SPECIFICATIONS
Fitment: Shimano and SRAM options
Pad Material: Hybrid
Backing Material: Reduced Thickness Steel
REASONS TO BUY
+Great Modulation
+Very Little Fade
+Long Service Life
REASONS TO AVOID
-Noisy in the cold when new
Less well known than many others here but Uberbike is a brand that I first knew about from mountain bike racing – I wasn’t sure what the quality would be like but after a few years of use on various bikes I’ve been really impressed.
They offer five compounds including one that’s e-bike specific. The sintered and organic offerings are similar to what other brands produce. The Race Matrix version that I tested here uses a medium density pad material to give the best mix of power, bite and service life.
Sounds too good to be true? I was surprised too, but Uberbike really nailed it here. Initially when I set the pads up it was cold and wet, which aren’t ideal conditions to bed the pads in so I did get a little bit of noise initially on that first ride. But very quickly the noise disappeared.
Once they were bedded in the initial bite is fantastic and it just gets better and better. The modulation is very good and only really suffers when you get some serious heat into the brake – probably more to do with the brake rather than the pads.
With this specific compound I’ve experienced a lot less wear than I’ve had with the organic compound that I tested before and also less than the other organic options on this test. I’d say in general that these pads are on par with the Swissstop Disc RS pads which is pretty impressive given the price.
Like the Disc RS these pads feature a slimmed down backing plate which makes space for more pad material and therefore a longer service life. The pads are also safe to use on all rotors unlike some fully sintered pads.
I also tested the all new Kevlar option from Uberbike. I’ve only used these for a month but I’ve been really impressed. They are basically similar to the Organic compound in terms of bite and feel, but they last far longer like the Race Matrix. Interestingly I’ve never had any issues with noise from the Kevlar pads – they work really well in the cold and the wet! This is definitely an upgrade brand to consider.
The full article can be viewed HERE