Disc brake pads are one of those components on you probably don’t replace as often as you should, especially when factory replacement offerings cost well over $40 a set.

Instead, when we contaminate pads we attempt perform various acts of voodoo magic on them, in the hope we mayresurrect them by purging them with fire, talcum powder, baking soda and who knows what else.

It also means brake pads from 3rd-party manufacturers are a reality for most riders and in my time I’ve tried a few including Hayes genuine reds and my previous favourite, EBC Red compound.

 Now I’ve got myself a new favourite though; A2Z Fastop Hayes Hydraulic compound pads, which you can pick up for $51 from bikefanatic.com, who swung us this pair for review. Your $51 gets you 2 pairs of pads, that's enough for your whole bike and includes postage.

These pads were tested in Hayes HMX cable disc calipers, pulled by Avid Speed Dial 1.9 levers through full-length cable routing.

The first thing that I noticed upon opening up these pads was their claim that the pads had a built in wear indicator, a piece of coloured metal buried in the pad material and that would appear when the pads were ready to be replaced. "Not a bad idea, that wear indicator," I thought at the time. These pads have been on my bike for 3 months now and at this point I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of said wear indicator.

The next thing I noticed was that the pads came with 'In' and 'Out' stamped into the back-side of the pad, presumably for people like myself who are a little 'slow' and can never remember which pad goes in which side of your Hayes brakes. Another good idea.

Once I'd installed these on my bike and done the requesite 20-30 hard stops to get them bedded in they performed fantastically, locking up predictably with a controlled lever feel and good modulation. They've performed well everywhere from downhill racing in Cairns at Attack of the Tribes, through skateparks and dirt jumps in Brisbane and they've done nothing but impress me.

They're available for just about every make and model of disc brake there is, so chances are BikeFanatic.com has a set that will suit whatever brand of anchors you run.

When those wear indicators turn up on this set of pads, I'll be laying down my $51 for another 2 sets, great pads, great wear, great price, 'nuff said.

8/10

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