Frictive Shimano XT/2-Piston Brake Pads (FR115)
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 Shimano XT/2-Piston brake pads. The equivalent Shimano pad models are G02A, G03S, G04S, J02A, J03A and J04C. A list of brake models these pads are compatible with can be found on the 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 brand offering good pads and trying to address the generally overpriced market for braking products, itâs 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 youâre unsatisfied and weâll 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. Weâre 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 âupgradeâ 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 âCompound Differencesâ tab for more information. Compatibility
Shimano:
Models from: XTR - XT - SLX - Alfine
- XTR BR-M9000/ 9020, XTR BR-M985 (ab 2019) /988 /987 /985
- XT BR-M8100/ M8000/ M785, XT BR-M785
- SLX BR-M7100/ M