Pad shape is the first thing to sort out, and it has nothing to do with which compound stops better. SRAM's Mountain Disc Brake Pads cover two shapes — Medium and Large — and your caliper decides which one you need. Medium pads are exclusive to the mountain brake line, spanning aggressive cross-country through all-mountain: Level Stealth 4P Ultimate, Silver, and Bronze (A1) 2023+, G2 R, RS, RSC, and Ultimate (A1) 2020+, Guide R, RS, RSC, and Ultimate (A1 and B1) 2015-2020, plus Avid Trail.

Large pads go in the heaviest-duty calipers — enduro, downhill, and e-bike territory. That list runs Code Stealth Ultimate, Silver, and Bronze (A1) 2023+, Code R and RS (B1) and RSC (A1) 2018+ , Code from 2011 on, DB8, DB6, DB4 , DB8 Stealth , and Guide RE and G2 RE (A1) 2018+ . One thing to check before ordering: Guide and G2 R, RS, RSC, and Ultimate do not use a Code-derived caliper , so those take the Medium pad. If you have the old pads in hand, the connecting arm sorts it out — Medium is round and smooth , Large is hexagonal and ridged .

Compound is the second decision. The Medium Quiet/Organic pad runs a black steel backing plate, and organic compounds give you a consistent initial bite without warming up, less noise, and a shorter bed-in . The Medium Heavy Duty/Sintered pad uses a copper backing plate and is the compound Guide brakes shipped with from the factory. In Large, the Heavy Duty/Sintered pad with steel backing plate is the OEM fitment for Code and Guide RE . Sintered resists fade on steep sustained descents and holds up in wet and muddy conditions, with more noise and a longer bed-in as the tradeoff. ... Read More