Bike-park-wales

Finding Confidence at BikePark Wales: How New Brake Pads Transformed My Ride

Last weekend I headed over to BikePark Wales, and it turned out to be one of the best days I’ve had on the bike in a long time. I’ve just picked up a Specialized Stumpjumper Evo, and if that wasn’t exciting enough, I’ve also been experimenting with brakes. I swapped from my reliable Shimano XTs to SRAM Code brakes with sintered pads. Let’s just say… the first impression wasn’t great.

Rider Bike-park wales

Getting There… A Story in Itself

Before we even got to the trails, the day started with absolute chaos. It had thrown down rain all night, and the roads to BPW were soaked, muddy, and slippery. Every car on the road was kicking up spray, and by the time we pulled into the car park, everything looked like it had been blasted with Welsh countryside mud. It definitely set the tone — one of those proper wet, gritty riding days.

The Brake Drama Begins

Before heading to BPW, I’d only ridden the new bike once on some steep local tracks, and honestly, the brakes left me feeling sketchy. There was no initial bite, and on steep sections it felt like the power arrived a second too late. Not exactly confidence-inspiring — and nothing kills the fun faster than doubting your brakes.

So, before the BPW trip, I decided to give the Gorilla Brakes Factory Racing pads a go. And honestly? Best decision.

Gorilla brakes factory racing compound

Rolling Into BPW

I always start slow on a ride — my body just doesn’t switch on without a warm-up — so when we took the short track to the uplift, I wasn’t expecting much. But the brakes already felt completely different. Just a light touch on the levers gave me a solid, predictable bite. Straight away, I felt safer, more planted, and actually excited to push a bit harder.

Eight Runs of Pure Fun

We managed about eight runs before the park closed, and I had zero issues the whole day. The Gorilla pads performed brilliantly, especially on the steeper sections of Route Manouver, where having reliable brake feel matters most.

Do I still prefer XT brakes overall? Maybe. There’s something about the feel I’m used to. But I’m starting to think it’s more about getting comfortable with how SRAM brakes modulate rather than the brakes being “worse.” With the new pads, the Codes transformed.

Tracks I Rode

  • Poppity Ping (favourite blue!)
  • Willy Waver
  • Wibbly Wobbler
  • Route Manouver
  • Insufficient Funds
  • Vicious Valley

Every track felt better because I finally trusted my brakes again. It’s amazing how a simple component change can completely shift your riding confidence.

What’s Next?

I didn’t try the bigger jump lines this time — something I still need to build up to — but I’m sure the Gorilla pads will hold up great when I eventually send it a bit more!

Overall, it was an awesome day out, and I’m excited to get back on the bike again. New bike, new pads, new confidence. 

Gorilla brakes factory racing in the back brake
Back to blog