When we end our time with a product, we generally have a pretty good grasp on what we like and don’t like about it—the good points and the not-so-good points, if you will. Sometimes, we even have suggestions for the manufacturers pertaining to future revisions (though not necessarily in article format). This is not one of those times. After a thousand miles, we can sum up our feelings on the TriRig Omega in one word: Perfect.
Put bluntly, this is the best mechanical brake we have ever ridden, bar none. From the incredible ease of installation (it took Devon perhaps 15 minutes from start to finish) to the speed at which one can adjust the width of the brakes from super narrow for traditional wheels to gaping maws for the latest wide wheel, the Omega just delivers spectacularly. The modulation and feel of the brake are superb; the fairing not only cuts the wind but keeps the normal road grime out of the center-pull mechanism surprisingly well.
It is worth noting that in our original article (here), Devon had set the brake line a little too tight, and as a consequence, had less braking force than he ought to have had for the first ride. Once realized and corrected, we noticed a significant improvement in clamping force and could easily modulate from an all-out sprint to a dead stop with a moderate squeeze to the brake lever–really pulling hard would actually lock up the front wheel. Let’s just say that it’s been a long time since a front brake on a TT bike had that kind of stopping power.
In all, TriRig has what we consider to be the best mechanical rim brake on the market, and at a steal of a price to boot. It is aerodynamically faired, easily set for different wheels, stops fantastically well, and has more feel in the lever than we’ve had in a long time. Honestly, we’re a little shocked at how, well, good this brake is. Devon has threatened a number of unpleasant things if he has to give it up, and we think that’s all you really need to know about what we think about the TriRig Omega.
Could you please explain what you mention about running the brake cable to tight? I’m not loving the stopping power and reading your article it would seem it has to do with the installation. Thanks!
In the original article, it can be seen in the photos head-on of the Omega that the roller cams are sticking out beyond the aero fairing. Because the center-pull wedge behind the fairing was too choked up on the brake cable, and thus rides higher than it ought to when at rest, the amount of braking force that could be applied was significantly down from where it should have been. The fix for this is to drop the wedge until the roller cams sit flush behind the aero fairing and using the pad adjusters on the sides of the brake arms to adjust how much space you want between the brake track and the pads. Devon generally sets his fairly close, but left a little more room than he normally would to accommodate flex from a wheel he had been riding. Let us know if that works for you!
Pingback: 9-1-2013 WiR | AeroGeeks·
Pingback: The AeroGeeks Holiday Gift Guide | AeroGeeks·
Pingback: Blue Competition Cycles 2014 Lineup – First Look | AeroGeeks·
Pingback: Scott Plasma 5 – First Look | AeroGeeks·
Pingback: BMC TMR02 – Review | AeroGeeks·
could u plz tell me the vertical drop (distance from mount to pad) of the omega X? My shimano br5800 has 49mm, which is not enough
thx
The OmegaX is mounted on our Shiv test bike so we could not get a perfect measurement. However it looks to be roughly 55mm.
Thx, that should be okay 🙂
I’m curious on the use of these on a road bike. As they don’t have a release, what do you do in the event of a mechanical problem with your wheel (damage where it isn’t true side to side) where you need to spread the pads out to clear?
Nathan, I was about to conclude a deal of this fantastic brake but that’s exactly what stopped me. I believe you need to release the air from the tire in order to take the wheel out and to me – I regularly remove the front wheel to fit the bike in my car – this is too overwhelming. So, I decided to ignore this purchase.
By the way, I have the BMC TMR02.
Nathan, Jafar; The brake pads can be opened up with (i think) a 1.5mm key but you’re out of luck if you don’t carry this tool with you. I used to have a 1st gen. Omega front brake until in a race I broke a front wheel spoke and the wheel kept rubbing against the brakes. On a normal brake I would have opened the brake and continued, on the Omega I could not since I did not carry the tool with me on the race. I believe the new generation has a magnetic cover which you could also remove and disengage the brake without use of tools.