Conclusion on the TRP EVO Family
The TRP EVO Pro surprised us out of nowhere in the big disc brake comparison - and won. Now TRP is following suit: If you want the EVO feeling but don't want to spend 330 euros, the EVO Expert and Comp will provide you with two new options in future. The question is: What will remain of the racing DNA when the price drops? - Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor
The blueprint: TRP EVO Pro
If you're not yet familiar with the TRP EVO Pro, it recently won the BIKE disc brake test. BIKE gave it a score of 1.4, with top marks for modulation and usability. The braking force also marked the highest value in the entire test field. All this for 330 euros and 313 grams each, including 800 mm cable and pads. In short: the EVO Pro is no longer an insider tip. It is a new benchmark.
The EVO system: what connects them all
All three models - Pro, Expert, Comp - are based on the same platform. At first glance, they look like triplets: same grip body, same brake callipers. Differences are only apparent in the details - in the adjustment screws for the lever width and in the inner workings.
One highlight is the joint lever geometry. The pronounced hook at the end of the lever provides excellent grip, while the perforated surface creates extra grip. The lever sits firmly in the hand. The high material thickness also ensures rigidity and a high-quality feel. Even under full load, the fitting remains stable, appears indestructible and was able to convince all testers in practice.
EVO Expert: The mediator with hybrid pistons
The new EVO Expert costs 210 euros. According to TRP, you don't have to compromise on performance for a whole 120 euros less. The technical centrepiece: the so-called hybrid piston technology from the EVO Pro.
Here, pistons of different diameters work together in the brake calliper. The principle is familiar from motorsport: Inner pistons and outer pistons of different sizes are designed to optimise force transmission and pressure point - for a defined, controllable response.
There is also tool-free grip width adjustment directly on the lever. The tool-free pressure point adjustment, as we know it from the EVO Pro, is missing at this price point. The rest of the package: aluminium caliper, lever and fitting, mineral oil as brake fluid and 2.3 mm thick rotors.
EVO Comp: Entry without frills
One step lower: the TRP EVO Comp for 170 euros. Here TRP relies on a classic 4-piston brake calliper - no hybrid technology with different piston diameters. However, the manufacturer promises 1A braking power here too.
The most visible difference to the Expert: The grip width adjustment no longer works without tools. No great drama - but if you want to make quick adjustments on the go, you need to have a mini tool to hand. In addition, the levers are no longer milled but forged. Otherwise, the same applies as for the entire EVO family: pliers and levers made of aluminium, 2.3 mm rotors, mineral oil.
Max Fuchs
Editor
