How can old mechanical disc rival modern hydraulic brakes! - TRP HY/RD

Mechanical or cable actuated disc brakes are generally hated in the bike industry, especially when it comes to road bikes! But can they match modern hydraulic disc?
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Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure, or depending on which way you look at it, the curse of testing a large number of mechanical or cable actuated disc brakes. I’ve always maintained they’re a viable option when building bikes on a budget, even on a lightweight carbon road bike.
The main drawback is that they tend to fall well behind hydraulic disc brakes in terms of performance, so unless you can afford a hydraulic groupset, most people will tell you to stick with rim-brake. However, there was always a mechanical disc brake caliper I wanted to try but never got the chance, the TRP HY/RD or HY-ROAD.
A few months ago, I saw them going for a song on eBay so decided to take the plunge and give them a go. They have exceeded ALL my expectations, and in my opinion prove that mechanical disc can come EXTREMELY close to the performance of hydraulic disc brakes.
These calipers are extremely well designed, and have a particular feature that sets them apart for virtually all other mechanical calipers available. So in this episode, I'll do a real-world brake test against hydraulic brakes, tear the caliper apart to show you what makes it so special, and with the cost of hydraulic groupsets at an all time low, ultimately answer the question of whether mechanical disc is still a viable option in 2024.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Start
00:35 - Intro
02:56 - TRP HY/RD - Braking performance
04:54 - Real world brake test
10:43 - Siroko sponsor
11:55 - Caliper teardown
16:22 - Is mechanical disc still viable?
19:23 - Bonus frog time
Intro roll:
Created by Dev Joshi - www.go2dev.co.uk
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Email:
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Please note:
I am not a professionally trained bike mechanic. There can be risks associated with using products that are unbranded, untested, or come from sources where the provenance is unknown. Please talk to a qualified bike mechanic if you are in any doubt.
In essence, be careful, do your research, and cycle safe!!!

[@alexbergkvist7214]

I'm just here to thank you for using real world distance units!

[@gusnuk68]

hahaha i'm with you

[@rizzlerforthergyatt]

Luke is a gem in the cycling community!!

[@AntiqueMeme]

Mile is standard in UK lmfao

[@rizzlerforthergyatt]

@@AntiqueMeme RAAHHHH WHAT THE FUCK IS A KILOMETER 🔥🦅🇺🇸🔥🇺🇸🦅🔥🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🔥🔥🔥🇺🇸🦅🦅

[@jonathangreen7111]

In this whole discussion surely riding conditions must be mentioned. I run TRP Spyre cable discs on my winter bike. The bike is mainly ridden in the steep hills of the Peak District and on crappy, wet, gravelly lanes. In my experience they are MUCH better than rim brakes in these conditions. They are also not wearing out my rims. I used to get through a pair of rims every 2 years. These brakes meant I could use my perfectly serviceable old mechanical groupset. They are also SO MUCH MORE easily serviceable than the hydros on my gravel bike. Great video and thanks for talking about stuff that virtually all other youtubers ignore. Keep up the good work.

[@gregsus4536]

Thanks for mentioning the TRP Spyre cable disc brakes. I’ve been using them on my gravel bike for five years with the same, positive experience. Good braking performance, easily serviced and reliable.

[@HristoMitev123]

Have these on my gravel bike and they are mint. Honestly the stopping force is great. Not as good as the hydraulics i have on my road bike, but 80% of the way there. I was actually shocked because my previous experiences with mech discs was very poor.

[@rockkin09]

I have them on two of my bikes and they just work. For my road bike one of the reasons I got them is you can adjust each caliper independently and avoid that rub that you can't always get rid of with hydros. Warped discs happen, dirt happens and when I'm out riding 200 miles I would rather not hear it rubbing all day!

[@3CityRide]

What the... Spyres are easy to service and easier than hydraulic ones? If you really use them in harsh conditions you mentioned you definitely should disassembly the Spyre calipers itself due the fact that there are bearings inside of them. Getting inside it's a quite unique experience and I would not call it "easier serviceable" than any hydraulic brakes. Especially with the fact - what do you want to service on hydraulic brakes? O.o

[@paulboomerterry]

love my HY/RD on my Whytes Road bike. Done 1000's of miles only changed the pads once, never serviced the mechanism just changed the brake cables. Close in performance strength to full hydraulic breaks but still has the modulation of hydraulic feel. What I like is you can adjust them like your old cables systems. 😃

[@uvwuvw-ol3fg]

Only disadvantage is bleed plug hex screw has the same size as pad bolt and they are so close together it's easy to accidentally unscrew the wrong one requiring bleeding. Also they often start to feel spongy after bike has accidentally tipped over for less than a minute. Previous bleed procedure took six hours to get the bubbles out.

[@writejoenow]

The HY/RD episode! I bought a trek domane back in 2015 and it came with these brakes. They have always performed very well. I recently tried to upgrade to full hydro ultegra 8000. What a pain! I should have left the HY/RDs alone. I have to put them back on the bike.

[@kadengolda2373]

Skill issue

[@user-pt1yu9bp8h]

I also have HY/RDs on my 2015 Felt F5X, they are still running strong.

[@qwertyazerty2137]

What's the pain with that Ultegra ? I am Just curious wity nothing mean on my mind.

[@testtest-ol3yi]

thisssss lmao@@kadengolda2373

[@rizzlerforthergyatt]

Welp time to kill myself i guess@@kadengolda2373

[@Platypus_Warrior]

Just to play devil's advocate here, as an outdated bike mechanic I think rim brakes are underestimated. Disc brakes are heavier, better for wet conditions than rim brakes but still if you know how to adjust them, they are great and cheap. The video really lacks considering weather conditions, Cable brakes can vibrate in wet much more likely than full hydraulic I think. With rim brakes in wet conditions, I like to graze the pads to the wheel regularly while riding to warm the pads and dry the rim so that when I brake it bites well from the beginning. People spend so much at times while knowledge and maintenance is about 75% of what a bike needs with its exposed mechanic to work well. I could keep on (expensive aluminum packed gels vs banana, 2x11 groupset vs 3x9, ...) Historically road cycling didn't do much for tech compared to MTBs where disc brakes really makes sense and for a commute bike, you are much more likely to get it stolen with shiny discs than regular old fashion light rim brakes ;)

[@Rafskat]

On the note of that expansion chamber.. Shimano road hydraulic disc brakes have also dedicated expansion chamber.. so two expansion chambers per one system. I don't know if anybody else does it. For mechanical in general.. Good mechanical disc brake calipers like Paul Klampers, Growrac equal.. are very good, but also very pricey. But.. they are perfect for some touring/expedition rigs, because they are so simple and you can work on them, change cable etc.. and I'm a mechanic and still I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with for example.. oil leak.. because Murphy's law

[@Metal-Possum]

My touring bike is on cantilevers, I barely use the brakes when touring anyway.

[@Rafskat]

@@Metal-Possum If the frame supports it, great. Rim brakes can be good, cantilevers included. Just adjust them properly and use good pads

[@CanIHasThisName]

I do all my own maintenance and hydraulic brakes are easier to maintain while requiring less maintenance. "I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with for example.. oil leak" This used to be a concern for some people in the early days, but hydraulic braking systems have proven to be more reliable than mechanical ones and they have much longer service cycles. Today there's just no reason to hold this sentiment anymore, especially since it's more work to have and maintain mechanical brakes. I used to have mechanical brakes on my gravel bike, did over 10K on them. Due to not being self-adjusting, needing to adjust pad position was a very common thing, especially after a few hilly rides. They also require a special braking cable housing to maintain braking power and these have gotten very hard to get now. Being able to replace a cable isn't an advantage. You can just as well replace fluid or a hose on the go, you just need different equipment for it. You need proper cutters to cleanly cut brake cable housings, whereas brake hoses can be cut with a small sharp knife. Brake hoses are lighter and can be coiled into a smaller package. And if you're still paranoid about cutting a hose, you can get hoses with metal sleeves.

[@grantnyenes3742]

Great video Luke, quality of production really shows

[@johntheman2006]

Great video. The one I was looking for in detail and clarity. I’ve already ordered a set of HY/RDs and can’t wait to fit them.

[@garyroberts5478]

Thank You Luke for this comparison video and ever present enthusiasm. Really enjoy your style of presentation and content!

[@RAG0407]

Love your work. Never thought someone could be that excited about tech from 2013. Brakes r exciting😊

[@domain-user]

I've had these brakes TRP HY/RD on my bike since 2019 along with a SRAM Force 1 groupset. Actually, despite being hybrids, their reaction time to braking is very good and really strong. Fun fact, it's very hard to find reviews on them, because of that, not all mechanics are used to working with them either

[@qwertyazerty2137]

No wonder - if they are almost as good as fully hydro systems and the industry have been marketing aggresively for fully hydros, we can suspect that it made sure that no influencer or media outlet that are on their payroll, received them for a review.

[@valentinszabo4331]

Thanks for ur comment . Considered buying a new sram apex hydro lever - but the cost is still high - found this caliper for € 70 / disc incl. - think id rather " upgrade" the spyre caliper to this hy/ dr stuff

[@frangonzalez6511]

As always, thanks Luke for your reviews.

[@mattherbert9027]

Love your enthusiasm Luke, main reason why I watch, plus you always learn something 👍

[@jameslowe2979]

Great episode! Really good production

[@CharlieMetcalf]

Thank you for the recent videos of you testing. I asked and you delivered. thank you

[@FurySpyder]

I still choose cable discs over hydraulic on my commuting/winter/touring bikes for two reasons you haven't mentioned.... 1. Hydraulic fluid is hygroscopic so I used to find I had to constantly service hydraulic brakes when used regularly in UK winter (ie wet!) conditions to let out a bit of fluid to prevent over-filling and then replace the fluid as eventually the water content would lead to corrosion internally. You get none of this with cable discs which are generally more robust. 2. The UK winter roads are usually wet AND gritty/muddy. Hydraulic discs run with minimal pad to disc clearance (though the latest Shimano 12 speed ones are much better) so in such conditions you constantly get debris between the pad and disc, until you brake to clean it up. With cable discs however, and mostly I use TRP Spyre or Spyre SLC's, you can individually adjust the clearance of each pad, so at the start of winter I open up the clearance slightly to prevent 'rub' in gritty conditions. I also have a set of Hy-Rd's and they are awesome - the feel of a full hydraulic but allowing you to use a mechanical groupset. As you say though they are a bit heavy and on the rear you have to be really careful with clearance as many frames, especially smaller frames, cannot accommodate them. For my 'best'/summer bike I still prefer the overall performance of full hydraulics but I can lock up a tyre with my rim brake bike just as easily as I can with the cable discs and just as easily as I can with the hydraulics... It's just the lever/finger load that changes.

[@Rossingiol]

Only DOT fluid is hygroscopic, and that is by design. Mineral oil as used by Shimano is hydrophobic.

[@FurySpyder]

@@Rossingiol true, yes. My problems in the past were with SRAM hydraulics, but in general, due to reliance on close fitting pistons etc, I find any hydraulic brakes a bit less robust to constant wet/winter/road salt conditions and therefore needing attention. My cable disc brakes are mostly fit and forget!

[@TheSpaceBrosShow]

Hope is also dot. Trp, Shimano and a bunch of others are mineral oil

[@nelsonglover3963]

I really don't understand point 1, how is water getting into your brake fluid? The only way I am aware is if it condenses out of the tiny bit of air in the resevoir.

[@FurySpyder]

@@nelsonglover3963 just that. It happens gradually over time, either via the reservoir vent or anywhere else, e.g. around the callipers etc wherever tiny amounts of moisture can get in. Eventually the volume increases and the system is over filled with fluid and you have to flush it through and start again.

[@robbijay]

Firstly, I get genuinely excited when another of your videos drops. It’s always the next one I have to watch! Secondly, I’ve got Hy/Rds on my endurance/year round road bike (replaced the awful proprietary Giant version ) and they’re barely any worse than my Ultegra 8100 on my ‘good’ bike. One of the best upgrades I’ve got rather replacing perfectly function mechanical levers. To be fair though (and split hairs). They’re not mechanical brakes, they’re cable actuated hydraulic brakes. So long as you use compression less housing it’s no surprise how good they are.

[@84imreplica]

Another great video, Luke. Just the right amount of factual information/testing with a zany attitude. 👍

[@biamarconchi]

Great job Luke, glad you're going to look at the Juin tech as well.

[@martindelgallego5809]

excellent video. very informative. infectious enthusiasm. more success to this channel. tnx...

[@mattlloyd6651]

I've put a few thousand miles on my HY/RD brakes and they've been amazing. A lot of those miles have been on rather steep gravel roads. I had a little trouble setting the pull range on them but otherwise, they were a cinch to install too.

[@Mikeplus14]

Shout-out to Growtac disc brakes. Fantastic mechanical brakes that have near 0 risk of overheating unlike even the most premium mech-hydro brakes.🙂

[@SteveKimbo]

Helping the frogs? Right 'baguette' you, Luke 😂 I have saved many a frog and toad on my evening rides. Hate seeing them splattered all over the road ☹️🥖🥖🥖🥖🐸

[@JannisDohm]

i think its better to set them in the direction they where facing - otherwise they probably will turn around and try to get to the other side again. At least that's my fear.

[@sgrouts]

I do the exact same thing with turtles on paved roads.

[@jambojc1]

I’ve got them on my genesis with 180mm rotors and I can’t fault them. When bled properly they perform stunning. Good review love the vids man

[@latrace1986]

This was super informative

[@michaelsantiago1504]

Finally!❤thanks velo!!

[@EuanHenry]

I used these same TRP HY/RD with jagwire compressionless brake housing and I too was very impressed with them.

[@m0ku]

Great video and as always, love the bonus clip time 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖

[@Tom.Connolly]

Good show Luke, that last six pot caliper looks a brute of a thing! Looking forward to the road test. PS be careful heavy braking in that area on the hill that pile of mud splashed out on the tarmac could be skeckey under heavy braking. Love your commitment to cycling. Hope the new addition to the family is doing well👨‍👨‍👧🥖🥖🐸🐸🐸

[@casperbachjunckerkennild2592]

I love my TRP's, that came with the bike four years ago... They work just perfect for my needs!

[@MerlinMan1579]

I used the TRPs' for many years, but after getting frustrated with the bleeding process I got a set of Sram Bb7 cable actuated calipers and they are superb, heaps of power, good modulation and very easy to tune as the pads wear. Be good to see you review these.

[@charlesblithfield6182]

I have the Juin hybrid type mech brakes I installed on a new bike and they are excellent. I recommend compressionless brake cable housing for the best performance. I like them because they are easy to set up, adjust, and if need be, repair.

[@JetsetJive7]

Great video ! how did you manage to bring 2 bikes to do the test ! amazing effort !

[@alexandermostowfi9884]

Have a 105 mechanical disk CX bike i bought (before gravel was a thing but i wanted a fast pot hole resistant commuting bike which could do some light trails) and got these to upgrade the avid mechanical callipers it came with. Thanks for saving the 🐸

[@bobbafett1971]

I have those on my trek checkpoint touring bike. Works great. Worth the upgrade.

[@MuttCG]

I upgraded to a TRP hybrid and really like it. The only thing I didn't like is the lever travel, so I bought a slightly thicker disc brake from Magura Storm HC and that really helped to make them closer to fully hydro.

[@nubee.pkunite]

it's adjustable

[@Amir-cu4qp]

Great video! You should also try the growtac equals, really expensive but apparently also really good

[@merckxy54]

Great video Luke, very interesting, I may well go over to hydraulic/ mechanical disc brakes but I get stressed out about having to bleed the hydraulic ones!!!! Thanks again!🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖

[@user-tq3ud9zi7w]

How does this channel not have a million subs?

[@zanixxg]

Thats TRP for you. Always delivering.

[@gruensein]

Before upgrading to the SRAM Force hydraulic brakes, I used to have a set of these coupled with the first gen SRAM Red Etap 11 Speed for mechanical brakes. I spent more than one cycling vacation in the Italian alps and they handled it quite well. That being said, the fully hydraulic brakes are in another league if you ask me. Also, the required lever travel was pretty big so I had to use compressionless housing, get the setup just right and even overcharged the calipers a bit to prevent the levers from hitting the bar. All in all, these things are a good option if you have a group set for mechanical brakes already and with a little tweaking, they work well. Otherwise, my recommendation is to spring for a group set with hydraulic brakes even if that means to buy a lower tier group.

[@SportySport-um8ik]

Brilliant post. Just subscribed

[@philipcaldwell3187]

These things are well engineered, precision manufactured and my # 1 pick for reliability and ease of maintenance, no other competitors out there. Well done TRD!

[@tahoeclimber]

Bought the TRP HY/RDs simply because the idea of moving the reservoir away from the lever and to the brakes made sense and seemed easier to work on. Love em! You're only losing some power in the flex of the cables but it's a road bike, you don't need insane single finger braking power

[@nubee.pkunite]

that's why compressionless cable set is the best partner for this, 90% hydraulic feels and the modulation is there. worth it

[@petererbse6253]

The reservoire looks like the one that was on my cheap tektro draco brakes on my first mountainbike in 2012. You definitely made me curious, I would love to try them one day.

[@charliecook6909]

Nice video as always luke., look forward to seeing those purple beast on a bike 🤟🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖

[@rowerazzzzzeee]

Great as always

[@paulmorrison30]

I’ve had these on my cyclocross bike since 2015 and they are absolutely amazing and I ride in all weathers 👊🏾🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖

[@666emad666]

I'm still running normal mechanical disc brake, for my kind of ride they are more than enough for me maybe in future upgrade to fully hydro groupset ,but thinks as always very informative episode

[@porkadobo813]

I have the trp full mech caliper + sram apex lever + dura-ace cable. Perfect!

[@LamyCND]

Great episode.

[@forthphoto]

I have those calipers in my 2016 gt grade and I really like them. They're paired with 105 groupset.

[@zethjugos1250]

Still using trp spyres. Fully mechanical 2 piston calipers. A good set of cables and housing and they feel nice. i like them bcoz they provide excellent feedback and are very strong. Honestly dont feel the need to go hydro...

[@williwacker2774]

And no need to do that bloody bleeding or dispose of caustic DOT fluid.

[@petert8931]

Great video and testing, nothing that surprised me. For me, TRP HyRd lasted ~ a year before becoming terrible, I had it shop bleed and it worked for another 3 months then the problem re-started plus the 2nd brake also started going. I tried TRP Spryes for a couple of rides and quickly moved to Juin F1 when they arrived ; absolutely top Tier , they have been perfectly fine for the last 3 years. I don't find any tangible disadvantage over my other full hydraulic setups. If I wasn't being forced into wireless/full hydraulic groupsets etc - my bike build would definitely include cable -actuated brakes. (+ Juins comes in pretty colours)

[@tracymackie9119]

In my opinion the discs make one of the biggest differences in stopping power along with the pads. I have been running TRP Spyre SLC mechanical brakes and Clark’s solid metal discs, with Noah and Theo pads. Stopping power is amazing and much easier to adjust the callipers than any other type of brake.

[@shadesinblack1]

Just bought these, need to install them still. Looks like I made the right choice. Very specific in my case. I ride a trike and only have my left hand. I have been using a doyble lever for a long time. So the one lever for 2 cables for front and rear brake. I found a few fully hydraulic options for 1 lever, but really expensive. Plus I prefer if one brake fails I still have the other one. When a fully hydraulic double lever fails because of a leak or so, all baking power is gone.

[@johnmaheu4037]

Luke, great video. From my experience Growtac Equal are the best mech disc brake on the market. Light, good looking and essentially hydro power. But they are expensive and you likely can get the 105 11-speed hydro for their price.

[@trevekneebone369]

I'm considering changing my Ultegra full hydro brakes for Growtac Equals. Sick to death with sticky pistons and the need to bleed hydros.

[@christopherharmon9336]

I have Tekro Aries mechanical discs on my 2019 Radwagon (Bike weight: 73 lbs / 33 kg). The brakes were not much more than adequate. As an experiment, I threw compressionless housing on the bike. WOW! What a difference! I can now easily lock up the rear wheel. When we discuss mechanical vs hydro brakes, the discussion needs to focus on QUALITY mechanical brakes, meaning brakes which were actually designed to stop a bike, and the entire system. Avid BB7s, TRP Spyres, compressionless housing and rotor diameter. Let's also factor in use. With high-quality mechanical brakes and a larger rotor (if possible), I'm not sure the gap in performance between hydraulic and mechanical would be significant for most people. If you're racing, or say you are a very aggressive mountain biker, four piston hydraulics is probably the way to go. I use my old hardtail for light XC and what are effectively gravel rides. The Avid BB7s with 203mm/160mm rotors are more than strong enough to stop the bike.

[@StickmanAirsoftPH]

The problem with these hy/rd in hotter climates is that reservoir is close to the calipers therefore heating up the fluid and making it less effective in braking.

[@KNURKonesur]

My GF got HYRD for her gravel bike a couple months ago, we haven't installed them yet cause we're waiting for spring season and more cycling into the wilderness. That 6 piston JuinTech one will be an interesting watch cause I'm just debating buying JuinTech brakes, but was wondering between the classic 2 piston ones and the GT 4 piston ones. I'm quite heavy and although mechanical disc brakes have worked decently well for the longest time, I'm keen to see what could happen with much better stopping power.

[@Ob1sdarkside]

I have mechanical on my commuter, changed the pads, and the stopping was superb

[@mauricebeguin7646]

I've got them on my Triban RC 520 wich i Use as a commute bike. The natives brake pads need to be change, but i must admit that they're good. The feeling ins't as precise as a fully hydro, but it's really good. Using them since 2018.

[@AzaiKyou]

I have used both hydro, semi-hydro and mechanical and I actually prefer the giant conducts because the modulation is more natural since I used rim brakes for multiple years! Never tried these trp hy/rd but if these giants fail me at some point I'll have to give these a try, cheers luke!

[@rohangayle9130]

Thanks for that Luke, been riding off road since the eighties,a cable has always served me well,no doubt the disc and hydraulic have moved things forward,but the bike is and for me a simple efficient machine,and a cable suits me with hydraulic power is all good for me, anyway I ride by feel and old skool skills,not MODULATION

[@djiembefolaDan]

I used the TRP HY/RD brakes on a road/gravel build a few years back. They worked without problems and still are actually. Not quite as strong as full hydraulic brakes but otherwise quite good.

[@richfox1255]

I put about 6,000 miles of hilly, messy, wet riding on a set of the Hy/Rd calipers a few bikes back in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon). Happy with the performance, zero maintenance issues. A great solution for folks looking for the benefits they offer.

[@emmabird9745]

Hi Luke, this is the episode I've been waiting for. Thanks. So the master cyclinder works on the same principle as a car one. It would be a better weight comparison to compare calliper/mech lever/cable to hyd caliper/ hyd lever/ hose. Some of the weight might have been transfered to the lever. I think you are right, its a toad, it has the pimples on its back. You might be doing the wrong thing by your frogs by putting back where they came from. They are on their way to the breeding pond so better to help them over. IE put them on the verge they're pointing at. Well done though for looking after them. Best wishes and a basket of bagettes (I don't know how mojis work).

[@LawrenceSeetoh]

Thank you for the review, the Hy/RD has always been one of the better ones out there but I am excited to see you try out the Juintech ones, the reviews for their stuff shows promise as well. I would argue that a cable actuated hydro is a good step up from a cable pulled disc brake. No everyone ( me) wants to deal with switching over to a fully hydro set up. I am happy with the Tiagra groupset I have on my bike, but would still love better braking performance and I've already switched to semo-metallic pads and compresionless housings, a cable actuated hydro brake is the last step for me. 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖

[@DavidRichards-qj3fg]

I've been using the HY/RD for 3 years on a summer road bike, a winter road bike and my gravel bike. They are brilliant. Just like calliper brakes they need adjustment to take account of cable stretch which is a 5 min job with an allen key and pliers. Oh and 3 years in and haven't even needed to replace the brake pads on bikes that have each done c5,000 miles over that time.

[@tomcruz3774]

The existing groupset use case is definitely me. I have a pair of brake levers that fit my hands perfectly, friction shifters that basically work with any derailleur, brakes are the only thing that need new parts.

[@RAP4EVERMRC96]

They were on a bike I tested and oh boy do they have braking power and I love how they feel. I took note of the calipers hoping I can somehow put them on my bike, because let me tell you, they feel and brake way better than SRAM axs eTap.

[@n22pdf]

Spot on use case.. I was thinking of buying a disc frame and keeping the rest of my Campagnolo chorus 11 speed group set which these would have been a great option 😊 but went with a rim brake frame 😊😊 Pete 🚴🏻😃

[@d1ecast]

Campagnolo rim brake levers have different travel to SRAM/Shimano and IME don't work as well with HY/RD. Similar results with mechanical disc. Nothing wrong with either product, just a consequence of physics/mechanical advantage. There's always a risk when you mix parts that weren't designed specifically for each other.

[@paulsymons562]

I've had those hy/rd in the old post mount version on a couple of bikes. They are really good and combined with using the proper matched low stretch cable they work very well. That said, in your test the larger rotor would also have helped a bit (not much as on the rear). Still ended up going full hydro in the end but mostly for vanity :-)

[@timjames4562]

Hi Luke, did you ever test the Juin tech GTF four pot calipers. I have a set on one of my road bikes and i think they are pretty impressive. Not as good as fully hydraulic but pretty damn close. Would be interested in what you think of them.

[@paullevy-adophy9198]

THE ULTIMATE TEST I have watched I think all of your brake testing but I think now is the time to do the ULTIMATE TEST which I suggest would be this: 1) Standard mechanical disk brake caliper (the types where only one piston actually moves) with standard brake cable housing. - vs - 2) TRP Spyre Mechanical Disk Caliper (these have TWO moving pistons) in conjunction with Jagwire Pro Compressionless Brake Housing & Pro Slick Cable -vs - 3) Juin Tech hybrid brake caliper (hydraulic caliper that is cable actuated) and again using the Jagwire cabling -vs- 4) TRP HY/RD (the caliper you highlight in the video above) along with the Jagwire Kit -vs- 5) Full standard (i.e. two piston) hydraulic brake system. I think such a test in one comparative video would give a clear picture of exactly where these different braking systems stand against each other. My personal take on it is that, the reason mechanical disc brakes have such a bad rep is down to urban myth based on 99.9% of people who have used mechanical disc brakes have used that pile of junk that I describe at option 1 above. It should be pretty obvious why those things are bad (relying on just one piston & pad which has to physically move the disc rotor over to the other pad). Once you get to option 2 (TRP Spyre calipers (TRP Spyke for mountain bikes)) then braking improves exponentially. Also, nearly all mechanical brake setups use standard "squishy" cable housing rather than Jagwire or Yokozuna Compressionless housing; Compressionless brake housing makes a huge difference. Hopefully, you'll take up my suggestion. It will be VERY interesting to see.

[@tommaguzzi1723]

I have been using Zoom Xtech hybrid brakes on my ebike for 7 years. I used them to save the rim on the motor wheel. They work great, not as good as full hydro but better than mechanicals and more than enough to stop my heavy commuter ebike. They are still available on ebay for £19 a caliper right now.

[@williamforbes7156]

i have this very pair on a z75 felt bike of 13/14 year, it's right when the move to disc was REALLY apparent you ccan still see mount points for rim breaks on the frame haha. but yeah i used both mech and HYRD brakes for that and i love the trp products cost effective without having to hastle with it not being a good product, well cause brakes.

[@IceGene]

I don't know if you'd tried them already, but a Tektro C550 is pretty great for a fully mechanical disc brake caliper. Basically a slightly cheaper TRP Sphyre. Clamps on pretty much like a dual piston caliper (which it actually is). I almost OTB'ed when I pulled the front brake pulling into parking at a cafe one time. I trusted them on long descents too.

[@lg.studio]

The Triban RC520 from Decathlon uses them with 105 R7000 leavers. My Wife has one. They are really good.

[@ByteBound]

Despite what some roadies say about mech brakes these are perfect for a touring setup. Spent 5 months in Europe and Canada with these on my Sutra and couldn’t fault them 👌Easy maintenance when needed and never had issues with overheating even during a descent at Stelvio

[@Przemo-c]

My old stevens strada didn't have mounts for disc brakes so i got a new fork and as i didny eant to swotch most of my group set to get hydraulic sti and issues with having hydraulic rear rim brakr i got trp hy rd. Its not as good as hydraulic ones but certainly an improvement it gets you 70% there compared to mechanical especially for short front brake line.

[@kristiaandoms2822]

160mm rotors front and rear make the difference. I am running 140mm rotors front and rear and I can feel the braking with a 160mm on the front rotor is much better.

[@ThePawelekPawelek]

The rear brake doesn’t count, it make maybe 20-30% of braking.

[@Omar411269]

@@ThePawelekPawelek agreed. Look at motorcycle brake rotors. Front is always massive sometimes dual rotors. Rear is tiny.

[@belverticale]

Always a pleasure to hear about your "Massive skid marks" young Trace me lad.

[@okantichrist]

😂🤮😂

[@stevenr5149]

I ride JinTech GT- 4 piston. Love em. More than powerful enough. Great modulation as well(I use Yozozuna reaction cable). Not sure 6 piston is necessary-at least for me at 114lbs as a casual rider.

[@Onroulelaboule]

I have a 6 pistons on my front brake. It is about 25% more powerful then the 4 pistons. The 4 pistons is very very good.

[@bonbonflippers4298]

I've had my Juin Tech for over a year. I ride in the rain and have done an emergency braking once going down a ramp loaded with stuff on my touring bike. The brakes worked fine avoiding a head-on Collision with a stupid service truck that blocked the whole pathway.

[@williamko4751]

I don't ride in the 🌧️. I stick with rim. Thank you

[@bbrod14]

This is also great for Shimano Claris/Sora/Tiagra upgrades. I have a gravel bike with Claris, a dynamo hub, racks and mounted mud guards where the only real weakness as a training/winter/commuter bike is the cable disc braking. These calipers would save me the hassle and cost of upgrading to Tiagra/GRX/105 hydraulic,

[@andrewwhite1065]

As good as they are, they look bulky which usually means heavy. Will try a pair on my e-scooter if there's room and possibly a larger quality rotor as well. Great review, as i was recently told by a shop owner that there were no decent combo units available.

[@michelroso]

Could you make a video about the maintenance of these brakes ? Very much appreciated..

[@neilgoth1974]

I've been using the Hy/Rd since 2018 as I run separate mechanical brake levers and Dura Ace bar end shifters. Still going strong. Compressionless housings and mixed pads on each (sintered for inner pads and resin/semi-metallic on the outer pads).

[@GT-sc5sk]

Interesting , why the mix.?

[@neilgoth1974]

@@GT-sc5skfrom the Shimano website: Mix it up "Some of the top professional racers in the world, including some members of the famed Santa Cruz Syndicate downhill mountain bike team, often run mixed brake pad set-ups. The idea is that since the inner brake pad typically wears quicker than the outer, you run a metal brake pad on the inside and resin on the outside. This allows riders to reap benefits of both the materials while minimizing drawbacks."

[@GT-sc5sk]

@@neilgoth1974 cool, thank you

[@h3n488]

I've waited for this episode for a long time! I kind of agree on your conclusion but my HYRD sometimes feels a bit soft. Maybe a sintered pad instead of resin would be better. How about an episode on the venerable BB7's?

[@mateuszbrzozowski3019]

Hi mate! Pleasent material overall! Not to challenge the performance of these breaks I need to say that a proper breaking test should include both bikes on the same tyre (model, wear and pressure). Actually it should not be so complex to swap and use one wheelset if u had them set up for the same rotor sizes :) unless the tyres were same and u just didnt cover 😅

[@lpoolck17]

I think the rear rotor size will have a bigger impact than what you think. Granted, the front disc does the majority of the breaking. But the difference of 160 to 140 will be noticeable. Great test and very informative as always 👍

[@unionholdingsnightingale8248]

Just note that the added reservoir makes the overall caliper taller and will not clear some frames, especially those with lower sloping seat stays. Otherwise, they are great! You can adjust pad clearance with the built in cable tensioner just like regular rim brakes!

[@mrx1979ua]

I use TRP pure mech disk and have never had a single issue. Thousands of kms, dozens of

[@timtaylor9590]

i can relate to being careful when braking or ill lock up my wheels front and rear on rim brakes, especially when stopping matters most (when you dont expect it and the consequences are severe usually life and death.)

[@youeatpoo1]

This might be the route I take with the r8000 rim brake di2 groupset when I decide to get a new disc frame. Won't be my main bike, but would still put to use a good groupset without tossing them.

[@shmu_el]

Just having so much more heating mass will help cooling and prevent brake fade immensely. Haven't seen anything like it 😅

[@dillroastington]

Mechanically operated hydros are my favorite for touring and adventure bikes. You get almost the performance of hydros and the repairability of cables.

[@moobaz8675]

I've had a set of these since 2014 and used compassionless Jagwire cables to help with their performance. I'm about to build a new gravel bike for some long-distance touring and am thinking of using the TRP semi hydraulics so I have options if I have a problem.