by Ben Haworth 2 weeks ago 34

Can’t stop? Got loads of money? The new 4-pot disc brakes from TrickStuff or some bling titanium and gold brake pads from Sinter may interest you.

Unfortunately you can’t get the Sinter pads in Trickstuff flavour. Shimano only. Dang.

We have updated our 4-piston caliper on the Direttissima and Piccola Carbon HD brakes. It replaces the C41 brake caliper and comes with technical updates and free upgrades for waiting customers. But why change a product when it is already setting the standard for high performance in the first place?

We pride ourselves on producing the highest quality brakes. The design of our products is technically minimalistic; our Direttissima and Piccola brake systems are still up-to-date, even timeless, after seven years. During this time, thanks to their outstanding performance, they have made demanding athletes happy worldwide. Direttissima and Piccola HD convinced the press with test wins in renowned magazines. Our C41 four-piston brake caliper has been used on both models so far.

If we want to continue to occupy the undisputed top spot, we mustn’t rest on our oars. That’s why we updated the technology and design of the four-piston caliper.

The design of the C42 approaches that of our C22PM and C22FM two-piston calipers. The new Trickstuff design remains subtle but becomes more edgy and modern. The C42 also adopts the convenient bleeding port of its little brother, the C22.

The brake pad 850 Power+ guarantees the availability of replacement parts anywhere in the world. The new C42 brake caliper shares the pad shape with the SRAM Guide, Ultimate (T, R, RS, RSC) and other SRAM brakes. This shape ensures an unproblematic supply of spare parts all over the world. All Trickstuff brakes are approved for use with third-party brake discs and pads. If you don’t have a Trickstuff POWER or STANDARD brake pad at hand, you can find replacements in almost every bike shop in the world.

Perfect alignment with every post mount socket

Unfortunately, standard does not always mean standard. We put effort into achieving the highest level of precision and sticking to industry standards. In recent years we have found various deviations from the post mount brake assembly standard on frames and forks. In some cases, this seems to be due to variations in manufacturing; in other cases, it looks like a deliberate deviation from the norm. The reason for this is usually not important to our customers. The only important thing is that the new Trickstuff brakes fit every frame or fork. Those shiny stoppers were expensive so they better don’t give you any trouble. The C42 offers more tolerance to fluctuations in the implementation of the assembly standard. For the customer, this means an even more carefree assembly without any performance loss.

Titanium backing plates and 24 carat retaining pins and springs.

Only 500 pairs will be made.

You can save yourself €20.00 if you don’t want the personalised wooden presentation box. But you do want it.

“Demanding riders who enjoy long descents at high speeds as they offer the highest level of control over braking power.

“Sinter Elite pads are optimised for road, gravel and XC bikes equipped with Shimano callipers (XTR 9100, XTR9000, Dura-Ace, Ultegra, 105, GRX).

“Zero fade and silent operation due to advanced organic compound and titanium backing plates.

“Lower initial bite and softer feel than our Green/Race pads, allowing increased modulation and feedback.

“Faster break-in and excellent life-span.”

If you are on the lookout for some new brakes are don’t quite have the funds for these, get your name down for the next issue of Singletrack Magazine. There’s a round-up of the best 4-pot disc brakes in it.

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Worth noting that if you are in the queue, but have custom coloured levers (silver lever body, black res caps and lever blade, rather than all silver or all black), you don’t get the upgrade to the new caliper.

Guess how I know that.

Worth noting that if you are in the queue, but have custom coloured levers (silver lever body, black res caps and lever blade, rather than all silver or all black), you don’t get the upgrade to the new caliper.

Guess how I know that.

I almost don’t want to post this because it seems unfair but I got really lucky about 6 weeks ago with one set showing up on bike24 in stock. Silver levers and res cover, black lever body, black c42 calipers (also not £1,100). I’ll swap them for your Maximas if you like 😅.

Edit: also don’t feel bad, I think the only practical difference is the bleed port!

I’m not too bothered, I got what I ordered, for less than £1100, but I fail to see why a non standard collection of standard parts on a lever meant I didn’t get a caliper upgrade.

For me to order anything major from Trickstuff again, customer service/order process need to improve significantly, it’s currently a joke.

Edit: also don’t feel bad, I think the only practical difference is the bleed port!

I believe the C42 is 10% shinier than the C41 😁

Have you tried complaining to them? As you say you did get what you ordered but they might sort you out with replacement callipers anyway?

I’ve had a few email interactions with them which were dealt with quickly and easily for what it’s worth.

I did, that’s how I know why I don’t have the upgrade. Tbf it wasn’t a complaint really, I just asked if it was correct that I didn’t get the upgrade

Every email I’ve ever sent them has been responded to in a very matter of fact way. I lost it with them after I chased up my delayed order (at the time by a year) and they told me it would be another 6 months. No apology, just that it would be another 6 months (took 9 months in the end). You have no recourse with them though, as they don’t take payment until they ship, so your only threat is to cancel the order that you’ve been waiting for months/years for, and they have a 2 year waiting list on…

You know a recession is coming when they start making unnecessary shit out of Gold.

Oh yeah that isn’t great. I suppose when you know you have the best product and no hope of making enough to satisfy demand then you don’t have to care about one person’s order, a cancellation just means you get to make someone else happy instead.

I believe the C42 is 10% shinier than the C41 😁

I’d have thought it was closer to 2% shinier 😉

I’m really struggling with the Sinter pads.

The pointless gold, the presentation box, and the limited run suggest you’re supposed to put them in a glass cabinet in your trophy room for select dinner guests to ogle at the cigars and cognac stage of the evening.

But the bumph about braking performance and pad life(!) suggests you’re supposed to put them on a bike and ride them. Which seems a bit mad: what if you really like them, and can’t get any more because of the limited production run?

Maybe I’m just not the target audience.

Pretty sure those pads only exist to bring attention to the brand, and their more normal, but still pricy, pads.

For the people who bought these. What made you purchase these brakes over top of the range SRAM or Shimano? Curious, given the staggering cost, and from what I read, poor customer service and long waits.

I can’t be the only one thinking that purchasing a set of XTRs or ultimates is the logical choice. Keeping that spare 700 in your pocket for other enjoyments of life? Personal opinion, each to their own.

What made you purchase these brakes over top of the range SRAM or Shimano?

I like supporting small manufacturers. I like seeing for myself if the best really is the best and what that is like (in this case, they really are phenomenal). Shiny.

Why wait in a queue when you can buy an older, used set for £1500 😂

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185478165447?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cpet-o0uSJC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=yLQgV2E3Tay&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

For the people who bought these. What made you purchase these brakes over top of the range SRAM or Shimano?

Sadly the best you can get from SRAM and Shimano just isn’t that great.

I’m waiting for someone to make something as good as the Maxima but with Hope level pricing, support and availability. I was hoping that Hope themselves might do it but the best they can do is a new lever that looks like a hockey stick.

Sadly the best you can get from SRAM and Shimano just isn’t that great.

I love shimano brakes, work well when maintained and feel good for me, others love sram, same thing, trickstuff are very nice, they are niche and have that designer feel, not a bad thing, but in relation to being able to do a very basic hydraulic action, they’re not really bringing any novel design or technological leap.

For the people who bought these. What made you purchase these brakes over top of the range SRAM or Shimano?

I was on Codes and they were okay at best so I’d been considering new brakes for a while. I’d been through all the options, nothing was really quite what I wanted, I’d talked myself into and out of getting on the Trickstuff waiting list and then suddenly one set of Direttissimas was in stock to buy now so I did it before I could stop myself with the justification that I could definitely sell on and not lose money.

Having had them for a few weeks they’re absolutely incredible, no play in any part of the system, very consistent (so far), just super high quality as you’d hope. They’re kind of a bit better than the Code RSC and Shimano XT 2-pots I also own in loads of small ways that add up to something that just feels many steps above them. They’re probably not incredible enough to warrant the price and the wait but I still love them.

Do many pro riders use them? or are Shimano, Sram etc good enough for the fastest riders on the planet who don’t even have to pay for their own kit? No point in asking really, people who chuck money away on stuff like this can always justify it (or don’t need to). It’s just like an expensive watch – you can get something just as good for normal money, but it makes you feel better to splash out on something flash. Thing is though: “Trickstuff” what a terrible name 😂

@appltn I agree, I’ve said this a few times that, objectively, they aren’t even close to being worth the money. There’s plenty of brakes that are 80% as good, for 30% the price, that you can have tomorrow.

Subjectively, they are mega powerful, lovely to use, beautifully made, look incredible, and I wouldn’t change them for the world.

All the non product related issues would have to see a significant improvement before I’ll buy another set though.

Do many pro riders use them?

Atherton Racing Polygon UR Cam Zink A few privateers I think.

They’re well manufactured, limited and look good, with great reviews, it’s choice, this is the top end and you pay for it, this is luxury goods of the mtb market, same as xx1 axs and countless bike manufacturers out there.

I love niche engineering stuff, same with the athertons and their frames, just wish I also had money for it, but I’m happy enough just drooling over the pictures 😁

I was wondering if it was just me who thinks the name is rubbish for such a high end product. Sounds like an Ali express name.

It’s a very 90’s name.

Boutique stuff is nothing new – b.i.t.d. the mags were full of purple stuff knocked out on CNC machines, and most of that was good looking and nowhere near as strong, or even as light, as the stuff Shimano made (skewers esp!)

I see the pads appearing at any number of leaving do’s.

I see the pads appearing at any number of leaving do’s.

We’re lucky to get a bottle of booze and a box of milk tray for a leaving do, where are these places that buy folk 500 quid brakepads for leaving 😂

Sounds like an Ali express name

US $89.10 10%OFF | ZRACE M1 X2 / X4 Mountain Bike Hydraulic Brake,Full CNC Lightweight, MTB Oil Pressure Disc Brake Set, Front and Rear MTB Brake https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOGJtn4

Do many pro riders use them? or are Shimano, Sram etc good enough for the fastest riders on the planet who don’t even have to pay for their own kit?

Or what would they use if their sponsors didn’t tell them what to use?

Well, they achieved that. Except now I think they’re a bunch of total gimmick laden tossers and I’ll defo NOT buy their stuff, even if ‘normal’.

As I’ve always said, if i ever see anyone with these I will laugh out loud. You get to enjoy your brakes, i get to enjoy creasing up with uncontrollable mirth 🙂

Are the calipers called c42 because they’re aimed at the middle-ager, circa-42 years old, who’s gonna spend £1k on brakes, thinking it’ll make their riding skill better?

hint: I’m 41 this year.

Dunno, but I’m just off out on my Radical Dude skateboard 😀

Do many pro riders use them? or are Shimano, Sram etc good enough for the fastest riders on the planet who don’t even have to pay for their own kit? No point in asking really, people who chuck money away on stuff like this can always justify it (or don’t need to). It’s just like an expensive watch – you can get something just as good for normal money, but it makes you feel better to splash out on something flash. Thing is though: “Trickstuff” what a terrible name 😂

Yeah, that’s not how sponsorship works – Pro riders use the bike/kit that they are paid to use by their sponsors, not what they would necessarily choose themselves.

You can get something just as good for normal money

Diminishing returns once you pass a threshold is certainly a thing. But “just as good” and “normal money” are relative. There are people out there earning high wages, with low outgoings, for whom the diminishing returns on things like this are still worth it to them. That’s not you, fine, but you don’t know what other peoples circumstances/priorities are.

To be honest, your sneering attitude says more about you than it does about them.

Agree with you on the name though – almost as bad as Liteville. Must be a German thing

Pro riders use the bike/kit that they are paid to use by their sponsors, not what they would necessarily choose themselves.

Or they just repaint/ put their sponsor’s stickers on the gear they want to use if there really is something head-and-shoulders better.

To be honest, your sneering attitude says more about you than it does about them

Oh, I never denied that I’m a very sneery old bastard.

For the people who bought these. What made you purchase these brakes over top of the range SRAM or Shimano?

Unawareness of Hayes Dominion A4 or Formula Cura 4?

Nice… https://www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-rachel-athertons-atherton-am200m.html 😉

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