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review

TRP RG957 Deep Drop Brakes

9
£129.99

VERDICT:

9
10
High performance stoppers for fast audax, winter training or touring that look the biz too
Weight: 
171g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The deep drop RG957 brakes from TRP provide stopping performance akin to the top end race brakes on the market. They don't come cheap though.

There has been a real shift in the last couple of years towards performance bikes that will also take full mudguards, Kinesis' GF Ti V2 or Dolan's carbon Dual are two such examples but while you can deck them out with carbon wheels, top end finishing kit and groupsets, brake options that could match that performance have always been a little on the limited side.

In the RG957s case your £129.99 gets you an all round top end set of calipers with stainless steel bolts and fittings which are so easy to set up. They weigh 171g front and rear which is about on par with most deep drops. I'm not going to complain about the weight, I'd rather have the material there for stiffness.

The arms are forged from TT6 aluminium before having the slots CNC'd creating a very smooth looking caliper where everything fits together perfectly with no play in the mechanism at all. The cable adjustment wheel is easy and comfortable to use and it's the little things like this that give the feeling of quality.

The brake pad slots are positioned to allow a pad reach of 47-57mm and there is loads of clearance for large tyres. I tested them on a bike shod with 23mm tyres and SKS Raceblade mudguards and there was oceans of space to go larger both in terms of mudguard width and tyre size.

In use the performance is easily on par with my Campagnolo Skeleton calipers which I rate as some of the best road brakes on the market. The RG957's are very stiff and provide progressive braking with loads of feel at the lever. TRP's own alloy compound pads work great too especially in the wet. You've still got to clear the initial layer of water off of the rim but after that braking is just as good as in the dry. Wear is looking pretty good too.

Overall the RG957s are very impressive both in terms of quality and performance easily matching short drop road brakes in terms of stopping power.

It's that consistent all-weather braking that in my opinion makes them good value for money. The matt black ones we've got here also look pretty cool in an understated sort of way. You can also get silver or grey though should you wish.

Verdict

High performance stoppers for fast audax, winter training or touring that look the biz too.

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: TRP RG957 Deep Drop Brakes

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The RG957's are aimed at bikes using mudguards or larger tyres for touring, audaxing and so on. There is certainly plenty of clearance there but also plenty of performance.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

*Forged TT6 alumium arms

*Inplace Road CNC adjustable pad holders

*Cam Style Quick Release

*Stainless Steel hardware

*Spring tension adjustment

*Color: Black, Grey, or Silver

*Reach: 47-57mm

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Absolutely brilliant, amazing stopping power regardless of the weather conditions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The way they look and the build quality.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The price is going to divide opinion but I reckon this is a prime example of you get what you pay for.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Finally deep drop brakes that have the performance to match top end short drops.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course!  My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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