SRAM introduces Guide T brakes for a cheaper hydraulic option

Yesterday SRAM launched a slightly more budget-friendly model in its Guide line of hydraulic brakes. At $105 per wheel (sans rotors), the Guide T provides 4-piston hydraulic stopping power and modulation at the same or even lower price point than BB7 mechanical disc brakes.

The Guide T includes many of the same features as the rest of the Guide line, including Bleeding Edge technology, which allows for simplified brake bleeds. As SRAM says, “A smooth fluid path makes it easier to push fluid through the caliper, and a dedicated bleed adapter plugs into the bleed port and seals the system to minimize air contamination and fluid loss.”

The Guide T levers are also compatible with SRAM’s MatchMaker system, which holds SRAM brake levers and shifters in one tidy package to remove bar clutter.

The brake pads are steel-backed organic and feature Heat Shield technology, which “breaks the thermal connection between the pad and caliper body, reducing caliper fluid temperature by about 20 degrees C even in the most extreme testing conditions.”

So what’s the difference between the Guide T and the Guide R, which is almost $30 more expensive? The main noticeable difference is at the lever. The Guide T requires a hex wrench to adjust the reach versus the easy-adjust knob found on the higher end Guide models. The Guide T is also not compatible with the complete MatchMaker system, just the basic clamp that holds the shifter as well, so dropper post or remote lockout controls will need their own bar clamps. As far as braking performance goes, the Guide T promises to be equivalent to the Guide R.

More info can be found here on SRAM’s website.