2011 Sea Otter Classic: TRP’s hydraulic cyclocross brakes

By Lennard Zinn
Published Apr. 16, 2011
Updated Apr. 18, 2011 at 1:14 PM EDT

TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
Ideally, the linkage levers would be a bit longer for current Dura-Ace and Ultegra levers (which have lower leverage than most brake levers), but who can resist putting these brakes on a Di2 show bike?
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes
TRP's hydraulic cyclocross brakes

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The UCI has recently given its blessings to the use of disc brakes in cyclocross competition. One problem, however, is that road-style brake/shift levers don’t offer hydraulic systems, so the current crop of ’cross discs rely solely on wires, which don’t offer the full benefits of hydraulics.

The folks at TRP have taken a step to address that shortfall by connecting the brake cables to a satellite master cylinder under the stem.

The complete set for both wheels is estimated to sell for around $500 and will add 250 grams to the bike, when compared to TRP’s lightweight EuroX cantilevers.

The two sets you see here on Stevens and Felt bikes are the only ones in existence, but TRP plans to make them available by ‘cross season.

Stevens chose to run the cables into the master cylinder on the same side they emanated from.

FILED UNDER: Bikes and Tech / Quick Look

Lennard Zinn

Lennard Zinn, our longtime technical writer, joined VeloNews in 1987. He is also a frame builder, former U.S. national team rider, and author of many bicycle books including Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance and Zinn’s Cycling Primer: Maintenance Tips and Skill Building for Cyclists. He holds a bachelor’s in physics from Colorado College. Readers can send brief technical questions to Ask LZ.