TRP merkwinkel

Things to know about TRP

We don't want to leave you in the dark for too long, so here's the answer right away: TRP is an offshoot of bike brake specialist Tektro. The three friends Gary Chen, Leo Chen and Aver Tsai founded Tektro in 1986 in Changhua, Taiwan. On a production site that was about the size of a basketball court (in Germany, you would use a soccer field for scale, which is considerably larger), 20 employees produced 50,000 cantilever rim brakes during the first year. The brakes proved to be functional and affordable at the same time and became an instant success, so the company expanded and built new plants. But the age of rim brakes is slowly coming to an end, they are being replaced more and more by disc brakes as the new standard. As early as 1999, the company released its first disc brake to the market, and to this day hydraulic disc brakes are the brand's core product (there are a few gear shift parts such as rear derailleurs, too).

What is TRP?

In 2006, the production of high-end bicycle brakes was outsourced and TRP was created as an independent brand. TRP stands for Tektro Racing Products, the brakes are developed in close cooperation of professional bikers and the development department, the result is competition level material for road bikes and mountain bikes. Today, Tektro/TRP has production facilities in China and Taiwan, a European Center in Germany takes care of sales in Europe, and there is also a distribution center in the USA. Above all, product testing is taken very seriously at TRP. Along with the growing size of the company, the test center has been expanded, a larger number of prototypes are being tested, and more and more test riders provide input. On the one hand, the company's own racing teams and their mechanics test-ride the brakes, also machine tests and feedback from bike dealers and end consumers are taken into account in the design process.

TRP brakes for e-bikes

Brakes for an e-bike and brakes for a bicycle - for a large part, the design is more or less identical. But still there are differences to be considered: many e-bikes weigh almost twice as much as a comparable non-electric bicycle. On top of that, they accelerate faster and with more force, the brakes must of course be able to cope with the higher weight and more speed and be able to decelerate a pedelec safely. The TRP components developed for performance bikes can easily keep up with these requirements, so Tektro E-Bike Solutions are derived from the TRP Performance line. The brake systems are adapted with specifics such as thicker brake discs with a large diameter, a specially created brake fluid or a new mixture for brake pads. In a second step, the parts are extensively tested under harsh conditions. Only what proves capable enough is shipped to e-bike manufacturers around the world.

TRP's technologies for reliable deceleration

“A Bicycle Brake'' is actually the sum of many different parts that TRP makes sure to revise and re-engineer over and over again. For example, the company put a lot of effort into that part of the brakes that you personally come into contact with. MTB brake levers and road bike brake/shift levers come in an ergonomic shape, a surface that provides a particularly good grip and easy operation – it takes no more than a single finger to pull it. In the nearly 40 years since the company was founded, every component has been revised and improved many times, so one thing is for sure: from brake cables to brake fluid and from brake rotors to brake pads, TRP makes equipment at bike pro level.

Here at BMO, you can buy TRP brake systems, we also provide you and your bike with spare parts after a breakdown. However, it’s far better to be safe than sorry – prevention is always better than repair! Especially the brakes of a performance bike, a road bike or mountain bike ( downhillers will know what we mean), should be updated regularly with new brake pads, the brake rotors must be replaced at some point, too, and of course hydraulic brakes need a full brake service and bleeding every now and then. Here on Bike Mailorder you can easily shop for all bike parts and the necessary tools online!