Skip to main content

TRP Slate T4 brakes


THESE FOUR-PISTON all-rounders from budget brake mega brand Tektro’s top-end line are keenly priced, but don’t feel as keen through the levers.

The hinged Shimano I-Spec compatible bar clamp and the adjustable-angle hose banjo on the calliper make them easy to fit. The short dimpled levers have a wide Allen key adjusted reach range, and modulation is OK once they engage.

The brakes alone cost 135$ if you’ve already got your own adaptors and rotors, and we’d avoid the alloy and stainless steel TRP rotors our brakes were supplied with anyway because they’re heavier than most cheaper one-piece discs. We’d suggest going for a 200mm front, 180mm rear set-up to get enough muscle for more aggressive riding though, because you really need to squeeze them to lock either end.

The Slate also burns through its original pads very quickly in typical UK conditions. In a way that’s a blessing in disguise though, because aftermarket Shimano Saint/Zee pattern pads from RWD or Shimano offer noticeably improved braking bite and longevity.

Our test set suffered from variable first pull bite point issues even after several bleeding sessions too, though they came right in the end.

Weight: 471g

Price 213$



Popular posts from this blog

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

DRC X-Monitor SP1 lap timer

While smartphone apps such as Strava can be a useful way to keep tabs on your mountain bike rides, sometimes you just can’t beat the simplicity and instant feedback that a good old-fashioned stopwatch style lap timer provides.

Merida Big Seven 100

We've rolled up to our local woods, with a meandering blue trail, some natural wooded tracks and a bit of fire road chucked into the mix to see how the Big Seven 100 tackles trails that entry-level riders are likely to cut their teeth on.

Fizik Thar Manganese Rail Saddle

The Fizik Thar is claimed to be the world's first 29er-specific saddle. Yep, you read that correctly, 29er specific. So what makes it so 29er specific?

Dave Hemming’s Fat Chance Yo Eddys

WHO IS DAVE HEMMING Dave first appeared in the mag in 1989 and, after becoming the first Brit to win a World Championships medal, was picked to ride for Team MBUK in 1991. He went on to race DH for several years, in-between numerous hare-brained feature missions. These days, he dabbles in everything from enduros to Ironmans, while working for Swiss/Italian brand X-Bionic. WHY THIS IS A SUPERBIKE? -A ’90s classic has been reborn -The original Yo Eddy is pure anodised retro radness -Its new counterpart is the perfect blend of old and new school, combining classic styling with an up-to-date ride It’s crazy to see how far things have come since the early ’90s. At that time, racing downhill on a hardtail with a 90mm stem and the seat up your arse was just what people did. While the technology seems primitive now, bike companies more than made up for it when it came to anodising! With its ‘aquafade’ paintjob, metallic blue parts and punk graphics, old-school UK racer Dave Hem...