First Look | The EVO12 is TRP’s first complete drivetrain

Successor to TR12 sticks with cables, but adds cassettes and cranksets to the mix

By Tom Law

Published: Friday, 23 June 2023 at 12:00 am

TRP’s new EVO12 12-speed drivetrain is a revision of its existing TR12 rear derailleur and shifter, which we’ve previously tested. A new cassette and crankset, both firsts for TRP, have been added to the line-up.

There’s no fancy wireless trickery here, with the EVO12 sticking to good old gear cables.

That doesn’t mean it lacks features to make it stand out from the crowd though, with a few key differentiators over the SRAM and Shimano equivalents – in particular, the shifter and rear derailleur.

TRP EVO12 rear derailleur

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TRP’s EVO12 rear derailleur has some unique features, such as the Hall Lock that stabilises the derailleur around the B-knuckle to help reduce chain slap and noise.
Alex Law

Starting with the EVO12 rear derailleur, it features a number of clever tools to help shifting performance and, importantly, keep drivetrain noise to a minimum. The latter is a key criticism many have of SRAM AXS in particular, and we had with the old TR12 derailleur.

An instant, silent clutch helps to reduce noise and chain slap, but it’s TRP’s unique Hall Lock that really sets it apart.

Designed by Aaron Gwin’s long-time mechanic, John Hall, the Hall Lock stabilises the derailleur on its B-knuckle.

This helps prevent it from swinging back and forward, keeping it nice and quiet when you’re hammering through the rough stuff.

To aid wheel removal, it can be turned off with a simple flick of a lever, and likewise, the cage release removes spring tension for quicker and easier removal.

Finally, it gets a carbon cage to reduce weight and add some bling factor, while the jockey wheels are 12 and 14T numbers respectively. Claimed weight is 300g.

TRP EVO12 gear shifter

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The EVO12 shifter has an adjustable-angle downshift paddle and can be switched between single and multiple downshifts with a throw of the lever.
Alex Law

Like the rear derailleur, the shifter packs a few features that help it stand out from the competition.

The shifter lever, which enables you to move to an easier gear, is not only angle adjustable, as you’d find on SRAM’s mechanical X01 and XX1 Eagle shifters, but there’s also a button to choose between a single shift or five downshifts in one go.

It’s Matchmaker-compatible, so you can easily mount it to a compatible brake lever and the cable exits parallel to the handlebars in a similar style to SRAM’s new Stealth brake levers for a clean look.

A nice little touch sees the gear cable routed through the upshift lever and into the shifter body, for quick cable changes. A neat rubber grommet is designed to keep dirt and water ingress to a minimum.

TRP EVO12 crankset and chainring

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Constructed from alloy, the EVO12 crankset has a stylish matt finish, 30mm spindle and the chainring uses MRP’s licensed Wave technology for better chain retention.
Alex Law

The alloy crankset is pretty typical of what we’d expect for the price, with forged aluminium arms, a direct-mount chainring and a 30mm spindle for maximum stiffness and efficiency.

The spindle itself also has two rubber seals that should help improve the lifespan of the bottom bracket.

If you want to drop some grams – and some money from your bank account – a carbon version is also available.

TRP has licensed MRP’s Wave technology for the chainring, with the teeth alternating their profile to suit the chain’s links. The brand claims this should offer proven chain retention in extreme conditions.

The cranksets are available in 165, 170 and 175mm lengths for the alloy version, and the carbon version in the two shorter lengths. The chainring, meanwhile, is available in 3mm Boost or 6mm chainlines in 32 or 34T sizes.

 

TRP EVO12 cassette and chain

"TRP
The EVO12 cassette has a lightweight two-piece construction, a wide 10-52T range and is Microspline-compatible.
Alex Law

The cassette mounts via Shimano’s Microspline standard and has a SRAM-equalling 520 per cent range, with a 10-52T spread.

The top end of the cassette mirrors it’s rivals’ new T-Type cassettes, with 44 and 52t respectively for nice even jumps between gears

Those two biggest cogs are made from 7075 aluminium to save weight, while the other 10 are machined from a single piece of steel.

It looks as if those less durable, aluminium biggest cogs are bolted to the steel section, so in theory, could be replaceable, but TRP hasn’t confirmed this.

The 12-speed chain is made by KMC, while the EVO12 is available in the rather stealthy black/silver finish pictured or, if you want to stand out from the crowd, a gold and black option.

I’ll be strapping it onto my bike to put it through the wringer, so stay tuned for a full review in the coming months.

TRP EVO12 drivetrain pricing

  • Rear derailleur: £230-240/$229.99-239.99
  • Shifter: £100-110/$99.99-109.99
  • Crankset: £150-350/$149.99-349.99
  • Chainring: £75/$79.99
  • Cassette: £400/$398.92
  • Chain: £39-73/$39-73
  • Bottom bracket: £42/$41.99