional pairs while I can. I basically have zero spares of anything for this new bike and I'm trying to gauge what I might need in the near and distant future. I've already purchased the pads and some quick links for the chain. Next will be another chain, some tires and bar wrap. I like to have consumables and basic maintenance items on hand. Although I won't need a new cassette for a while I've begun monitoring the prices and I'll get one for my parts drawer once an opportunity presents itself.
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Old 08-05-22, 03:33 PM
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My recommendation then TakingMyTime ? Yes, purchase some additional pairs while you can. Never hurts to have a couple of spares in stock.
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Old 08-05-22, 07:21 PM
  #47  
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Fwiw

I got 15000 miles on my Orbea ebike before the Shimano pads had to be replaced last winter. I got bit by the shortages and paid way too much to replace. Coincidentally a month after I replaced I saw them online for $25. Snapped them up.
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Old 08-06-22, 07:10 AM
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I have been using generic pads (Galfer, Koolstop, other) on two heavily used bikes for a couple of years now and the only difference from Shimano that I notice is how they sound. I don’t live in the mountains or weigh very much, so the absence of the little heat sink is a non issue.
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Old 08-06-22, 08:27 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by MoAlpha
I have been using generic pads (Galfer, Koolstop, other) on two heavily used bikes for a couple of years now and the only difference from Shimano that I notice is how they sound. I don’t live in the mountains or weigh very much, so the absence of the little heat sink is a non issue.
Yeah, my Kool Stops have this weird burble under heavy braking, but I haven't noticed a performance difference. That said, hydros have so much stopping power that maybe a small difference in pad performance is irrelevant.

Last edited by WhyFi; 08-06-22 at 08:43 AM.
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Old 08-06-22, 08:38 AM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Yeah, my Kool Stops have this weird burble under heavy braking, but I haven't noticed a performance difference. That said, hydros have so much stopping power that maybe a small difference in pad performance is pretending irrelevant.
Burble, exactly!
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