Making sense of SRAM brake pads & compounds

Selecting the correct replacement pads for your SRAM brakes can seem like a challenge, especially because a few of the pad models look very similar at first glance. Add to that the various pad compounds and backing plates offered by SRAM and finding the correct pad can seem outright daunting.

Each SRAM brake requires a specific pad type for proper fitment, performance, and of course safety. Since there are some overlaps between the various brake models and pads, we thought we’d put together a quick post to clear up any possible confusion.

SRAM divides their pad types into four categories, Large, Medium, Small and Small Asymmetric. There are also Legacy pad types that we will skip discussing in this post. Each of the pad types also comes in various pad compounds and different colored backing plates making identification of those compounds easier. We will discuss pad compounds in the second part of this post.

Pad types:

Large:

These pads are dedicated to SRAM’s mountain bike brakes, specifically enduro, downhill, and e-bike brake models:

• CODE Stealth Ultimate 2023+, CODE Stealth Silver 2023+
• DB8 2021+
• CODE R, CODE RS, CODE RSC 2018+
• Guide RE

• G2 RE 2018+

Large pads are available in three compounds (we discuss those in detail below). 

• Quiet | Organic (Black backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.023.030
  (OEM DB8 compound)
• Quiet + Lightweight | Organic (Aluminium backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.023.020
• Heavy Duty | Sintered (Copper backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.023.010
  (OEM CODE & Guide RE Pad compound)

Medium:

Medium pads are exclusive to SRAM’s mountain bike line of brakes and cover aggressive cross-country, trail and all mountain brake models:

• Level Stealth 4P Ultimate 2023+, Level Stealth 4P Silver 2023+
• G2 R, RS, RSC, Ultimate 2020+
• Guide R, RS, RSC, Ultimate 2015-2020
• Avid Trail

Medium pads are available in the following pad compounds (we discuss those in detail below).

• Quiet | Organic (Black backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.003.004
• Quiet + Lightweight | Organic (Aluminium backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.003.003
• Quiet/Powerful | Organic (Grey backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.003.006
  (OEM Level Stealth 4-piston / G2 brake pad)
• Heavy Duty | Sintered (Copper backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.003.005
  (OEM Guide brake pad)

Small:

Small pads are used on various SRAM mountain bike and road two-piston brake models: 

• Level Stealth 2P Ultimate 2023+, Level Stealth 2P Silver 2023+
• RED AXS 2 piece calipers 2020+
• Force AXS 2020+
• Rival AXS 2020+
• Level (2 piece calipers) (2020+)

Small pads are available in the following pad compounds (we discuss those in detail below).

• Quiet | Organic (Black backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.024.001
  (OEM Road Pad Compound)
• Quiet + Lightweight | Organic (Aluminium backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.035.020
• Quiet/Powerful | Organic (Grey backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.035.031
  (OEM MTB Pad Compound)
• Heavy Duty | Sintered (Copper backing plate)
  part# 00.5315.035.010

Small Asymmetric:

Small Asymmetric pads are used in SRAM’s monoblock or one-piece calipers from 2012-2018 in SRAM 22 HRD Mechanical groupsets, 2017-2019 on SRAM Level and RED AXS brake calipers.

• 2017-2019 SRAM Level Ultimate
• 2017-2019 SRAM Level TLM
• 2017-2019 SRAM Red eTap HRD
• 2019-2020 SRAM Red eTap AXS
• 2012 - 2018 SRAM Red, Force, Rival 22 

Small Asymmetric pads are available in the following pad compounds (we discuss those in detail below).

• Quiet | Organic (Black backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.010.002
  (OEM Road Brake pad)
• Quiet Lightweight | Organic (Aluminium backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.010.003
• Heavy Duty | Sintered (Copper backing plate)
  part# 00.5318.010.004 

Pad compounds:

The pad compound is the material that actually contacts the rotor during braking and choosing the correct compound can have a significant impact on how your brakes will perform under different conditions on the trail. Pad compounds can generally be divided into two types. Organic compounds, which are made by mixing various organic (non-metallic) materials, and Sintered (metallic) compounds which contain metal particles. SRAM allows you to choose from four variations of compounds, each providing certain advantages while also coming with some compromises.
 
It should also be noted that when changing pads, and the new pads are of a different compound than the previously installed pads, new rotors should be installed and a rotor 'bed-in' process should be performed.

Quiet | Organic (Black backing plate)

Ideal for dry conditions and riders who like a lot of initial bite.

• Advantages
  • Quietest
  • Shorter bed in period
  • Good initial bite
• Compromises
  • Not ideal under wet/muddy conditions
  • Quicker wearing

Powerful | Organic (Grey backing plate)

Ideal for dry conditions and riders who want powerful braking with good initial bite.

• Advantages
  • Quiet
  • Shorter bed in period
  • Great initial bite
• Compromises
  • Not ideal under wet/muddy conditions
  • Quicker wearing 

Heavy Duty | Sintered (Metallic) (Copper backing plate)

Ideal for high demand braking such as downhill racing, wet and muddy conditions and riders who need fade free braking.

• Advantages
  • Friction fade at higher temperatures than organic pads
  • Better performance in wet conditions
• Compromises
  • Louder
  • Longer bed in period
  • Not much initial bite

Quiet + Lightweight | Organic (Aluminium backing plate)

Ideal for dry conditions and riders who like a lot of initial bite and need a lighter weight pad.

• Advantages
  • Quiet and light
  • Shorter bed in period
  • Good initial bite
• Compromises
  • Not ideal under wet/muddy conditions
  • Quicker wearing

SHOP all SRAM brake pads HERE