How do you know when to replace the Brake Pads?

[felixR]

As above, how do you know when to replace the Brake Pads?

What are the symptoms? Noise? Squishy feel? Few mm left on the pads?

[Gekigengar]

Usually just a visual inspection is sufficient. How much meat is left until it will hit the metal/cermaic plate.

But if there is plenty of pad left and the brakes are dead and are failing at locking up the wheel then its most probrably contamination. If thats the case, replace the pads and clean the disc with isopropyl alchohol. ( you can try clean the pad but usually it is too late and the contaminent is already soaked in.)

[addmin]

im tight so i usually replace mine when i hear metal on metal contact

[Justin Fox]

I love that metal on metal sound :p

[evil]

after the rainy day at loftus where we all rode in mud and torrential down pour my brakes were fragged and have had significant fade and lack of braking power so ordered some more yesterday.....

grabbing some non organic pads will hopefully fix the problem :D (organics turn to shit in the wet)

[taibo]

when u go to squeeze the lever and the bike doesnt stop anymore, not the ideal way to find out! :)

usually a visual inspection will show signs. dont let it get to the stage where its metal on metal cos then u could be up for a new rotor as well. the metal on metal can cause the rotor to warp. better too early than too late

[Dittmar]

im tight so i usually replace mine when i hear metal on metal contact

GRIMMMMMM \m/