Magura genuine
Three types:
- Type 7.1 'Performance' pad, organic material;
- Type 7.2 'Endurance' pad; and
- Type 7.3 - some sort of OEM pad, probably of lower quality than Type 7.1 and 7.2, not made in Germany.
Discobrakes
Three types:
- semi-metallic - cheap;
- sintered
- longer wearing than semi-metallic; and
- kevlar - better power than semi-metallic but faster wear.
Unfortunately, discobrakes are not currently doing their ceramic pro compound for the Magura MT. I've found this to be my favourite pad compound from discobrakes.
Swiss stop
Three types, but the Swiss Stop website is hopeless so there is no real information about what the claimed differences are between the compounds:
- sintered metallic;
- eBike (WTF is an 'eBike' compound?); and
- organic
.
Koolstop
Two types:
; and
.TruckerCo
Type types:
- high performance - uses an organic semi-metallic compound said to be 'asbestos free organic resin with metal sinters' and claimed to combine 'the stopping power of an organic pad with the durability of a metallic pad'. I've been using these pads and the do offer better performance than the OEM Type 7.3 Magura pads; and
- sintered metallic compound with a copper back plate.
EBC
Three types:
- green - organic compound;
- red - organic compound with higher braking performance than green, but higher wear - claimed low rotor damage and minimal heat transfer (these sound like something similar in concept to the discobrakes ceramic pro pads);
- gold - sintered compound - claimed 'higher friction rating than anything out there' with 'magnetic stainless backing plates'.
Jagwire
Two types:
- Mountain Sport - High performance, low noise semi-metallic compound mounted to a steel backing plate; and
- Mountain Pro - A lightweight aluminum backing plate and high performance semi-metallic compound reduce weight by almost 50%, perfect for cross-country riding.
I'm not sure how the Mountain Pro alu backed pads are supposed to work with the magnets in the MT series pistons. Perhaps they are supplied with springs.
Interesting fact:
- you can use Avid elixer in Magura MT series brakes and vice versa (ie. the pads are interchangeable)
This means, if your LBS (or race service van) does not have Magura MT pads, you can use Avid Elixer pads. Indeed for a number of manufacturers, the Magura MT and Avid Elixer pad codes are the same.
There is one caveat though, the Magura MT series relies on magnets in the pistons to hold the pads back, so non-ferrous backed pads like lightweight aluminium or Ti backed pads will not be held away from the rotors properly.