The best MTB disc brake you can buy

TRP G-Spec Slate

On the surface, the TRP G-Spec Slate does not look like the weaker sibling of the formidable Quadiem. Like the Quadiem, the Slate is a big brake. The long cast aluminium lever features dimples for grip, drilled holes for lightness and offers huge leverage and easy to dose modulation. While the painted silver finish is less bling than the polished Quadiem’s, the lever features the same comfortable reach adjuster. The hinged bar clamp makes fitting effortless, taking up little space on the bar and is compatible with Shimano XT and XTR I Spec and Matchmaker for SRAM users. The brakes come fitted with semi-metallic pads, and if you’re worried about finding compatible pads on a trip, Shimano Saint pads fit. Bleeding with mineral oil is straightforward for anyone used to syringe bleeding. The caliper features hybrid ceramic and steel pistons and machined slots in the rotors help to clean the pad/disk interface in the mud. On the trail, the power delivery of the Slates is very smooth and linear like the Quadiems. There is not much ramp-up so you have to pull pretty hard to engage full power. When riding hard the Slates seemed underpowered and we suffered more arm pump than with other brakes. Admittedly, we pushed them hard, as the G-Spec Slates are ‘only’ targeted at trail riders, but there are lighter and more powerful alternatives available.

The G-Spec Slates suffer from an identity crisis: they offer linear and smooth deceleration on everyday trails, but run out of power on hard trails. Combined with their substantial weight, there are better alternatives out there.

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