TRP G-Spec Quadiem Brakeset: Rider Review

The search for the perfect brake setup is an ongoing quest. For the most part there are two camps when it comes to how brakes feel. There are brakes that have a powerful on-off feel and then the gradual pull modulated feel. These days you really don't need to compromise or choose between the two. Our customer Eric Shepard gives us his rundown on his TRP G-Spec Quadiem Brakeset. Check it out!

 Overview

I bought the TRP G-Spec Quadiem brakes after coming off of the SRAM Guide RSC brakes. Now in comparison, I would say these have more power, and also more modulation. When I opened these up, the first thing you notice is that the brakes are solid. The lever feel is amazing, it is close but does not bite that hard when you first start to pull the lever. Definitely not the on-off brake feel. One of the other aspects I like is how easy it was to bleed the brakes. I bought the Tektro bleed kit (cheap one) and it works just fine. If anything you need to get the tubing to be more secure with better syringes (cheap also). The bleed process was easy with the type that threads into each side of the brakes. 

I bought a set for my downhill bike and found that these brakes are very powerful, they also give lots of control through modulation. The levers feel firm when you pull them and have a solid stopping point (not soft). One of the best aspects is that you can feather the brakes really easily, but also give them a good squeeze to stop suddenly. I replaced the pads initially with Shimano Saint/Zee metallic pads and also I'm running Ice-Tech rotors. The combo is pretty amazing. I can say these brakes have not faded during use. I have used them at Snow Summit, Mammoth, Whistler, and also locally on the Central Coast in California. I liked these brakes so much I put them on my trail bike as well. I ordered the MatchMaker adapters from TRP and they work pretty well.

Final Thoughts

Just a word of caution, I have not been able to get the MatchMaker adapter to play well with my wolf tooth dropper lever. This is not a big deal but will continue to mess with it in the future. These brakes don't disappoint, and they look amazing.