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Query on Shimano M445 hydraulic brakes - disc pads

11K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Bike Whisperer 
#1 ·
Hi,
I am thinking of stocking spare disc pads for shimano 445 disc brakes ( came stock with my 2011 trek 4500 d). From the other articles on here, it seems that only resin pads can be used with them, (maybe sintered pads if rotors are bigger).

I am not sure what the rotor size is for the 2011 trek 4500 d. Can I use sintered pads with these? If not, BS01 should be fine? what are alternative disk pads?

Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
It's not about rotor size or the caliper, its about the material used for the rotor. The entry level RT-51/53 rotors that are usually matched with M445/6 brakes on new bikes are not hardened steel, so using sintered pads will wear them quickly. Thats why the rotors say "Resin pads only" on them.

If you really want to use something other than the stock B01S pads, then there are plenty of aftermarket pads available that will fit the M445 in all sorts of compounds - resin, kevlar, sintered.

Personally I prefer resin pads, they give great modulation and are quiet in operation. But then I ride in a dry part of the world, and accept that if you regularly ride in the wet then sintered pads will last longer.
 
#3 ·
Sintered pads generate more heat and are also much more abbrasive on rotors. The M445 brakes are not designed to disapate the heat and the rotors are not designed to handle to harder compound brake pads.

However I have used semi-metallic pads do ok on these brakes. Check out the Kool Stop D620 pads which are organic with a little metal in them.
 
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