What was the most difficult part of the DHR redesign process?
Redesigning the oil flow in the caliper was the most challenging and required the most effort and time. After we turned all our ideas into prototype solutions, we tested them in the lab and with our athletes. The team mechanics gave us a lot of feedback on the venting and we had to pay attention to every detail to find the best solution. It felt like sifting little nuggets of gold out of a river.

What did the TRP development team learn during this process?
We worked with a higher number of prototypes than before, while involving many more different testers. In addition to the riders on our four teams and their mechanics, that included a group of dealers and end users. It was important to us that all the testers had a wide variety of experience with all the products on the market. This heterogeneous mix of international testers was a key factor.

What was most helpful to the TRP team in achieving the new product level?
The change in the development process from product-oriented to customer-oriented and the team mix. Before we started, the team was trained in this agile approach, a challenge for our engineers especially in the beginning. We spent a lot of time with the individual driver and their mechanics, constantly watching and listening. This was always done in teams, there was a TRP engineer and marketing or sales guy. This different way of looking at problems gave us a steep learning curve. Once you got used to it, the work became much faster and more successful.