Rotor provided Team Dimension Data with this new (and burly-looking) chain catcher. The previous iteration of Rotor’s catcher is an ‘I’ shaped finger, but this one is an inverted ’T,’ with a tall and wide plate to ensure the chain falls on the small ring. Though it’s not yet shown on Rotor’s website, a Rotor representative in the USA said the catcher is currently available to the public.
Under-the-chainstay brakes were once a trendy feature on road frames, but they’re losing favour. Chief among the reasons: It’s harder to work on, and harder to reach in a critical moment. It also has a propensity to collect gunk. Finally, because of the way it flexes, a wheel is more likely to rub on a brake that’s about 90 degrees from tire’s contact patch than brake that that’s about 180 degrees away.
That said, there are still a few bikes in the peloton that have under-the-chainstay brakes, including the Scott Foil, and the Merida Reacto. Those bikes are usually equipped with this inelegant Shimano in-line brake release, which helps speed up wheel changes, and offers riders an on-the-fly way to open the rear brake arms on climbs to eliminate wheel rub.