Brake Pad Advice - 2001 B12S

[Human Potato]

I know, I know, this is something that has been asked 1000 times before but a search didnt turn up anything obvious so here are the inevitable brake pad questions:

a)  What pads should I use for the front brakes.  I dont mind the stopping power of the stock pads, but since I am replacing them if there is something better I may as well use them.  I dont want to have to worry about damaging the rotor or anything.
b)  Do you need to do any kind of sanding of the disk surface?  I recall I had to file the leading edge off a brake pad of a drum brake on an older bike to stop it from squealing, is this kind of thing necessary with disk brakes?
c) Anything else I need to know for my first DIY brake pad replacement job?

I dont have a brake bleeder kit and considering how often I need to replace pads I dont think I will buy one so I will be doing it the old fashioned way (whatever that is, gotta RTFM!!)

[B6mick]

Firstly Gday.
Brake pads hmmmm.
Kinda like butt holes and opinions that one.
There is many quality pads on the market here in Oz.
My personal favorite is Gold Fren, and I've been using them for years.
But then again I swear by shinko tyres too.

[PaulVS]

Carbone Lorraine and DP brands seem to be getting the best press these days.

Ferodo, Galfer, and EBC are also good.

[Red01]

I replaced my stock front pads with Galfer's HH pads when the bike had ~20K on it.  The stockers still had a little life left (maybe another 5K?).  The Galfer's have been on for >25K now and are still holding up.  Should go another 5K before replacing.  I picked up a set of EBC HH's the other day when I happened to be by a CycleGear store and they were on sale, so I'll be set for whenever that time comes.

[StangMATA]

EBC pads, no sanding, clean everything well w/ brake cleaner.