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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$


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