Hi gents.
Recently I was riding in the rain and the brakes failed. Not heavy rain but wet well. Also not cold. Both brakes failed as I approached a busy crossing. Luckily I coasted right between oncoming traffic. Very scary. Pads are 85% good.
What I want to know is why this happened?

**I very seldom ride in wet weather.

When you say 'failed' are you meaning a complete no stopping power or a fade?

How old are the pad's?.Dya know what pad's are in them?..They could be glazed..

Hi Nikroc
I dont know what brand. PO bought them new. Yes complete total failure. no bite. no brakes. Once I was downhill riding heavy hairpins (in post-rain weather) and the rear brake went. I understand that because the heavy braking overheats. The next morning rear brake was fine.
The other day I was riding offroad in heavy rain and everything was fine. No problems.
The pads are 4 years old. I dont use the bike much except for tours.

Sounds like brake fade..as you said after a hard ride the brake fluid overheats and then the brakes wont 'grab' the disc's effectively..

Then you have the potential of the pad's becoming glazed/hard.

Personally I would do a fluid change and strip the calipers down,clean them and take the glaze off the pads with sandpaper..I use a belt sander.

It is good practice to use brakes slightly in wet conditions, from time to time, even if they are not needed, just to keep them warm and dry.

Mmm?....Time for new pads all 'round and some disc sterilising. I'd hate to think, somehow, your discs have been contaminated with a lubricant, but in reality, if the front fails, it is surprising just how poor a rear brake can be, when called upon as the sole source of braking, and this may also then appear to have failed.

__________________
I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort.

But why didnt it fail in heavy rain weather? Isnt it just bad brake fluid?

Who knew?! Conditions can wary. Maybe you have used brakes more frequently and next day maybe you have splashed some water mixed with fuel on the discs...
Bad brake fluid is bad in all weather conditions. Also for calipers, if you have some drag, you will overheat your brakes sooner and they will be lost regardless of weather conditions (sometimes sooner, sometimes later). If the bad brake fluid is the only reason, you can brake almost fine in the beginning, but later ... you are in trouble.
However, play on safe side and get them checked by someone experienced. You don't need to risk. Check for drag, replace the fluid if it is older than 2 years, let some air out from brake lines, clean the discs... it is not too difficult, but some knowledge is required.

did you still have sufficient pressure in the brakes, just no stopping happend?
did you use the brakes before on the same ride or was this the first moment on this perticular ride that you used brakes?
if you still had pressure in the brakes, and they were fine the day before, then i suspect some sort of lubricant most have gotten on your brake pads. they just don't fail on you from one day to the next, for no reason.
an external factor must be concidered...

The brakes been perfect for 3 years. I took out the pads, they were very shiny. Sanded them to dull. If no one else experienced something similar then it is some comfort. On that trip it was an L shape route. Straight, one turn. At the crossing as I pulled the brakes there was absolutely nothing.
Im scared as fukc to ride in rain now XD. Ill change fluid.
*I just remember I parked at a friends house with lots of dogs . Maybe they peed on the wheels?