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Tektro’s Parabox Hydraulic Disc Brake Converter for Road Brake Levers

Written by Tyler Benedict
7 Comments
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Road.cc spotted this contraption in the opening day of the Taipei cycling show. Tektro looks to be pretty close to a production-ready tool for converting cable road brake levers to hydraulic disc brakes.

UPDATE: Original photo that better showed the device has vanished, so we replaced it with this one.

Part of Tektro’s TRP (Tektro Racing Products) and called the Parabox, it transfers the mechanical pull of the lever into a hydraulic brake fluid push toward the caliper. The cables come into the rear of the device, which clamps around (or is mounted to) a steerer tube spacer below the stem.

The body of the Parabox holds the master cylinder which pushes fluid into hoses off the front of the device. It’s not the most elegant looking solution, but could get the early adopters off and running before SRAM/Shimano/Campy develop a fully integrated hydraulic road shift/brake lever…and we’ve heard from both of the big S’s that it’s going to be a while.
Tyler Benedict
11,280 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.

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Gillis
Gillis
13 years ago

I don’t really see what the problem with cable discs is. Admittedly hydro’s are better, but for the interim until the “Big ‘S’s” get it figured out I see no problem running cables. Not to mention all that does is shorten the cable. The cable is still there and will need maintenance. Plus, there’s no way you’re going to be able to run levers on your tops when hydros do become viable.

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FN
FN
13 years ago

Last year on Eurobike, Germany’s “Trickstuff” showed the “Doppelmoppel”:

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/eurobike-2010-trickstuff-cyclo-cross-disc-brake-converter-27723

So the idea is’nt that new.

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mjc
mjc
13 years ago

Kind of ugly looking, ain’t it?

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seanwilson
seanwilson
13 years ago

Desn’t anyone remember the Hayes mtn version of this idea? The were terrible! The cable would stretch and the hydraulic output would change.

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Jason
Jason
13 years ago

Don’t forget about the Trickstuff DoppelMoppel. Currently delayed due to a designer’s injury.
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/eurobike-2010-trickstuff-cyclo-cross-disc-brake-converter-27723
http://www.trickstuff.de/de/products/Doppelmoppel.php

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Null
Null
13 years ago

I could be well wrong, but out of the 3 big drivetrain manufacturers I only see Shimano as having the ability to pull off a dual control lever with hydraulic brakes. This is because Shimano have considerable know-how in both electronic shifting and hydraulic brake technologies, as in my view size requirements for the dual control lever will favour electronic shifting over mechanical.

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Null
Null
13 years ago

Btw, Canyon bikes have already pulled this off in a prototype developed years ago:

http://www.canyon.com/_en/technology/project68.html

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