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review
Brakes
TRP R970SL brake callipersTRP R970SL callipers

TRP R970SL brake callipers

9
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jan 10, 2010

0
£399.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Lightweight brakes that pack a punch – but you'll have to dig deep to pay for them
Weight: 
112g
Contact: 
www.upgradebikes.co.uk
How we test

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Mmmm! And again… Mmmm! What we’ve got here, ladies and gentlemen, are the brand spanking new dual pivot offerings from TRP. They’re made from forged magnesium that’s then machined, along with titanium hardware and SwissStop Flash cartridge pads. And they hit the scales at – wait for it – 215g the pair, including fixings. For the weight-obsessed out there, that’s getting on for 80g lighter than Shimano’s top-end Dura-Ace callipers.

Unlike some lightweight brakes that sacrifice power for grams, the good news is that these actually work properly. In terms of feel, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between these and Dura-Ace. They’re compatible with the different pull ratios of all the major lever brands so you can bang them straight on your bike without any worries.

There’s no quick release lever; instead, you push the brake shoes together, lift the barrel adjuster out of its housing and move it inward on the slotted brake arm. It works fine and saves a little weight.

Aside from that, the cable adjustment bolt is easy to operate on the fly, you get a centring and toe-in adjustment, and they look super cool. Love ’em.

Verdict

Lightweight brakes that pack a punch – but you'll have to dig deep to pay for them

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: TRP R970SL brake callipers

Size tested: n/a

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yep, they're excellent

Would you consider buying the product? On my wages? Tch!

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, weight weenies will love them

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 184cm  Weight: 74kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

TRP R970SL brake callipers
TRP
Lightweight brakes
How much!
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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