Tips to make my TRP Spyre/Tiagra disc brake more powerful
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,768
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5810 Post(s)
Liked 2,638 Times
in
1,463 Posts
Braking involves creating as be torque on the wheel to keep it from rolling. Torque is force x radius, so if we have the braking force at the rim, the force at a caliper half way up would be twice that; 1/3 of the way out would be triple, etc.
So bigger rotors mean more torque with less linear force.
If it fits, and there aren't any other issues, the same caliper acting on a larger rotor will give you more brake, with equal or less strain on the fork.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 4,077
Bikes: Velo Orange Piolet
Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2228 Post(s)
Liked 2,011 Times
in
972 Posts
One thing I've seen quoted are suspicions that the caliper mounts are only designed for a certain rotor diameter, as the load on those with growing rotor size and equal caliper increases. I don't know how much this would really be an issue, when following along arguments that you have made above already.
(As for me, this is a gravel bike in urban commuting duty with a carbon fork. Max braking load is probably pulling a loaded child trailer and a few grocery panniers, doing emergency braking.)
Either way, it looks reeeeally tight on my fork to fit a 180mm rotor.
(As for me, this is a gravel bike in urban commuting duty with a carbon fork. Max braking load is probably pulling a loaded child trailer and a few grocery panniers, doing emergency braking.)
Either way, it looks reeeeally tight on my fork to fit a 180mm rotor.
#28
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 220
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 142 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times
in
26 Posts
I had a similar problem with TRP Spyres and Ultegra levers. Main symptom that I had - the pads were visually "compressing" after contacting the rotor for breaking. Which didn't make any sense for metallic incompressible pads.
Turned out it was a combination of multiple issues that I had to fix before I got a good breaking:
- True the rotors to allow a closer starting point for both pads
- Align the breaks in the mount to ensure breaks/pads are absolutely parallel to rotors
- Set the levers to allow max range, my levers have a dedicated screw for this, not sure about yours
- Set the correct initial cable tension to have a good range for the barrel adjuster
- Bring the pads as close as you can with barrel adjuster. My TRP's levers are roughly at 4-5 o'clock. You don't beed it to be at 3 o'clock.
Last edited by alexk_il; 11-02-22 at 06:48 AM.
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ontario
Posts: 558
Bikes: HP Velotechnik Streetmachine GTE, 2015 Devinci Silverstone SL4, 2012 Cannondale Road Tandem 2, Circe Morpheus, 2021 Rose Backroad, 2017 Devinci Hatchet
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times
in
12 Posts
#30
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ontario
Posts: 558
Bikes: HP Velotechnik Streetmachine GTE, 2015 Devinci Silverstone SL4, 2012 Cannondale Road Tandem 2, Circe Morpheus, 2021 Rose Backroad, 2017 Devinci Hatchet
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times
in
12 Posts
Okay - I said earlier that I'd try a BB7 road from my tandem on this bike. Well, I just did thiscon the rear and: it works better than the Spyre!? Less spring force felt at the lever and much easier to generate more braking power. I can skid the rear wheel without hurting my hands from the hoods...!
That BB7 has standard pads that went through a 20 second bedding in, whereas the Spyres have KoolStop-like fancy pads that made things noticeably better compared to the stock pads, and I made sure to bed them I'm properly.
Interesting - makes this even tricker. BB7? R1? Hydraulic? Oof
These BB7 need to go back onto the tandem, unfortunately.
That BB7 has standard pads that went through a 20 second bedding in, whereas the Spyres have KoolStop-like fancy pads that made things noticeably better compared to the stock pads, and I made sure to bed them I'm properly.
Interesting - makes this even tricker. BB7? R1? Hydraulic? Oof
These BB7 need to go back onto the tandem, unfortunately.
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ontario
Posts: 558
Bikes: HP Velotechnik Streetmachine GTE, 2015 Devinci Silverstone SL4, 2012 Cannondale Road Tandem 2, Circe Morpheus, 2021 Rose Backroad, 2017 Devinci Hatchet
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times
in
12 Posts
... the BB7 have a noticeably shorter lever arm - as if they were designed for Shimano pre-super SLR. And still, better
#32
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ontario
Posts: 558
Bikes: HP Velotechnik Streetmachine GTE, 2015 Devinci Silverstone SL4, 2012 Cannondale Road Tandem 2, Circe Morpheus, 2021 Rose Backroad, 2017 Devinci Hatchet
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 181 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times
in
12 Posts
@csport: in case you can remember, when you upgraded to the R1, how did the lever feel change? Did you feel less spring resistance in the lever before the pads contacted the lever?
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: /dev/null
Posts: 675
Bikes: Soma Double Cross Disc (2017), red Hardrock FS (circa 1996)
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 217 Post(s)
Liked 155 Times
in
102 Posts
@csport: in case you can remember, when you upgraded to the R1, how did the lever feel change? Did you feel less spring resistance in the lever before the pads contacted the lever?
Likes For csport: