Review on EBC Brakes DP31538C Redstuff Ceramic by Gent Dobson

About four months ago I put a new set of EBC Red rims on my Evo 9 with Centric High Carbon rotors. I've got about 7,000 on it so far. This includes hard mountain rides but no track days. My reference pads are the Ferrodo DS.2500 - I've experimented with a range of pads but have gone through several sets of 2500's over the years. Compared to the 2500 the reds feel a little spongy and have a little less bite but it is very acceptable - much better than the regular semi-metallic pads I've used for winter riding in the past. Friction varies slightly with temperature, but not by much - a warm bite is slightly better than a cold one. In the feel category, I tend to compare the red EBC discs to the original Brembo pads, even if that's a long time ago. Dust concentration has greatly improved: before, all my wheels were the color of powdered rust with fingerprints. Now they're all black or silver, with just a hint of powder and prints. Reduced dust levels indicate fewer pad printing problems, which can be a problem with pads like the DS.2500. In terms of temperature, I haven't been in extreme conditions yet. On the highest setting I made them roasted enough to boil out some resin and go off the gas a bit (first time - no problem since boiling) but I didn't try hard enough to find the limits so do I do not know what their characteristics are overheating. I can say they handle heat well enough that you really shouldn't find the temperature limit unless you're driving on a straight, empty road (or track) brakes. I hope I don't have to change my pads for the evo's winter snow party with the reds. I'll report Frostbite if I get a chance to test it. Noise is a huge improvement. The highest performing front pads I've used on my Evo make nice noises under heavy use, but when the smooth braking wore off after changing the pads, they ranged from Dementor to Banshee. The Reds have only squeaked a few times since the slump. What's the downside of red? That pause time is just awful, with awful creaks, inconsistent friction levels, and the disappearance of heat under dangerously moderate braking. I braked to get it over with as quickly as possible and it still took about 1500 miles. I've been happy with the reds since the slump is over, but now I'll probably go back to the DS.2500 or CL RC5+ pads to avoid that horrible coating crack.