Fitting new brake pads is a cost-effective way to tinker with your bike’s braking setup. However, pads span a range of budgets, from unbranded options costing less than a takeaway coffee to established aftermarket options and premium compounds with equally premium pricing. The question is – what difference does spending more make?
Hydraulic disc brakes generate stopping power by converting lever force into pressure, which then pushes the pads against the rotor to create friction.
While caliper and disc choices set the fundamentals, pad compound plays a key role in how much bite, consistency and overall braking performance a system can deliver. In theory, a higher-performance pad could unlock more stopping power from the same hardware – but whether that’s noticeable, or worth paying for, is another matter.
For this test, we’ve lined up three options – a set of bargain-basement AliExpress pads with an organic compound, Gorilla Brakes’ Enduro Pro pads, a mid-priced alternative, and Trickstuff’s Power pads, a high-end option – to explore where the best value lies and where diminishing returns begin.
Build quality
The AliExpress pads, at £6.57, are supplied unbranded in a simple plastic bag, with no compound information and minimal attention to presentation. In contrast, the Gorilla pads, costing £20.99, and £31 Trickstuff pads, have dedicated packaging, along with a logo backing plate that makes identification easy. The construction of each is also noticeably more robust.
On the AliExpress pads, 2mm of friction material is bonded to a 1.5mm backing plate. A 13mm pad height delivers a braking surface approximately 7% smaller than that of the Gorilla and Trickstuff pads. The AliExpress pads fitted well in the caliper of my test brakes, but felt less secure than the others because of their slimmer, weaker spring, which also contributed to slightly less precise installation.
Both the Gorilla Enduro Pro and Trickstuff Power pads use thicker 2mm backing plates, again paired with 2mm of pad material. Combined with a 14mm pad height, this means they take up more space in the caliper, reducing lever throw and creating a tighter initial fit. Both required precise setup to eliminate brake rub when new.
Lever feel follows these construction differences closely. The thinner backing plate of the AliExpress pads results in a longer lever throw and a softer, more spongy feel as the pads contact the rotor. Feedback through the lever is reduced, making it harder to judge braking force as accurately.
The Gorilla pads improve on this significantly, with a shorter throw and firmer bite point that gives clearer feedback at the lever.
Trickstuff’s pads match the Gorillas here, providing a firm and direct lever feel at the bite point. Engagement feels immediate without being harsh, and the consistent bite point helps you maintain control when braking repeatedly or under higher loads.
How we tested – MTB brake pads
To ensure consistency, I fitted all the pads to the same Hayes Dominion A4 brakes on a 25kg Vitus E-Mythique LT eMTB. I bedded them all in, using fresh Hayes D-Series 203mm rotors each time.
They were put through their paces across a mix of weather and trail conditions. Steep descents and high-speed braking zones were used to reveal differences in bite, power, consistency and lever feel, while controlled road runs enabled me to check emergency stopping distances and heat management during longer braking sessions.
Each test was repeated multiple times, with rotors and pads swapped together to avoid cross-contamination. Tyres, suspension setup and rider weight were kept constant.
Initial bite
Initial bite is one of the clearest separators between the three. The AliExpress pads struggle, particularly in wet conditions, requiring more lever pressure before meaningful braking begins. In the dry, bite is serviceable but never strong, encouraging a dragging braking style rather than decisive speed control.
The Gorilla pads deliver a clear improvement, with good bite in dry conditions and power building quickly once engaged, although they require more deliberate inputs to behave consistently in the wet.
But it’s the Trickstuff pads that offer the strongest initial bite, combining immediate engagement with a firm lever feel that makes braking response easy to predict without feeling overly aggressive.
Braking power
Overall power follows a similar pattern. The AliExpress pads provide modest stopping force that’s adequate for less demanding riding, but lack authority at higher speeds or on steep terrain. As such, you need to apply plenty of force at the lever to get the most from the brakes, which adds to arm fatigue and the sense you’re hanging on the brakes to avoid overshooting corners or hitting features too quickly.
The Gorilla pads deliver good overall power that most riders will find ample for trail and enduro use, and punch well above entry-level performance. However, they don’t reach the highest levels of outright stopping force.
Again, it’s the Trickstuff pads that produce the most power on test, with braking force building rapidly and staying available, even under sustained heavy braking. However, it’s only a marginal improvement over the Enduro Pros, not as great as the leap between the AliExpress and Gorilla pads.
While stopping distances are shorter, the real difference is how easily that power can be accessed and controlled. A lighter touch on the lever delivers more accuracy, enabling you to modulate your braking more easily, prevent unwanted wheel-locking and maintain control.
Modulation
Modulation varies less dramatically, but still reflects compound quality. The AliExpress pads are predictable, largely because their lower power output limits how abruptly braking force can increase.
Gorilla’s pads offer more usable modulation, enabling braking force to be increased progressively when ridden with deliberate inputs.
However, the Trickstuff pads come out on top again, with strong power and excellent modulation, making it easy to manage braking force precisely, even when you’re pushing harder or braking later into corners.
It’s their wet-weather performance that exposes the biggest gap between the three contenders, though. The Trickstuff pads inspire the most confidence, retaining a strong bite and usable power, even when conditions deteriorate (although they still don’t quite match the outright wet-weather performance of the stock sintered pads supplied with the Hayes brakes).
In contrast, the AliExpress pads struggle to generate consistent friction in damp conditions, with reduced bite and increased reliance on dragging the brakes to slow you down. The Gorilla pads perform noticeably better than the cheapest of the three, offering dependable braking, but lose some sharpness compared to their performance in the dry.
Over longer descents, the trio again perform rather differently. Gorilla’s pads maintain stable performance, resisting fade and keeping lever feel consistent as heat builds up. The AliExpress pads also remain consistent, in the sense that their performance doesn’t fade noticeably, but this is largely because their braking power begins at a relatively low level.
The Trickstuff pads perform well here. I didn’t notice any fade and braking was identical from the top of a descent to the bottom.
No one likes screechy stoppers, so you’ll be pleased to hear noise levels are low across all three options on test, with no significant squeal developing in either wet or dry conditions.
The AliExpress pads are quiet, despite their low cost, while both the Gorilla and Trickstuff offerings remain silent, even under heavier braking loads. The differences here are minimal and shouldn’t influence your buying decision.
Durability
How long a product lasts can make a huge difference to its overall value for money, and pad wear reveals another clear distinction here. As you might have predicted, the AliExpress pads wear quickly, particularly in wet conditions. They also produce noticeable brake dust/muck after relatively brief use. In short, longevity is poor when these pads are used in demanding conditions.
The Gorilla pads have a decent lifespan, performing well in the dry but wearing faster in prolonged wet conditions when you’re riding hard.
You’ve guessed it – once again, the Trickstuff pads come out on top. They strike the best balance between performance and durability, with controlled wear rates – considering their higher power output – and relatively low wear overall.
All three options wear quicker than fully metallic sintered pads, though, and they work best in damp-to-dry conditions, rather than on fully waterlogged trails.
On-trail confidence mirrors the performance hierarchy. The AliExpress pads require earlier braking and more cautious riding due to their limited bite and power, while the Gorilla pads provide dependable, predictable braking that suits a wide range of riding situations, but they don’t excel at the extremes.
Trickstuff’s Power pads, meanwhile, deliver the highest level of rider confidence, combining strong bite, consistent power and stable performance for a braking feel that remains predictable and trustworthy across changing conditions and throughout longer descents.
AliExpress vs Gorilla Enduro Pro vs Trickstuff Power brake pads bottom line
While there are lots of small differences between these brake pads, what ultimately matters most is how much confidence they instil when the trail gets faster, steeper or wetter.
The AliExpress pads stop the bike, but their limited bite, modest power and fast wear mean they’re difficult to recommend beyond fair-weather, casual riding or as a temporary, ultra-budget option. In dry conditions, and at lower speeds, they’re usable, but once trails get longer, damper or more demanding, their flaws become obvious.
At the other end of the scale, the Trickstuff Power pads deliver the best performance on test. Bite, power and consistency are all excellent, and they remain predictable on long descents and in poor conditions. For riders who prioritise braking performance and are happy to pay for it, they justify their premium price with genuine gains in confidence and control.
For most riders, though, it’s the Gorilla Enduro Pro pads that’ll hit the sweet spot. They offer a strong balance of price, performance and durability, with good bite, reliable power and consistent behaviour across a wide range of conditions. They may not lead outright in any single category, but they deliver where it matters most, making them the sensible choice for most people.
