Having issues with some of your brake pistons not moving properly? If so, you could be leaving significant brake performance on the table. Luckily, it’s a fairly simple thing to fix if you’ve got the right tool. Here's a tool that can be used on a variety of 2 and 4 piston brakes. The tool constrains all but 1 of the pistons so you can get the stuck piston moving with ease. Just drop the tool into your brake, pull the brake lever and hey presto, the stuck piston will move. Clean the piston with a cotton bud and gently press the piston back into the brake caliper with your tyre lever. If you want to clean them all, push them all back with your tyre lever and do them one at a time. Put simply, this tool makes it easy to advance a brake piston as far as possible without popping it completely out of the caliper. This allows for as much of the piston to be cleaned as possible, which helps you maximise your braking performance. The tool looks a bit odd, but between rotating and flipping the tool you can extend any brake piston. It also has a chamfer on the leading edges which makes it easier to insert in your brake caliper. We promise that the tool doesn't look nearly as bad as the product image, we just have been without photography resources recently and wanted to list it anyway. Cleaning procedure: Carefully push all pistons back into the caliper using a tyre lever Insert this tool. Put the retaining pin through the tool and caliper to keep it in place Pump the brake and watch that the piston on the side of the tool with the cutout extends Stop once the piston hits the tool - feel free to grab the brake lever a few times Remove the tool Clean the sides of the piston - we use isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs Push the piston back into the caliper with your tyre lever Repeat with other pistons Optional - apply a droplet of brake oil to the piston surface before pushing it back in. Only do this if you are going to douse the caliper with alcohol to clean it after the procedure, you don't want any rogue fluid hanging around! While it is possible to perform this job on 2 piston brakes by carefully constraining 1 piston with a plastic tyre lever and pulling the brake lever, this tool makes it a whole lot easier and ensures you don’t pop the piston right out of the caliper. Compatibility: Shimano 4 Piston - This tool works on all Shimano 4 piston calipers and will probably work on any other brake that can accept this brake pad type Sram Guide - Works for all Sram Guide brakes except for Guide RE - they use the Sram Code tool. The brake pad type looks like this. Sram Code - Works on Sram code and Sram Guide RE brake calipers. The brake pad type looks like this. Shimano 2 Piston (not road) & Tektro - Works on all non-road/gravel shimano 2 piston mountain bike brake calipers as well as other brakes using either this pad type or this pad type. Another common brake type this works for is tektro 2 piston brakes Shimano Road - works on Shimano road and gravel brake calipers - or any brake using this pad type Sram Level and Elixer - Works on any brake using this style of pad, as long as the brake pads can be inserted from the top. Here's roughly what the tool will look like when being used Park tool has this video available which explains the process without using this tool on 2 piston brakes. It's the same procedure for 4 piston brakes, just use this tool.

Read more less

Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for Tektro Dorado brakes.  We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads and these were a close second. Where Frictive doesn’t offer a pad shape we’ve decided to offer these - just to provide a wider range for older and less common brake models. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We named these pads GPVN which stands for "Great Price, Very Nice" - a name which really amuses us. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

Read more less

Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for Formula Cura 4 brakes.  We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads and these were a close second. Where Frictive doesn’t offer a pad shape we’ve decided to offer these - just to provide a wider range for older and less common brake models. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We named these pads GPVN which stands for "Great Price, Very Nice" - a name which really amuses us. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

Read more less

Brake pads are the most regularly replaced part of a mountain bike. Sadly, pads tend to be expensive and perform well OR cheap and perform poorly. These pads are different: they perform well at a reasonable price. These brake pads are for brakes which fit SRAM EXTRA LARGE pads. This includes Sram Maven brakes. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found in the compatibility tab above. We spent months testing a bunch of different brake pads under fifteen accomplished riders to find brake pads which perform well at a great price. Our favourite pads were Frictive pads, a new local brand. Our test riders found the performance of these pads comparable to the big name brands you know and love. We are stoked to finally see a NZ brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, it’s something we can fully get on-board with. Performance Guarantee: Put simply, these pads perform well. We will refund you if you disagree. Easy as. Just let us know if you’re unsatisfied and we’ll sort the rest. Further details about the Performance Guarantee can be found here.Notes: Descriptions of the performance differences between pad compounds and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on the tabs above We recommend that you try both pad compounds to get a feel for the differences so you can make an informed choice about your preferred compound. Even at downhill World Cups, different riders use different compounds as it's a personal preference. We’re excited to be able to offer these pads at prices that make personal pad testing possible for more riders! FAQ Do I need Fins?Probably not. Finned pads decrease the chance of fade in really heavy braking situations. Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Finned pads increase the convective surface area (the area exposed to air flow) of your braking system. An increased convective surface area increases the rate of heat dissipation, which in turn decreases the temperature that your brakes run at for a given amount of braking. A lower temperature for a given amount of braking means that fins decrease brake fade. Additionally, lower operating temperatures reduce the wear rate of the pads. That is to say that fins can improve hot braking performance and decrease pad wear. But unless you experience brake fade, fins will not improve your braking performance noticeably. Most riders will never experience brake fade and thus will not benefit from finned pads. The slightly decreased wear rate of finned pads does not justify the large cost difference. Even the most experienced riders in our test group felt no need to “upgrade” to finned pads. What compound should I run on an e-bike?E-bikes are like normal bikes except they are roughly 10kg heavier. In terms of braking requirements, there is no difference between riding an e-bike and riding a normal bike after eating 10kg of pies. Contrary to what marketing may tell you, e-bikes don't require any special brake pad materials or rotor type. We suggest you try Resin pads and Metallic pads to get a feel for the differences and then make a decision based on your own experiences. Refer to the “Compound Differences” tab for more information. Compatibility - All SRAM Maven brakes Compound Differences PowerResin tend to have slightly more bite when cold than Metallic. Metallic perform better at higher temperatures, i.e. very long descentsModulationResin have a progressive feel whereas Metallic are more on/off. It is easier to crawl down steep things without skidding with ResinDurabilityFor a given amount of riding you would use roughly 3 pairs of Resin pads to each pair of MetallicNoiseResin are very quiet, Metallic are always a bit noisier. At high temperatures, or in the wet, Metallic sometimes screech (you know the sound)Wet ridingMetallic tend to outperform Resin in the wetFadeBrake fade is the reduction in stopping power that occurs when brakes are very hot. Resin tend to fade at lower temperature than Metallic. That said, with these Resin pads we haven't been able to get fade in any situation - including the infamous Mt Oxford descent! Rotor Wear RateResin pads cause lower wear to your rotor than Metallic padsTotal Ongoing CostsEven after accounting for the lower rotor wear rate from Resin pads, Metallic pads will cost you about half as much as Resin pads in the long term for total brake maintenance costs Maximizing Performance To maximize the braking force from new pads it is important to bed them in systematically. It is tempting to forgo this step, but this will leave performance on the table. 'Just riding' a new pair of pads results in inferior braking compared to intentionally bedding in those same pads. A good bedding in process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the rotor. Pad material transferred to the rotor generates more friction with the pad than the rotor material does. Think about the difference between two grippy surfaces touching versus two slick surfaces. Bedding in your pads creates the best possible match between your pad and rotor surfaces. Which in turn maximizes braking force. PROCEDURE1) Clean your rotor with a non-residual cleaner like isopropyl alchohol (you can forgo this step if you don’t have any around)2) Install pads3) Install wheel4) Pedal bike up to speed and apply your brakes with a consistent pressure (gently at first is best).5) Take off brakes before you stop. Stopping fully ends up causing an uneven transfer of pad material6) Repeat steps 4-5 ten to twenty timesIt always surprises us how different the brakes feel after we’ve gone through this process. We do this on a downhill road (ideally at the top of a chairlift ;) ). Stops us having to pedal up to speed a bunch of times, which can make for a serious puff-fest!

Read more less

If you're reading this, we guess that you're keen to make your bike look a little more... Bling. Oil-Slick Titanium bolts are a great way of doing that.  These rotor bolts are the standard m5 x 10mm length, which is most commonly specified on MTBs. They're made of 6AL-4V (Grade 5 - Aerospace grade) Titanium. A note on installationThese bolts come without a threadlocker. So you'll need to apply a threadlocker to ensure they don't fall out. Just a drop of Loctite 243 will do the trick (we sell that here). Only a drop, though, any more will make it difficult to extract the bolts from your hub.  A note on bolt coloursThese bolts all have a slightly different colour profile; it's a feature, not a bug. Most are primarily purple with a blue-ish tinge. Some are primarily blue with purple-ish tinge. Don't buy them and then tell us they're inconsistent 😊 Why Titanium vs Steel vs Alloy?Steel rotor bolts are cheap and strong, but you can't really get cool colours with them. Alloy bolts are cheap, light a wide variety of colours are available, but they're weak and very easy to strip when you install them or try to remove them. Titanium bolts are light, strong and there's a range of colours available, but they're expensive as hell.  So if you're keen on a coloured bolt, get a titanium one. Alloy bolts might be cheaper, but they're not worth the inevitable hassle of trying to remove them when they strip on installation or removal. Why not just get my bolts from Temu or Aliexpress?We got a few to have a look. All of them claimed to be Titanium, but none of them were. You can spin the lottery wheel if you like 😂

Read more less