Absolute Black Disc Brake Pads | Graphenpads, for Shimano Dura-Ace (No. 34)

GRAPHENpads® - the new era of braking confidence and consistency is here.. Ceramic GRAPHENpads® is an entirely new benchmark for the braking pad industry thanks to our unique approach to the design of backplate cooling fins, bespoke backplate coating with graphene as well as a completely new friction compound, which uses specially modified graphene instead of toxic copper. These pads fit Shimano road calipers like Dura-Ace, Ultegra, 105, and more.

Brake pads are the most crucial part of the bike, which determines how confidently you can descend. The critical element to their optimum performance is to keep the temperature of the brake pads and the rotor as low as possible (ideally below 400C), especially on longer descends. The hotter the pads get, the faster they fade, which means they lose the ability to slow you down reliably when needed. Overheated pads lose braking consistency and behave differently each time you press the brake lever, which significantly diminishes your braking confidence, effectively making you ride much slower. Shimano introduced cooling fins to disc pads to lower their operating temperature.

The ideal brake pad will have the same predictable power, initial braking bite, and perfect modulation throughout a long descent. After 3 years of development, we believe we have achieved just that with our GRAPHENpads®. The machine tests and thermal imaging results show that we could reduce disc pad and rotor temperature by up to 35% vs. competitors and eliminate brake fading.

Rotors are heated repeatedly to temperatures exceeding 500°C, increasing the danger of softening the rotor materials by tempering. Temper softening causes an increase in wear and warping of the rotor and leads to reduced brake performance. For this reason, it is essential to evacuate heat from the rotor-pad interface as fast as possible.

Specifications

• Compatibility Shimano Dura Ace BR-R9270,BR-R9170, Ultegra BR-R8170,BR-R8070, 105 BR-R7070, Tiagra BR-4770, GRX BR-RX810,BR-RX400, XTR BR-M9100,BR-M9110, XT BR-M8110, SLX BR-M7110, Metrea BR-U5000, BR-RS805, BR-RS505, BR-RS405, BR-RS305, TRP HD-T910, Tektro HD-R510, HD-R310, Rever MCX1 Flat Mount
• Composition Ceramic organic Performance friction compound containing graphene. Thermal coating containing graphene. We don't use copper or any heavy metals.
• Usage All weather conditions
• In the box, Two pads (set per wheel), one spring
• Lifespan According to our own tests single set of pads lasted on average 8000km ( 4900 mi) in hilly terrain.

The Key Elements of Graphenpads®

• The first pads on the market contain specially modified graphene in their friction compound, dramatically improving braking performance, durability, and heat transfer to the backplate.
• Thanks to the backplates being entirely covered in graphene heat dissipating coating, it was possible to achieve much more excellent heat transfer from the friction material to the cooling fins and, at the same time, increase radiation of heat (IR spectrum) by over 20% (which is very significant).
• First pads in the market with patented, angled radiator fins for superior airflow and cooling. Angle cutting provides three significant benefits. 1- The radiator's overall surface increased by 40% vs. standard cutting methods. 2- significantly greater airflow compared to traditional radiators that increase convective heat dissipation 3 –most notably, 45deg angle cutting makes all the surfaces radiate the heat away from the brake pad. Heat radiation (IR spectrum) is the highest perpendicular to the surface. In a standard radiator, every fin radiates heat at a neighboring fin, keeping more heat in the element. Our pads radiate all the heat away from the back plate.
• To date, GRAPHENpads® is the only brake pad in the market that eliminates toxic copper, ahead of new regulations (copper brake dust is proven to be harmful to aquatic life; hence new California regulation will ban the use of copper from 2025)
• The extraordinary lifespan of the brake pads and rotors. According to our tests, a single set of pads lasted on average 8000km ( 4900 mi) in hilly terrain. Graphene in disc pad friction material also prolongs the life of rotors by embedding graphene particles into the rotor braking surface micropores.
• Unlike most other pads on the market, they are produced in the EU and come from a single Taiwanese factory.

What You Will Feel

• Predictability and power, allowing you to regain complete control of your braking
• Better modulation and faster stopping
• Improved confidence when descending
• No brake fade, more consistency, and reliable braking feel corner after corner, even on the most demanding descends.
• They are reticent, even during long descends.
• They reduce fatigue of your hands due to the significantly reduced brake lever force needed to achieve powerful braking compared to the competition.

Why the Majority of Pads Have Similar Average Performance

Most popular organic disc pads on the market are produced by just one Taiwanese company. Interestingly, they don't develop braking compounds but source such formulas elsewhere. Anyone can pick their braking combination from a short catalog, then choose a color of the backing surface, and just like that, they've created their brand of braking pads.

GRAPHENpad's friction compound, on the other hand, was developed with help from renowned European disc pads specialists with decades of experience and one-of-a-kind equipment that allows for precise performance testing. Graphene is still a very new material, especially in friction brake compounds. Due to its unique properties and years of testing, we developed a friction material. In the automotive industry, where every major car maker has already filed several patent applications for friction compounds containing graphene, it's clear that it is the future of braking pads. New regulations, which start in 2025, will prohibit the use of copper powder in disc pads. Graphene is not only an excellent substitute for copper but a significant upgrade in terms of performance. We are the first company in the bicycle industry to offer graphene in the friction compound.

Why Cooling Fins Are the Critical Part of Brake Cooling Ability.

To explain how vital the disc pad fins are to overall disc brake cooling abilities, we first need to understand the essential factor that helps the brake caliper, rotor, and pads cool down. Air moving past all braking elements during the ride plays this crucial role. Increasing the surface of the disc pad backplate enables more wind exposure, improving cooling—the cooler the pads, rotor, and caliper, the better the braking performance.

The thermal images below, you can see GRAPHENpads® tested with and without air blowing on the test setup. It is clear that without the wind, even the best brake pads start overheating very fast, showing the importance of cooling fins in overall temperature management and braking performance.

But Graphene Is Used in Super Low Friction Lubricant…

To understand why graphene is such a good material for friction compound, one needs to know how friction compound is made. Typical organic friction compound includes five classes of components: a fibrous material made from inorganic/organic/metallic fibers (like copper), a binder (like thermosetting polymer), a "filler" (various soft ceramic powders), one or more lubricants/friction modifiers (like graphite, copper), one or more abrasives (hard ceramic powders). The binder, typically a phenolic resin that bonds all components, has a very high friction coefficient. Therefore it is necessary to add friction modifiers/lubricants to lower the friction coefficient and allow braking modulation.

Copper is an excellent example of a material that not only acts as fibrous material but is also a lubricant and conductor of heat to the backplate. Conversely, graphene is several times stronger than copper, conducts heat 3-6 times better, and has a lower friction coefficient of several orders of magnitude. We created one-of-a-kind friction material that delivers extraordinary performance by eliminating copper and finding the right balance of graphene and other components.

How to Install Graphenpads

Please bed the pads in for a proper braking experience. This is a CRUCIAL part of every brake pad installation, and neglecting this step will produce a sub-par experience.

1. Remove the wheel and old brake pads.
2. Use a brake cleaner to clean the inside of the caliper and the rotor surface (alternatively, use isopropyl alcohol)
3. Gently push each piston back into the caliper body (using a big screwdriver). Then mount new pads and springs.
4. The most crucial part - While riding at about 20km/h (12mph) in a safe environment, apply brakes evenly until speed drops to walking pace. Repeat 20 times. Then stop aggressively ten times.

For more detailed instructions, please watch the video.

SKU# DISCPAD34_Std