Aftermarket brake pads in the disc brake category rarely see much interest in the mountain bike market, especially offerings from a company known for road bike rim brake pads. That’s a shame because SwissStop really knows what it’s doing when it comes to brake pads of any kind.
What brought me to SwissStop’s disc offerings was first, a very positive experience with their road brake pads which offered that magic blend of power and modulation missing from the OEM pads I had been using. Second, every time I used the Avid XO trail rear brake on my Specialized Stumpjumper EVO 29 Carbon it howled at me like a hound dog that had just been fixed. Worse than the howling was the intense vibration that accompanied it. I was so unnerved by the vibration that setting up for corners became a 50/50 chance of either being annoyed or downright freaked out. New rotors didn’t help. New OEM pads didn’t help either. Once I installed the SwissStop pads, all the problems were solved and now I couldn’t be happier with the brakes.
To read the rest of the SwissStop Organic Disc Brake Pad Review click on the highlighted link.
Daniel Slusser is a professional bicycle mechanic with over ten years of experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HSU and a master’s degree in history from Cal Poly. When he is not riding, wrenching, or writing he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
