Strokes for folks right? The G-Spec Quadiem is a differently awesome looking brake.
The number one complaint you'll see/hear about the TRP Quadiem is the lack of initial bite. I've even met two riders who sold-on their brakes after a few rides because it was such an issue. They both agreed there's lots of control deep in the power-band (they worked great at speed) but for slower Shore trails where you tap the brakes to set up a move they didn't work for them.
My solution to this was to use (non-finned) Shimano 4-Piston sintered pads (I used to call them Saint/Zee pads but they fit a lot of brakes now) which makes for a totally different experience even sticking with the TRP rotors. I had a great review experience with the Quadiems (with Saint pads) and it's nice being able to use Shimano pads/fluid but at the same time have a non-ServoWave brake. The long lever blades work great to deliver easily controlled power.
The Quadiems have a lighter lever action than the Cura 4 - when I say that I'm not meaning it as necessarily a positive (I'm not saying it takes less effort or causes less fatigue) but rather the brakes feel less modulated themselves once I hit the bite point. If you've ever ridden the Hope E4 they feel very similar (but deliver significantly more power). I was thinking about this quite a bit today as I'm also currently testing a set of Hayes Dominions which thanks to their cartridge bearing lever pivot, leverage, and the design of their internals have the lightest of action of any brake I've ever used (by a good margin) with a significant bite point that HITS regardless of were the bite point adjust is set too. They deliver awesome power and are totally controllable it just takes a total reset of my brain to go back and forth between them and the Cura 4 and the TRP would be right in the middle.
Please let me know if that makes sense - it's something I'm trying to solidify to both talk about the Cura4 and the Dominion.
Oct. 11, 2019, 8:43 p.m. - Andrew Major
Strokes for folks right? The G-Spec Quadiem is a differently awesome looking brake. The number one complaint you'll see/hear about the TRP Quadiem is the lack of initial bite. I've even met two riders who sold-on their brakes after a few rides because it was such an issue. They both agreed there's lots of control deep in the power-band (they worked great at speed) but for slower Shore trails where you tap the brakes to set up a move they didn't work for them. My solution to this was to use (non-finned) Shimano 4-Piston sintered pads (I used to call them Saint/Zee pads but they fit a lot of brakes now) which makes for a totally different experience even sticking with the TRP rotors. I had a great review experience with the Quadiems (with Saint pads) and it's nice being able to use Shimano pads/fluid but at the same time have a non-ServoWave brake. The long lever blades work great to deliver easily controlled power. The Quadiems have a lighter lever action than the Cura 4 - when I say that I'm not meaning it as necessarily a positive (I'm not saying it takes less effort or causes less fatigue) but rather the brakes feel less modulated themselves once I hit the bite point. If you've ever ridden the Hope E4 they feel very similar (but deliver significantly more power). I was thinking about this quite a bit today as I'm also currently testing a set of Hayes Dominions which thanks to their cartridge bearing lever pivot, leverage, and the design of their internals have the lightest of action of any brake I've ever used (by a good margin) with a significant bite point that HITS regardless of were the bite point adjust is set too. They deliver awesome power and are totally controllable it just takes a total reset of my brain to go back and forth between them and the Cura 4 and the TRP would be right in the middle. Please let me know if that makes sense - it's something I'm trying to solidify to both talk about the Cura4 and the Dominion.