TrickStuff has released an eye-catching variant of its Piccola HD mountain bike brake featuring 3D-printed titanium levers said to reduce weight and add grip.
The new levers are made using technology company Trumpf’s 3D-titanium additive manufacturing tech, which TrickStuff teased at Eurobike in 2023.
The brand says the 3D printing technology has allowed it to bring a highly precise and durable lever to market inside of its Piccola HD brakes.
If you already have Piccola HD mountain bike brakes, then a lever upgrade kit is available for $129.90 / €129.90, while a full brakeset with the titanium levers is priced at a staggering $1,180 / €1,100.
3D-printed titanium levers
The Piccola HD brakes were previously available with carbon fibre levers, but TrickStuff says the new 3D-printed Titanium levers add more grip while remaining lightweight.
An almost skeletal design is used for the lever, with large recesses made in the pursuit of weight savings.
In the hand, the lever feels strong even with various torsional forces being applied to it.
TrickStuff says the manufacturing process uses powdered titanium which is “applied layer by layer and selectively melted using a laser or electron beam to create the desired geometry.”
The raw surface is kept, adding grip to the lever blade.
A honeycomb perforation is included on the lever, which TrickStuff says increases grip and reduce sweat buildup on the edge.
Two bearings sit in the lever for better actuation, and with these included, TrickStuff says the lever weighs 14.5g.
Stunning stoppers
TrickStuff may still be a fringe brand when it comes to mountain bike brakes, but it's well known for making some of the fanciest stoppers on the market – with braking power to match.
The Piccola HD’s are a combination of the brand's C42 four-piston callipers found on the Direttissima and its Piccola XC brake lever.
At $1,180 / €1,100 for a pair, the brakes don’t shape up well when it comes to value for money, but they do present themselves as versatile jewellery for your bike.
TrickStuff says the Piccola HD has a strong hydraulic ratio of 9mm at the pump piston to 14/17mm in the calliper, bulldozing the brake oil into the four pistons with serious oomph.
The German brand also says a linear power transmission means the brake develops full power as soon as the pressure point is reached, giving good modulation.
