Video: Developing and Testing TRP's DH-R EVO Brakes with Aaron Gwin, Luca Cometti and Bruce Klein
Words: TRP
Breaking Limits - The Story
When it comes to braking, I have always wanted performance over everything. I do not care about weight, I just want my brakes to have the absolute best power, feel, and consistency that we can get. The bigger wheels on the 29er downhill bike now make them even harder to slow down. We’ve got a brake now that is extremely powerful while maintaining the feel and modulation that make them easy to control.” – Aaron Gwin
Back in the summer of 2018, as riders were starting to race primarily on 29’ wheels, TRP athlete Neko Mulally caught wind of a special E-MTB disc brake project boasting 223 mm, large 2.3 mm thick rotors. Soon after his testing’s, Aaron Gwin was racing those E-MTB brakes with bigger and stronger rotors at the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
This video tells the story of how the TRP R&D team came upon the changes made to the previous DH-R system to tailor it to the needs of new E-MTB bikes, how open-minded downhill racers embraced this opportunity and how one season of creative race development made a lasting difference.
Spanning the 2018 and 2019 race seasons, bikes evolved with larger 29-inch wheels, new frame designs and new suspension kinematics allowing riders to push the limits of speed further than ever before. All the sudden, good brakes were not good enough.
By 2019, all major TRP sponsored downhill teams were racing on the 223/2.3 mm thick rotors and our G-Spec DH-R Brakes. Higher speeds and more traction opened up room for improvement. TRP R&D teams traveled to many races, listened to riders and their mechanics feedback, and quickly adapted the brake to match the new standard of World Cup racing.
Heat testing with TRP Race Engineer Colin Esquibel
No stone was left untouched. What started with bigger and stronger 223/2.3 mm rotors, led to a completely re-designed brake system at the end of the 2019 season: the all-new DH-R EVO.
The all-new DH-R EVO Brake with 223/2.3 mm rotors
New ergonomic lever-blade, newly formulated brake pad compounds, new high-performance hydraulic oil, new 5 mm brake hose-system, newly designed and CNC-machined adapters, new selection of 2.3 rotors, newly designed oil flow inside the calipers, new hydraulic leverage ratio, and a smaller size master cylinder piston lift the overall performance of the DH-R EVO to this new standard of racing.
New TRP mineral oil and stiffer hose
New TRP Performance Resin pads and an assortment of 2.3 mm thick rotors
To check out the DH-R EVO for yourself, CLICK HERE!
Video: Knowmad Development
Photos: Jake VanHeel
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How are the new pads in the wet? And how do they compare to the stock pads, and shimano full metallic?
I’m on the stock TRP semi-metallic pads with my quadiems right now, and they are ok, but they’re about worn and I’m shopping for a replacement set.
Been trying to decide if I should get shimano metallic, or try the new TRP power organic.
Thoughts?
My quadiems have been incredibly consistent performers. And the new thicker rotor seems like a good idea for me (I’m close to 200lbs with gear on, and like to ride longer descents when possible).
I’m actually a big fan of the original lever though. Do we know if they’re backwards compatible?
I’m sure I’d get used to the new lever if needed, but would be nice to stick with what I like if I could.
did we turn the stones? I hope we at least picked them up?