Brake pads wear out. It's not a question of if, but when—and carrying a spare set means the difference between finishing a ride and calling for a pickup. SRAM's organic compound pads fit their Level, DB, and Elixir brake families, covering a wide swath of mountain, gravel, and road applications under one part number.

The organic compound uses resin-bonded materials that bed in quickly and deliver strong initial bite, particularly in dry conditions. Organic pads run quieter than sintered metallic alternatives and create less rotor wear over time, which matters if you're running lightweight rotors. The tradeoff comes in wet or muddy conditions where sintered pads maintain more consistent friction, and in longevity—organic compounds wear faster under heavy braking loads like long descents or frequent stop-and-go riding.

These pads use a steel backing plate that dissipates heat away from the friction material during sustained braking. The spring clip comes pre-installed, so swapping pads takes minutes with a T25 Torx driver. No need to remove the wheel on most SRAM brake designs—push the pistons back, slide the old pads out, drop the new ones in.... Read More