Bikes Blog
TRP EVO mountain bike drivetrains hit the paths
Mar
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 all the things 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 underneath Aaron Gwin.
These teams have been, nicely, OK, however their efficiency was topic to how properly they might play with third celebration cassettes, chains, and so forth. Which means, there was room for enchancment by designing an entire drivetrain. And, if you happen to’re going to try this, why not replace all the things to make it even higher?
Introducing the all-new TRP EVO teams
However first, some fast background…skip forward to the subsequent subtitle if you happen to simply wish to see the elements and tech.
Certainly one of TRP’s guiding rules is “Match alternatives along with your capabilities”. Nicely, TRP is thought for his or her brakes, so, why develop a Drivetrain?
As a result of OEM placement has more and more change into homogenous, pairing full drivetrains with brakes from the identical model. They usually have already got lots of acceptance as OEM placement on lots of bikes with their brakes, to the tune of 13 million brakes per yr (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, additionally 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 yr for entry- and mid-level bikes masking virtually each class besides highway. TRP is the excessive efficiency division, making the brakes the professionals are profitable 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 an entire group, providing cranks, chainring, and cassette.
They usually’re beginning on the prime, positioning EVO12 on the XO/XTR Path stage. As a result of if you happen to’re seeking to seize hearts and minds, it’s greatest 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 lots of enhancements over the unique TR12 elements, and introduces some new options.
The derailleur physique itself is stiffer, and the parallelogram actuation is now linear (versus shifting 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 all the things digital and principally wi-fi, there are lots of explanation why lots 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. Primarily 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, maintain it locked.
The clutch switches from a ratcheting mechanism to a silent clutch with one-way bearing pressed towards a friction plate. It’s a 30% lighter clutch, so it’s simpler to shift however nonetheless has the required cable administration.
The Cage Launch lever releases the strain spring from the pulley cage, letting it dangle 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 decreased small elements inside for higher sturdiness.
The downshift lever (goes to a neater gear) will get a brand new adjustment, letting you shortly change from multi-shift to single-shift. Wish to rip via 5 gears directly? Go for it. Desire to depend your clicks or put this on an e-MTB? Swap to single-click mode.
Sponsored EWS (now EDR) professional 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 maintain centered and keep away from errors. He’s been operating the group for some time and has been offering suggestions all through their improvement 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 tougher elements of the drivetrain. They went via at the very least 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 commonplace. For those who take 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’ll be able to mount it on to the FH physique and provides it a extra secure design.
Up to now, all the things you’ve seen is made by TRP in their very own factories. This embrace 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 reasonably 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 optimized the cassette and all the things else round that.
One other notice: As a result of so many bikes have adopted the SRAM UDH commonplace, they’ve basically standardized derailleur and axle/finish cap placement, which advantages each group, not simply the brand 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 elements are:
- Crankset – Carbon: $350 – 504g (170mm)
- Crankset – Alloy: $150 – (TBD)
- Chainrings – $75-$80 – 81g (Increase 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 elements, 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 important a part of getting widespread OEM placement and adoption is guaranteeing international help. From elements warehousing and supply to customer support, any product in search of placement on full bikes offered globally wants to have the ability to shortly ship replacements and restore elements. TRP has this, they usually’re increasing it extra with the launch of the drivetrains.