Magura Brake Guide – Which setup should I choose?

#CUSTOMIZEYOURBRAKE

Your Brake! Your Setup!

No More Compromises!

The MAGURA #customizeyourbrake options enable you to individualize your brakes.

Optimize The Performance Of Your Brake

Choose the brake model that suits you and match your riding style with the right rotors and brake pads.

Brake Model

Choose the heart of your brake. How much power do you need?

• 2 Pistons: For cross-country bikers. Extremely low weight with very good braking power.
• 4 Pistons: For gravity pilots. Maximum power and heat resistance.
• Trail Combination: For trail bikers. 4 powerful pistons in the front for solid braking power and 2 pistons at the rear for low weight and finely-tuned modulation.

What did I choose for brakes?

MT7 – End of story!

The MT7 features their Carbotecture SL master body and a forged alloy caliper with four Duroplastic pistons with an embedded high-powered magnet to hold the pads in place. The brakes have a superb tactile feel, which gives rise to an incredible touch, control, and communication, especially in technical terrain. The MT7’s offer excellent modulation and off-the-chart power and heat resistance, and the rotor’s spin drag-free through the calipers. The caliper’s design and four-piston layouts made them the quietest brake I have ridden, and even getting them scorching hot on long steep downhills never changed their silent characteristic. 

Brake Pads

Choose a brake pad to suit your riding style.

• Race (gold): Maximum power, maximum braking performance. For all those who bring their material to the limits and require outstanding braking performance.
• Performance (grey): The best combination of braking power and durability. These pads provide excellent performance under all conditions.
• Comfort (blue): High durability and precise modulation. This brake pad is ideal for beginners and riders who prefer precise modulation and durability over bite.
• Sport (green): Due to its powerful braking capabilities together with high durability and shorter bed-in time, this is a perfect brake pad for use with e-bikes.

Brake Rotors

Choose the right rotor for your riding style and your total weight.

• Storm SL.2: Very good braking power combined with minimum weight.
• Storm HC: Optimised for high braking power with high loads. Especially recommended for 4-piston calipers and e-bikes. Thanks to National Type Approval (ABE), s-pedelecs can also be retrofitted without problems.
• MDR-C CL: Equipped with a centerlock mount for corresponding hubs. Optimized for high braking power.
• MDR-C: Thanks to the additional connecting ring, the one-piece rotor, optimized for e-bikes, is particularly stiff, vibration resistant, and the ideal all-rounder – whether on city, trail, or e-bike.
• MDR-P: Offering a special patented interlocking of the outer and inner rings (Dovetail Interlink Technology), giving optimum braking performance even under heavy loads. In addition, maximum heat resistance and stability.

What did I choose for pads and rotors?

I go back and forth between the powerful/heavy MDR-P brake rotors and the lightweight SL.2 rotors.

I tested the MDR-P  with the green 8.S Sport pads. I found the innovative dovetail interlocking design between the inner and outer rings of the MDR-P rotors offers increased rigidity, improved heat resistance, and reduced vibration, all of which offer an incredibly powerful and superb performer for a braking system. You do pay the price with an additional weight (216g for 203mm).

I tested the Storm SL.2 with the grey 8.P Performance pads. I found them a supremely enjoyable rotor with some remarkable characteristics, such as feathering, modulation, fade resistance, and lightweight (117g for 180mm). The additional control they offered in technical terrain was much appreciated, particularly on steep rollers and rock ramps, where they tended not to lock up. Like any of the cutout rotor types, they do wear pads quicker.

Brake Lever blades

Choose your brake contact point and lever blade ergonomics.

• HC Aluminium & Carbon: 1-finger lever blade made of aluminum or carbon.
• HC Wide Reach: Wider 1-finger lever blade optimized for larger hands. Developed together with Downhill World Champion Loic Bruni.
• HC3: 1-finger lever blade with adjustable braking power and modulation. Developed together with Danny MacAskill.
• 2-Finger: 2- or 1-finger lever blade offering a longer grip area, softer bite point, and increased leverage for excellent modulation.
• Please note: The HC3 and HC Carbon Lever are only available for Carbotecture SL brake masters (MT6/MT8/MT7/MT Trail Carbon/SL from MY 2015).

Which brake lever did I use?

This is a somewhat personal preference. It’s difficult to quantify things, but for my hands and personal tastes, I much preferred the 2-Finger levers; with their increased length, lever arm, and lever throw, they seemed slightly more powerful and offered significantly improved feathering capabilities.

The HC3 lever offers lots of user tunability via its reach adjustment and mechanical leverage adjustment. The ergonomic shape and wide platform of this 1-finger blade elevate the HC3 brake lever to a new usability level. With the HC3, I did enjoy the ability to make minute adjustments to the reach and leverage ratio, and for people with small hands or those that want a short lever for full 1-finger usage, they’re about perfect. The HC3 has a much snappier feel and quicker engagement due to the shorter lever arm and decreased length. The wide ergonomic end slot made it easy to instantly and effortlessly grab the brakes.