Technically a sneak peek of a brand new group that’s launching in April, I used to be invited to Taiwan to see the all-new TRP EVO MTB teams and provides them a take a look at experience.
The brand new EVO7 and EVO12 teams are 7-speed for DH and 12-speed for the whole lot else, respectively, and are an evolution of the first-generation drivetrains launched a couple of years again. The TR12 was first noticed in Could 2020, about six months after the TR7 debuted after testing beneath Aaron Gwin.
These teams had been, nicely, OK, however their efficiency was topic to how properly they may play with third occasion cassettes, chains, and so on. Which means, there was room for enchancment by designing a whole drivetrain. And, in case you’re going to do this, why not replace the whole lot to make it even higher?
Introducing the all-new TRP EVO teams
However first, some fast background…skip forward to the subsequent subtitle in case you simply wish to see the components and tech.
One among TRP’s guiding rules is “Match alternatives along with your capabilities”. Effectively, TRP is thought for his or her brakes, so, why develop a Drivetrain?
As a result of OEM placement has more and more develop into homogenous, pairing full drivetrains with brakes from the identical model. And so they have already got loads of acceptance as OEM placement on loads of bikes with their brakes, to the tune of 13 million brakes per 12 months (that’s ~20,000 per day!), and using 1,600 folks globally.
In 2016, they signed Aaron Gwin with an aggressive sponsorship deal that gave him carte blanc to assist design a brake. It labored, placing them on the World Cup map (and podiums).
Round that very same time, they employed 50 engineers and researchers to develop their drivetrain program. After navigating a minefield of 15,000+ patents and being granted 130 of their very own, they’d a product.
They launched in 2019 with their first-gen 7-speed and 12-speed TRP-level derailleurs and shifters for mountain bikers. However, behind the scenes, in addition they began delivering 8/9-speed Tektro-level OEM teams in 2021, and now have 10/11-speed teams for OEM spec on lower-level bikes.
The excellence is vital as a result of Tektro is the principle model, constructed on promoting hundreds of thousands of brakes per 12 months for entry- and mid-level bikes protecting virtually each class besides street. TRP is the high-performance division, making the brakes the professionals are successful gravity races with.
You in all probability haven’t ridden or seen a Tektro or TRP drivetrain but. However whereas they’ve been racking up WC DH wins with their TRP brakes, they’ve additionally been testing their drivetrains on the professional circuit and constructing their OE buyer base for them.
Now, in 2023, they’re changing the TR12 bits with EVO12 because the second-gen enduro mountain bike drivetrain. In contrast to the primary spherical, this time it’s a whole group, providing cranks, chainring, and cassette.
And so they’re beginning on the prime, positioning EVO12 on the XO/XTR Path stage. As a result of in case you’re seeking to seize hearts and minds, it’s finest to create a premium product. It’s a lot tougher to launch with a price range group after which persuade us all that they will do a premium group, proper?
TRP EVO Tech Options
The brand new EVO12 derailleur makes loads of enhancements over the unique TR12 components and introduces some new options.
The derailleur physique itself is stiffer, and the parallelogram actuation is now linear (versus transferring at a slant). The connecting pins are stronger, too. Mixed, these give it extra exact actuation.
Cable entry across the rear information wheel is shorter and extra direct. It’s value pausing to understand that they’ve developed a high-end MECHANICAL group. Whereas the business appears hell-bent on making the whole lot digital and principally wi-fi, there are loads of the explanation why loads of of us could desire a actually good mechanical group, and now they’ve an alternative choice.
Probably the most distinctive is the Corridor Lock, named after Gwin’s mechanic John Corridor. Basically a band clamp that closes down across the mounting bolt, the Corridor Lock steadies the derailleur physique, stopping it from bouncing round and exacerbating chain slap.
Open it as much as take away the wheel, in any other case, hold it locked.
The clutch switches from a ratcheting mechanism to a silent clutch with a one-way bearing pressed in opposition to a friction plate. It’s a 30% lighter clutch, so it’s simpler to shift however nonetheless has the mandatory cable administration.
The Cage Launch lever releases the strain spring from the pulley cage, letting it grasp freely for wheel swaps. The larger lever makes it simpler to reconnect the cage again with the spring.
Lastly, the pulley cage will get a carbon fiber outer plate, and the 12/14-tooth pulleys get higher mud evacuation channels to assist it run cleaner.
The shifter will get a light-weight lever motion with a extra compact design and diminished small components inside for higher sturdiness.
The downshift lever (goes to a better gear) will get a brand new adjustment, letting you rapidly change from multi-shift to single-shift. Wish to rip by way of 5 gears without delay? Go for it. Want to rely your clicks or put this on an e-MTB? Change to single-click mode.
Sponsored EWS (now EDR) pro-Cody Kelley says he prefers the single-click mode for racing as a result of on actually tough terrain, there’s no likelihood of unintentionally shifting too many gears, so it helps him hold centered and keep away from errors. He’s been working the group for some time and has been offering suggestions all through their growth course of.
Cable routing is streamlined and parallel to the bar, which goes to be actually good for the approaching wave of mountain bikes with full inside cable routing.
The cassette was one of many more difficult components of the drivetrain. They went by way of a minimum of 15 iterations throughout testing, however the effort appears to have been value it. Gearing is 10-11-13-15-18-21-24-28-32-36-44-52.
It’s a two-piece development that is available in 1g lighter than XX1 and 2g lighter than XTR (their claims). The decrease 10 cogs are machined from a single piece of metal, and the higher two out of 7075 aluminum.
It mounts to a Shimano Microspline freehub physique as a result of it’s a extra accessible customary. If you happen to have a look at non-SRAM cassettes that match on the XD physique, they require a convoluted mounting design to work round SRAM’s patents. That’s not the case with Microspline, so you may mount it on to the FH physique and provides it a extra secure design.
To date, the whole lot you’ve seen is made by TRP in their very own factories. This consists of the cranks, each carbon and alloy variations. They are saying this offers them much better high quality management, they usually even make the chainrings however are licensing MRP’s Wave tooth sample fairly than take care of “slim vast” patent points.
The one a part of the group they don’t make is the chain, spec’ing KMC X12 chains and optimizing the cassette and the whole lot else round that.
One other notice: As a result of so many bikes have adopted the SRAM UDH customary, they’ve primarily standardized derailleur and axle/finish cap placement, which advantages each group, not simply the new Transmission stuff. Mix that with Microspline’s tight tolerance spec and TRP can supply a system that requires minimal B-gap adjustment to dial in shifting efficiency.
TRP EVO Pricing, Weights & Extra
The EVO12 group will are available in Gold and Silver finishes. Functionally the identical, it’s simply beauty. Pricing and claimed weights for EVO12 components are:
- Crankset – Carbon: $350 – 504g (170mm)
- Crankset – Alloy: $150 – (TBD)
- Chainrings – $75-$80 – 81g (Enhance 32T)
- Backside Bracket – $42 – (TBD)
- Cassette: $399 – 372g
- Chain: $39 (silver), $75 (gold) – 270g
- Shifter: $100 (silver), $110 (gold) – 125g (w/o clamp or cable)
- Derailleur: $230 (silver), $240 (gold) – 301g
The EVO7 DH group is available in black for many components, however the shifter and derailleur can have the gold end, too. It will get a 165mm alloy crank, no carbon possibility.
- Crankset – Alloy: $150
- Chainrings – $75
- Cassette: $100
- Shifter: $100 (silver), $110 (gold)
- Derailleur: $230 (silver), $240 (gold)
Past issues like branding and market acceptance, the opposite vital a part of getting widespread OEM placement and adoption is making certain international assist. From components warehousing and supply to customer support, any product searching for placement on full bikes bought globally wants to have the ability to ship replacements and restore components rapidly. TRP has this, they usually’re increasing it extra with the launch of the drivetrains.
