TRP Hydraulic G-Spec Quadiem Front & Rear Brake Set: Customer Review

If you're in the market for a new set of brakes, we highly recommend you take a look at TRP. The TRP Hydraulic G-Spec Quadiem brakes have become hugely popular around the shop and are great for riders looking at something in between SRAM and Shimano. Check out our customer Mikes review to learn more about them!

Overview

I recently decided to purchase the TRP Hydraulic G-Spec Quadiem Front & Rear Brake Set from Worldwide Cyclery. In this review, I'll talk about why I decided to go with these brakes, some of the buying choices, and how they perform on the trail!

I started looking for new brakes because I felt I had outgrown the ability of the SRAM Level T brakes that came on my bike. I wanted something with better stopping power. So I started looking for 4 piston brakes for more power. Really the two big dogs are SRAM and Shimano, but there are some other brake choices out there. I also was looking into Magura as an option.

How Do They Compare?

What I found online was that people love the Shimano and Magura for their power, and people love Sram for its great modulation. The TRP Hydraulic G-Spec Quadiem got reviews that placed them somewhere in the middle of highest power between Shimano and Sram, but with a lot of modulation. This sounded perfect because I really like the ability to have good modulation. And if Aaron Gwin helped designed them and races with them, then I guess they are good enough for what I need!

I also liked that they were also competitively priced compared to some of my other similar options. I placed my order and eagerly waited for them to arrive. A few days later they did and I unboxed them. They have a distinct chrome look to them. I imagine this is something you either love or it's not your style. I personally think they look really sharp with all that chrome against my black bike.

Installation

They came with really really long hoses, so you do need to either have a bleed kit or knowledge about how to cut down hydraulic hoses. This is probably the case for most brakes, however. The levers are longer than the one finger setups that come with Shimano brakes, but I set them up fine for one finger braking, and the reach adjust doesn't require a tool to change.

Performance

Now for the ride. I had read that these brakes for whatever reason seem to take a little bit of time to fully bed in. This proved true for me as well. I did the recommended bedding in procedures and then went for a ride around the Laguna area with lots of ups and steep downs. My initial impressions were great stopping power and that I still had quite a bit of modulation. I also believed the more I rode them, the better they would get. I was correct. After a few more rides and a trip to Big Bear, these things had serious power and good predictable braking. My arms pumps on long descents have decreased significantly, and the brakes are all I've changed, so I can attribute the improvement to them.

Final Thoughts

I'd recommend these brakes to anyone looking for an upgrade to 4 piston brakes, still want some modulation, and like the look of the chrome. See you on the trails!