When it comes to heavy electric bikes, good brakes are one of the most important safety features. So even if you purchase a new e-bike, the brakes get worn down over time. Thus, you’ll need to replace the brake pads to make certain they won’t fail.
When replacing the brake pads on your e-bike, choose brake pads that are compatible with your brake system. Shimano, Magura, Tektro, and SRAM are among the most popular braking systems for electric bikes.
Generally speaking, you’ll be able to get compatible new pads from your own e-bike manufacturer or from other companies that make parts for multiple brands of bikes.
Take a look at the compatible brake pads for each brand of e-bike brakes (and get the details of each below):
| Shimano Brakes | Magura Brakes | Tektro Brakes | SRAM Brakes |
| Shimano brand brake pads | Magura brand pads | Tektro brand brake pads | SRAM brand |
| Top Brake pads | Top Brake pads | Corki brake pads | Top Brake pads |
| Jagwire brake pads | Corki brake pads |
From the lifespan of e-bike brake pads to the best options currently on the market, I’m going to break down everything you need to know. Once I’ve explained the factors that influence brake pad wear and how to determine whether your brake pads need to be replaced, watch the video that follows!
Then I’ll guide you through the 10 best replacement options!
The Lifespan of E-Bike Brake Pads
Having the best brakes is crucial to help your e-bike perform optimally and be safe to ride. Therefore, it’s important to monitor brakes and brake pads for wear and tear.
The best brake pads generally have a long lifespan. Unfortunately, there isn’t a set rule for when your brake pads should be replaced. It could be sooner or later than expected, depending on various factors like weather conditions (I list these below).
After all, in many ways, an e-bike is more akin to an electric vehicle than a regular bicycle. Essentially, you’ll need to routinely maintain or replace the components, like your motor, battery, controller, and even the best brakes over time, similarly to the way you would maintain a car. After all, you’ve invested a considerable amount of money in your e-bike!
Understanding the factors that influence the lifespan of your e-bike brakes is crucial to maximum performance over time. And being aware of these various factors will allow you to assess whether or not your brake pads have experienced substantial wear.
Most e-bikes use disc hydraulic brakes, as opposed to rim brakes. This is because they have more braking power and thus better brake performance.
How Long Do Electric Bike Brake Pads Last?
Disc brake pads on an electric bike can last from about 1000 miles to 6000 miles. This discrepancy is because there are many factors that affect brake pad wear and tear.
This list includes several factors that determine how long your e-bike brake pads will last!
- Weather Conditions
The weather has a large impact on your e-bike’s braking system – particularly bad weather. In wet climates, disc brake pads are known to wear out faster. In fact, during wet seasons with consistent rainfall, e-bike riders will want to inspect their brake pads once a week. - Road/Route Conditions
Weather isn’t the only factor that impacts your brake pads. The condition of the road or routes you travel on will also impact the lifespan of your brake pads. If you enjoy exploring rocky terrain, your brake pads will typically have a shorter life. Hilly terrain is also known to cause increased wear and tear of e-bike brake pads, especially if the rider tends to use the brakes going downhill a lot. - Frequency of Riding
How often you use your electric bike plays an important role in how long components will last. The more you ride your bike, the sooner you’ll need to replace the brake pads. With disc brakes, e-bike riders are looking at an estimated 6000-mile lifespan. However, this estimation will also be influenced by the other factors on this list. - Riding Style
Another factor that influences the lifespan of your bike brakes and other components is your personal riding style. Of course, I’m not necessarily telling you to change the way you ride! But here are a few helpful riding tips.
However, just be conscious that being rough on your bike (such as slamming on the brakes frequently or braking hard while riding down steep hills) will play a role in how long your brakes and other e-bike parts last. Trail riding will be particularly hard on brake pads and will reduce brake performance over time. - Weight of the Rider
In relation to your riding style, it’s helpful to note that, if you’re an obese or overweight rider, the brakes will have to provide more braking torque to stop your electric bicycle, especially if riding downhill at higher speeds. - Maintenance of E-Bike
Like cars, e-bikes need to be regularly maintained. Improper maintenance can result in increased wear and tear of all bike parts, including hydraulic ebike brakes. Getting your e-bike regularly serviced and maintained by a mechanic will ensure that your components are in good order. And that they last as long as possible! - Quality of E-Bike Components
As I mentioned earlier, e-bikes will need to have components replaced. Ultimately, replacement part quality plays a crucial role in their expected lifespan.
For this reason, ensure that you use high-quality replacement parts. To assist you, let’s look at the best electric bike brake pads.
How Often Should You Inspect E-Bike Brake Pads?
Before replacing your e-bike’s brake pads, you should inspect them. By doing this, you’ll be able to verify that a replacement is actually necessary. I’ll guide you through this simple process in a moment. However, did you know that you should be inspecting your disc brake pads regularly?
As a golden rule, you should inspect your e-bike’s brake pads at least once a month. To do this, you will need to remove the brake pads from your bike. When inspecting the brake pads, you’ll be assessing how much the previously discussed factors have impacted brake pad wear and tear in the last month.
Brake Pad Wear and Tear
When you keep the factors that affect your brake pads in mind while regularly inspecting them (like weather, riding style, riding frequency, and quality of parts), you’ll be able to see how and why your brake pads have become worn over time – and whether you need to replace them.
If you discover that they’re getting worn quickly or the wear has formed a certain pattern, you might need to inspect your brake pads more than once a month.
Here are a few examples of why uneven wear might occur…
Has the weather been particularly bad recently? Have you been riding more frequently or in more hilly areas than usual? Did you purchase substandard replacement parts for your e-bike?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then you should inspect your E-bike’s brake pads more frequently than others might need to.
This is a crucial aspect of maintaining your electric bike. When you ride with brake pads that are worn out, you risk causing lasting damage to your e-bike’s brake rotor and caliper. As your brake pads become worn, the steel backing plate of your brake pads could make contact with the rotor, thus damaging it.
Regularly inspecting your brake pads will help avoid further harm.
How to Inspect E-Bike Brake Pads
To inspect your e-bike’s brake pads, you’ll need to remove them to get a proper assessment. Once you’ve removed the brake pads, measure the width of the pads. When measuring the width of the pads, include the brake pad’s backing plate in your measurement.
When it comes to the width of the brake pads and backing plate, any measurement less than 1/8th inch means that you’ll need to replace your brake pads. Fortunately, you’re about to get guided through the best brake pad options available on the market today!
If you’re not quite sure how to remove your electric bicycle brake pads, this handy video will guide you through the simple process (using Corki Brake pads)! Alternatively, you can always have a bike mechanic or repair shop replace the old brake pads with the best brake pads for you.
Main Types of Disc Brakes for E-Bikes
There are those that are hydraulically operated and those that are cable-actuated.
Hydraulic Disc Brake Systems vs. Mechanical Brakes
These utilize cables filled with fluid, whereas mechanical disc brakes (cable-actuated) utilize cables with air inside.
Many electric bikes today utilize mechanical brake systems instead of hydraulic brakes. Ultimately, use brake pads that are suited to the braking power that your e-bike uses and the braking torque required. You should see your current brakes marked with the brand name (such as Shimano, Magura, or Tektro).
It’s important to select brake pads that are compatible with your e-bike’s brand of brake system. However, when you need to replace your brake pads, the process is rather simple. Do it yourself with help from a video or go to an electric bike mechanic or knowledgeable bike shop.
Either way, you should learn what the best brake pads are for your e-bike braking system! Here are ten of the best for three major brands of disc brakes: Shimano, Magura, and Tektro.
The 10 Best E-Bike Brake Pads
When compared to traditional bikes, e-bikes are a lot more powerful. Due to this, you’ll need brake pads that will effectively slow you down. However, traditional bicycle braking systems, like rim brakes, will not always suffice with the power of an electric bike. For this reason, disc brakes should be considered a necessary component of your e-bike.
Regardless of the condition of your other braking components, such as the levers of pistons, high-quality brake pads are required to transfer the needed braking force to the discs.
Check out the following compatible brake pads (you can get them all on Amazon… I may receive a commission).
Shimano Compatible Brake Pads
Shimano has many popular braking systems, including XTR, Saint, Zee, Deore, and more. If you’re looking for the best brake pads that are compatible with these systems, these are your top options and you can even get them all through Amazon (paid links).
#1: Official Shimano Brake Pads
If you’re using a Shimano brake system with your e-bike, then your best option would be to get OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts from Shimano. There are 2- and 4-piston brake pads, as well as options between metal and resin.
You’ll find brake pads that are compatible with XTR, Deore, Deore XT, Dura-Ace, SLX, Saint, and Zee braking systems. For more information, you can visit the above link!
These brake pads from Top Brake were made with e-bikes in mind! Designed to withstand wear and tear for longer, these brake pads are made with a heat-resistant formula. You’ll have optimal braking performance with these brake pads, regardless of the weather outside.
Both a ceramic compound and a specialized e-bike compound are available.
These brake pads are compatible with many Shimano e-bike brakes, including Saint, Zee, and Deore systems. They’re also compatible with certain Tektro e-bike brakes. For more information, visit the above link!
If you’re looking for high-quality brake pads that can rival the performance of OEM parts, you’ll want to check out these brake pads from Jagwire. These brake pads combine the best elements of both resin and metallic brake pads for optimal braking performance. Both sintered pads and metallic material options are available.
These brake pads from Jagwire are compatible with Shimano’s Alfine, Deore, Deore XT, SLX, Saint, and XTR braking systems. See the above link!
Magura Compatible Brake Pads
#4: Official Magura Sport Brake Pads
If your e-bike uses a Magura braking system, your top option might be to get official Magura parts. Their Sport Brake Pads are designed to provide optimal braking performance for ebike owners. Luckily, these are easy to find.
These brake pads are compatible with the 8.P variety of Magura braking systems. Make sure to find the correct size for your brakes.
Top Brake doesn’t only make pads compatible with Shimano brakes, but also with Magura brakes! These low-abrasion brake pads are designed to last longer. With heat-resistant properties, these brake pads will offer optimal braking performance in any weather condition!
These brake pads are compatible with many Magura brakes, including MT2, MT4, MT6, MT8, and more. Get more information at the link above.
Tektro Compatible Brake Pads
#6: Official Tektro Disc Brake Pads
If your electric bike uses a Tektro braking system, your top choice would be using official Tektro brake pads. Whether your e-bike has a 2- or 4-piston caliper, or you want a metal or resin pad, Tektro has got you covered!
There are many great OEM brake pads available from Tektro on Amazon. Find the brake pads compatible on your e-bike by visiting the above link!
#7: Corki Brake Pads
If you’re looking for brake pads that are compatible with Tektro braking systems, then these brake pads from Corki are a great choice! You can choose between resin, semi-metallic, and sintered metal. There’s even a copper-based option. Regardless of your preference, Corki has got you covered!
Not only are these Corki brake pads compatible with Magura brakes, but they are also compatible with certain Shimano brakes. Check out the link above!
SRAM Compatible Braking Pads
If your e-bike has an SRAM braking system, you’ll want to consider using official SRAM parts. Not only are these disc brake pads specially designed to work with SRAM brakes, but they’re also high-quality and will deliver great braking performance.
Check out the link above to see SRAM Road Hydraulic Disc BrakePads!
Top Brake also designs electric bike brake pads that are compatible with SRAM brakes. Not only are these disc brake pads noise-resistant, but they deliver incredible braking performance come rain or shine. There are two pad compound choices: ceramic or electric bike. For e-bike owners, the second compound will be the best suited for you.
These brake pads are compatible with a large variety of SRAM braking systems. For more information, you can visit the above link!
Corki also makes great brake pads that are compatible with SRAM brakes. Whether you prefer sintered pads, resin, or semi-metallic brake pads, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. There is also a copper-based option. These brake pads will deliver fantastic braking performance – even when you are going downhill.
These are also suitable for a variety of SRAM brakes. Learn more at the above link!
Conclusion
Using the best brake pads on the market today will improve your enjoyment and safety while riding your electric bike in the USA or anywhere.
You should treat your e-bike like you treat your car! Understanding that your brake pads need to be maintained, and eventually replaced, will ensure that you don’t ignore them until they suddenly don’t work at a bad time.
Consider the lifespan of your brake pads and inspect them regularly. And when they need to be replaced, only do so with the best brake pads for your particular e-bike braking system. Check out the ten best brake pads above and match your current brake brand with the new pads. This way, you’ll make sure to get the ones that are right for your electric bike.
