Shimano Saint Brakes vs TRP G-Spec Quadiem Brakes (Big Brakes Comparison)

Of all the different setup options out there that get you more comfortable and confident on your bike, a strong set of brakes can make all the difference. Even if you have the freshest set of Industry Nine wheels or the latest Fox suspension, it's tough to go fast without a good set of stoppers! For a lot of riders, it seems to always come down to preferences with how there brakes are set up. Some brake designs delivery more immediate power, some are more reliable, and some have more modulation. We wanted to compare two of our favorite brake sets in the 4-piston caliper category, the tried and trued Shimano Saint and the new kid in school, the TRP G-Spec Quadiem brakes. 

Shimano Saint Brakes Overview

Shimano Saint brakes have been among the most popular 4-piston brakes for quite some time now. Shimano is such a powerhouse company in the cycling industry and it's not too often then release a new groupset. Because of this, Shimano can never afford to release an inferior product, keeping these Saint brakes a rider favorite since they were released in 2012.

• Lighter short Servo Wave lever
• Free Stroke & tool less Reach Adjust
• I-spec compatible
• Funnel bleeding tool
• One Way bleeding caliper
• Mineral oil brake fluid
• ICE TECHNOLOGIES heat management
• Four ceramic piston caliper 
• Both resin and metallic pads available
• Caliper Weight: 306g (Resin pad with radiator fin)
• Lever Weight: 103.2g

TRP G-Spec Quadiem Overview

In 2016, TRP started working with multiple time downhill World Cup overall champion Aaron Gwin and the YT Mob team. Aaron played a large role in the development of the most recent TRP G-Spec Quadiem brake set and now some might say TRP has stepped up to rival the big players like Shimano, Sram, Magura, and Formula. You might think think the TRP four piston brakes are underdogs going up against the tried and trued Shimano Saint brakes, but we think TRP is up for the challenge. 

• Four hybrid piston caliper (ceramic center/steel outer)
• CNC caliper with cooling fins
• Tool free indexed reach adjust
• Polished finish
• Adjustable banjo fitting for optimal hose routing
• Mineral oil brake fluid
• Split hinge clamp handlebar clamp
• I-Spec b, I-Spec ll (XT and XTR only) and matchmaker compatible with TRP adapter
• Polished stainless steel hardware
• Both resin and metallic pads available
• Weight: 312g (Front)

Don't forget about the cost friendly TRP Quadiem brake set. They feature all of the same performance of the G-Spec models, but use a painted finish to keep the cost down. 

What Do We Think?

Shimano Saints - Go! Hey guys, this is Max with Worldwide Cyclery. I wanted to share some of my personal experiences riding both of these brakes. Over the last three years, I have ridden Shimano Saint brakes on both my trail bike and my downhill bike. They have always been good to me. From all the brakes I have ever used, the Saints have been the most powerful. If you aren't careful, you might find yourself going over the bars in the parking lot before you even hit the trail! Riding on trails that are so steep you can't even walk down, having powerful brakes is a real game changer. With all that being said, the Saints also aren't the most consistent. During a long descent, the brakes of course start to heat up and the lever feel may begin to change. To avoid this feeling, you have to bleed the brakes regularly which makes these brakes a bit high maintenance. Check out the pros and cons of the Shimano Saint brakes below.

Max racing at the 2017 Leogang World Cup with Shimano Saint brakes / Photo by Dave Trumpore

Now to TRP! For 2018, I decided to give the TRP brakes a try. I had heard good things about them and just wanted to try something different. Compared to the Shimano Saints, they are much more consistent. No matter how demanding the descent, the lever always feels the same and to me that is very important. The Quadiems don't have as much all out power as the Saints but they have a wider range of usable power. I do wish that TRP had a better bleed kit available and hopefully that will be something they can improve on moving forward. It is nice that the TRP Quadiems share the same shape brake pad as the Saints because it makes finding brake pads nice and easy. Check out the pros and cons to the TRP G-Spec Quadiem brakes below.

Max racing at the 2018 Fort William World Cup on TRP G-Spec Quadiem brakes / Photo by Dave Trumpore 

About Me

Max Morgan is 26 years old, and lives in Brevard, North Carolina. Max grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and started racing downhill at the age of 15. He has now been racing professionally for the last 8 years, competing in the UCI World Cup series and U.S. Pro GRT series. To learn more about Max, check out Max's rider spotlight here! 
Instagram: @mxmorgan77