Changed my mind on cheap brake pads after a close call

I used to swear by those $8 generic brake pads from Amazon. Figured brakes are brakes, right? Well last month I was coming down a steep hill near my shop and my rear brake just gave out. Felt like grabbing air. I managed to stop with the front but barely. Turns out the pad compound was so soft it glazed over after one hard stop. So I dropped $35 on some quality sintered pads from a real bike supplier. The difference was night and day. They grab way better in the wet and don't fade on long descents. That $27 extra bucks probably saved me from eating asphalt. Anyone else have a part they cheaped out on that almost got them hurt?

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2 Comments

hannah_west391mo ago

Sintered pads are worth every penny on steep descents.

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olivia_lopez981mo ago

Jumped on the cheap helmet bandwagon once. Picked up some $20 fake from a sketchy online store and thought I was being smart. First real crash doing trail work, the buckle snapped right off and the thing flew off my head before I even hit the ground. Ended up with a concussion and a cracked collarbone from landing on the side of my head. Bought a proper MIPS certified helmet after that. Shelling out $80 felt painful but looking back I was an idiot putting a price on my brain like that.

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