TRP SLATE T4 EVO

£105

SPECIFICATION Weight: brake 291g, rotor 203g • Rotor size: 180, 203, 220, 223mm • Contact: upgradebikes.co.uk

At just over £100, the Slate T4 Evo is basically a cutprice version of the E-MTB, but with a lot of the same features. Features such as the thicker 2.3mm rotor and 5mm hydraulic hose. The lever uses a slightly cheaper cast aluminium construction and, while it doesn’t have the wide flat shape, it does get the tool-free reach adjustment on the inside. Dimples on the blade help grip, but it is narrower, and we found it’s not quite as comfortable when pulling hard.

The Slate T4 Evo has a hinged clamp, so you can remove the lever without removing the grip, and it’s compatible with a range of Shimano and SRAM Matchmaker-style mounts.

The four-piston caliper is a two-piece design that’s forged for stiffness and then CNC’D to look slick. It runs the same metal-sintered brake pads as the E-MTB model, and these also load in from the top.

TRP also runs the same oversized 4mm Allen holding bolts, which are less likely to round off than some of the tiny Torx you’ll find elsewhere.

Mirroring the E-MTB, the Slate T4 Evo doesn’t come built. You have to put it together yourself, which is great if you have to route it internally, but it does mean you have to trim the hose down for the front and then do a quick bleed to purge any air in the system. Fortunately the bleed is surprisingly easy – we just bled the lever from the top after fitting.

With the same sized rotors and brake pads, the Slate

T4 is just as powerful as the E-MTB but it feels more wooden at the lever, and, as we’ve mentioned, the lever is not quite as comfortable. It’s also not particularly light, but we’re prepared to forgive that because it’s great value. We’ve had a set of Slate T4 Evos on a bike for six months now and the performance has been solid. A few hard stops and it bedded in, and pad wear, even in wet weather, has been excellent.

The Slate T4 Evo is not a looker, but it’s a no-nonsense disc brake – solid, reliable and great value.