Gorilla Brake Pads UK: Ultimate Mechanic’s Review [2026]

Brake pads are brake pads, right? Wrong. After 30 years fixing bikes in Bournemouth, I’ve fitted hundreds of pad sets from budget to boutique. Gorilla Brake Pads keep turning up in our workshop because they work, they’re priced sensibly, and customers don’t come back complaining. That matters more than marketing claims.

Gorilla makes brake pads for virtually every disc brake system — Shimano, SRAM, Hope, Magura, Formula, and more. They offer 11 different compounds across three performance tiers, from budget commuter pads to premium downhill-rated compounds. The question isn’t whether Gorilla pads work (they do), it’s which compound suits your riding.

We’ve fitted Gorilla pads to everything from budget MT-series hybrids to 105-equipped road bikes. Zero complaints. Here’s what you need to know.

Highest Performance
£14.99-£20.99
(£11.24-£15.74 with discount)

– Orange/Blue/Black backing plates
– Maximum heat dissipation
– Longest lifespan
– E-bike rated
– Downhill/alpine use

High Performance
£10.99-£17.99
(£8.24-£13.49 with discount)

– Green/Titanium/Purple backing
– Modulation-focused
– Quiet operation
– Road/gravel/trail
– All-weather versatility

Performance Value
£7.99-£10.99
(£5.99-£8.24 with discount)

– Black/Green/Red/Yellow backing
– Reliable everyday use
– Commuting/training
– Budget-friendly
– Proven compounds

Here’s what Gorilla pads actually cost, with our 25% affiliate discount applied:

Budget Range (£5.99-£8.24 with discount)

• Enduro Ceramic: £7.99 → £5.99 (currently on sale)
• Semi-Metallic: £9.99 → £7.49
• Sintered: £10.99 → £8.24
• Ceramic Nano Tech: £10.99 → £8.24

Mid-Range (£8.24-£11.24 with discount)

• Factory Racing Organic: £10.99 → £8.24
• Factory Racing Stealth: £14.99 → £11.24
• Enduro Pro Resin: £14.99 → £11.24

Premium Range (£13.49-£15.74 with discount)

• Factory Racing (Green): £17.99 → £13.49
• Enduro Pro Semi-Metallic: £18.99 → £14.24
• Enduro Pro Ultimate: £20.99 → £15.74

Free UK shipping on orders over £25. Three pairs of budget pads = free delivery and 25% savings.

Gorilla organizes their 11 compounds into three clear performance levels. Here’s what actually matters.

Tier 1: Enduro Pro Range (Highest Performance)

The Enduro Pro range is Gorilla’s premium offering. Maximum heat control, longest lifespan, designed for demanding use including e-bikes, downhill, alpine descents, and heavy braking.

Enduro Pro Ultimate (Orange backing plate)

• Price: £20.99 (£15.74 with discount)
• Best for: E-MTB, downhill, bike parks, alpine road descents, heavy riders
• Characteristics: Maximum everything — heat dissipation, durability, consistency
• Our take: Overkill for most UK riding but brilliant for e-bikes and long alpine descents

Enduro Pro Semi-Metallic (Blue backing plate)

• Price: £18.99 (£14.24 with discount)
• Best for: Aggressive trail, enduro, gravel racing, year-round road riding
• Characteristics: Excellent all-weather performance, strong wet-weather bite
• Our take: We’ve fitted these to 105 road bikes for sportive riders — excellent modulation

Enduro Pro Resin (Black backing plate)

• Price: £14.99 (£11.24 with discount)
• Best for: Trail riding, road, gravel where quieter operation preferred
• Characteristics: Quieter than sintered, still heat-resistant
• Our take: Good middle ground between performance and noise — fitted to several MT-series brakes without issues

Tier 2: Factory Racing Range (High Performance)

Factory Racing compounds focus on feel and modulation rather than outright power. These prioritize smooth braking character and quiet operation.

Factory Racing (Green backing)

• Price: £17.99 (£13.49 with discount)
• Best for: E-bikes, heavy bikes, long descents, bike parks
• Characteristics: Hard compound, high-load rated, long-lasting
• Our take: Excellent for e-MTB customers who burn through standard pads

Factory Racing Stealth (Steel backing)

• Price: £14.99 (£11.24 with discount)
• Best for: Trail, e-MTB, road, gravel — riders prioritizing quiet braking
• Characteristics: Ultra-quiet, consistent, excellent modulation
• Our take: Popular choice for road cyclists who want silent braking

Factory Racing Organic (Steel backing)

• Price: £10.99 (£8.24 with discount)
• Best for: Dry conditions, XC, road, light gravel use
• Characteristics: Instant bite, ultra-quiet, no bedding required
• Our take: We’ve fitted these to commuter bikes — customers love the instant bite but they wear faster in wet UK weather

Tier 3: Standard Compounds (Performance Value)

Reliable, affordable compounds for everyday riding. These are the bread-and-butter pads for UK commuting, training, and general use.

Sintered (Yellow backing)

• Price: £10.99 (£8.24 with discount)
• Best for: Wet, muddy riding, UK winter commuting, alpine descents
• Characteristics: Maximum wet-weather performance, long-lasting, noisier
• Our take: The default choice for UK riding — wet performance is excellent

Semi-Metallic (Black backing)

• Price: £9.99 (£7.49 with discount)
• Best for: All-round trail, road, gravel, commuting
• Characteristics: Balanced performance, decent wet weather, affordable
• Our take: Best value pad in the range — we’ve fitted dozens to MT-series and 105 brakes without complaints

Ceramic Nano Tech (Green backing)

• Price: £10.99 (£8.24 with discount)
• Best for: XC, road, gravel, dry conditions
• Characteristics: Low rotor wear, quiet, good modulation
• Our take: Nice feel but not ideal for wet UK conditions

Enduro Ceramic (Red backing)

• Price: £7.99 (£5.99 with discount) — currently on sale
• Best for: E-MTB, heavier riders, hot/dry conditions
• Characteristics: Better heat dissipation than standard ceramic
• Our take: At sale price, excellent value for money

Gorilla makes pads for virtually every disc brake system. Here’s coverage for the most common UK setups.

Shimano Road & Gravel

• 105 / Ultegra / Dura-Ace (BR-R7070, BR-R8070, BR-R9270) — L-Type pads
• GRX (BR-RX810, BR-RX400) — L-Type and K-Type pads
• Tiagra (BR-4770) — L-Type pads

Shimano MTB

• XT / SLX / XTR / Deore (4-piston) — D-Type, H-Type, N-Type pads
• XT / SLX / Deore (2-piston) — G-Type, J-Type pads
• MT Series (MT200/MT400/MT500) — B-Type pads
• Saint / Zee — N-Type pads

SRAM Road & Gravel

• RED / Force / Rival / Apex (eTap AXS) — Small size
• RED / Force (HydroR) — Asymmetric size

SRAM MTB

• Code / DB8 — Large size
• Guide / Level — Medium size
• Maven — Extra Large size (new)

Hope, Magura, Formula, Hayes

Gorilla stocks pads for Hope E4/V4/X2, Magura MT5/MT7, Formula Cura/Oro, Hayes Dominion and more. Check their compatibility guide or contact them directly.

Not sure which pad shape you need? Gorilla’s website has detailed compatibility tables for every brake system.

After 30 years in the bike trade, we don’t recommend products based on marketing claims. Here’s what we’ve fitted from Gorilla’s range and what happened.

Semi-Metallic (£9.99 → £7.49)

Fitted to: MT-series hybrids, 105 road bikes, commuter setups
Use case: Daily commuting, weekend sportives, light trail riding
Observations:

• Excellent value — performs way above its price point
• Good wet-weather bite for UK conditions
• Slightly noisier than OEM but nothing objectionable
• Zero complaints from customers after 6+ months

Verdict: Best value pad in the range. Start here unless you have specific requirements.

Factory Racing Organic (£10.99 → £8.24)

Fitted to: Road bikes, dry-weather commuters, XC bikes
Use case: Fair-weather riding, road cycling, light trail use
Observations:

• Instant bite from first pull — no bedding required
• Ultra-quiet operation — road cyclists love this
• Wear faster in wet UK conditions than sintered/semi-metallic
• Great modulation feel

Verdict: Excellent for road cyclists prioritizing quiet braking. Not ideal for year-round UK commuting.

Enduro Pro Resin (£14.99 → £11.24)

Fitted to: 105 road bikes, enthusiast trail bikes, gravel setups
Use case: Long-distance road riding, trail riding, mixed surfaces
Observations:

• Quieter than sintered, more durable than organic
• Excellent heat management on long descents
• Good all-weather performance
• Nice middle-ground option

Verdict: If you want performance without noise, this is the sweet spot.

Enduro Pro Semi-Metallic (£18.99 → £14.24)

Fitted to: 105 road bikes doing alpine sportives, aggressive trail bikes
Use case: Long descents, all-weather road riding, demanding trail use
Observations:

• Consistent performance across temperature ranges
• Excellent wet-weather bite
• Smooth modulation — no on/off grabbiness
• Noticeably better heat dissipation than standard compounds

Verdict: Worth the premium for serious riders doing big miles or alpine descents.

The Common Theme

Zero customer complaints. That’s the key metric. We fit brake pads every week — if customers came back unhappy, we’d stop fitting them. Gorilla pads work.

Installing disc brake pads is straightforward if you follow the process correctly. Here’s what we do in the workshop.

What You’ll Need

• New Gorilla brake pads (correct compound for your use)
• Clean rag and isopropyl alcohol
• Flat-head screwdriver or pad spreader tool
• Optional: Nitrile gloves to avoid contaminating pads

Installation Steps

1. Remove wheel
Take the wheel out so you have clear access to the caliper. Keep the bike upright — don’t lay it down with hydraulic brakes.

2. Remove old pads
Most calipers have either a retaining pin or split pin holding pads in place. Remove this, then slide old pads out. Note which way they were oriented.

3. Push pistons back
Use a flat-head screwdriver (wrapped in clean rag) or proper pad spreader to gently push pistons fully back into caliper. Do this slowly and evenly.

4. Clean caliper
Wipe pistons and caliper interior with clean rag dampened with isopropyl alcohol. Remove any brake dust or contamination.

5. Install new pads
Slide new Gorilla pads into place, ensuring spring clip (if present) seats properly. Replace retaining pin or split pin. Check pads move freely without binding.

6. Refit wheel and bed in pads
Install wheel, check alignment, then bed in new pads properly (see below).

Bedding In New Pads (Critical Step)

DON’T skip bedding-in. Unbedded pads have poor performance and may glaze over.

The process:

• Find a quiet, safe road with space to brake repeatedly
• Accelerate to 20mph, brake firmly (not emergency stop) down to 5mph
• Repeat 10-15 times without coming to complete stop
• Let brakes cool for 5 minutes
• Repeat process once more

You should feel braking power improve noticeably. This transfers pad material to rotor surface, creating proper friction interface.

Exception: Factory Racing Organic pads don’t require bedding-in.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Touching pad surface with bare hands — Oil contamination ruins pads
• Pulling brake lever without wheel installed — Pistons pop out, you’ll need to bleed brakes
• Skipping bedding-in process — Pads won’t perform properly
• Using wrong compound for conditions — Organic pads in UK winter = rapid wear
• Overtightening retaining hardware — Can cause binding

If you’re not confident doing this yourself, any bike shop can fit pads in 15 minutes. We charge £15-20 labour including bedding-in.

After fitting Gorilla pads to everything from budget hybrids to high-end road bikes, here’s our honest assessment.

What Gorilla Gets Right

• Value for money: Semi-Metallic at £7.49 (with discount) performs like pads costing twice as much
• Compound choice: 11 options means you can match pads precisely to your riding
• Compatibility: Massive range covering virtually every brake system
• Quality: Zero complaints from customers after 6+ months of use
• UK company: Lancaster-based, excellent customer support

What Could Be Better

• Packaging: Fairly basic — not a problem but worth noting
• Marketing: Gorilla undersells themselves — these pads deserve more recognition
• Availability: Not stocked in many bike shops (buy direct)

Our Recommendations by Use

UK Commuter (all weather):
Semi-Metallic (£7.49) or Sintered (£8.24) — can’t go wrong with either

Road Cyclist (sportives, long rides):
Enduro Pro Semi-Metallic (£14.24) — worth the premium for heat management

MTB Trail Rider:
Sintered (£8.24) or Enduro Pro Semi-Metallic (£14.24) depending on budget

E-Bike:
Factory Racing Green (£13.49) or Enduro Pro Ultimate (£15.74)

Quiet Operation Priority:
Factory Racing Stealth (£11.24) — ultra-quiet without sacrificing performance

The Bottom Line

Gorilla Brake Pads work. We fit them because customers don’t come back complaining, they come back buying more. That’s the only endorsement that matters in a bike workshop.

With 25% discount via our affiliate link, they’re exceptional value. Three pairs of Semi-Metallic = £22.47 delivered. That’s £7.49 per set for pads that outperform many OEM options costing £25-30.

Start with Semi-Metallic or Sintered for general UK use. If you need specific characteristics (ultra-quiet, maximum heat dissipation, e-bike rated), step up to Factory Racing or Enduro Pro compounds.

Not boutique, not overpriced, just good brake pads at honest prices. That’s all most cyclists actually need.

Bike Repairs Direct — Mobile Bike Mechanic
Serving Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset since 1994
Over 100 five-star Google reviews
30 years professional experience