Step aside Shimano and SRAM, there's a new player in the house. TRP photo.
Gone are the days of only two players in the mountain bike drivetrain game, as TRP just released a brand-new 12-Speed MTB drivetrain developed with the help of Aaron Gwin and his mechanic John Hall. Last fall, TRP released a DH7 7-speed downhill-specific drivetrain that featured an innovative clutch system. The TR12 is a trail/enduro specific version of the same system. TRP is offering a shifter and derailleur as part of the system, and says it will work with any 12-speed cassette and chain on the market. The combo costs $330 and is available now.
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Shimano and SRAM have had 12-speed drivetrains on the market for several years now, but TRP’s offers a unique feature that promises crisper shifting and quiet chain slap-free riding. The innovative Hall Lock was first found on the DH7, but has been optimized for use on trail bikes. This feature was born from an ongoing competition amongst the best mechanics on the Downhill World Cup - to build the quietest bike on the track.
TRP's TR12 derailleur features an innovative locking system to prevent chain slap . TRP photo.
Gwin’s race mechanic John Hall identified the movement of the derailleur around the B-knuckle as a key point of improvement, and developing a system for locking the derailleur in place to provide extra chain tension through rough sections of trail. The TR12 derailleur also has more traditional adjustable clutch system in the knuckle to further prevent chain slap. On the shifter, the lever position is adjustable, just like what is found on higher end shifters from SRAM.
The shifter features an adjustable lever position. TRP photo.
Check back soon for a more in-depth review after we test the new drivetrain on TGR Tested.
About The Author
stash member Max Ritter
I manage digital content here at TGR, run our gear testing program, and am stoked to be living the dream in the Tetons.