2012 Magura Brakes

Mar 8, 2011 at 19:07

Magura has an entirely new lineup of brakes for 2012, including their top of the line MT8 that uses a carbon thermoplastic material for the entire lever assembling - including the master cylinder. Check out the details inside.

Complete makeover for brake lever:

The newly developed Carboflow process delivers massive savings in lever weight by using short to medium length carbon fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The new process has also resulted in a design profile that allows the reservoir to be integrated extremely unobtrusively. Also new is the option of fitting the same brake lever to the left or right on the handlebar. This is supported by the use of a divided handlebar clamp for ultra-fast fitting and removal. The trigger shifter or the new Magura remote lever is quick and easy to fit using the two optional “Shiftmix” and “Remotemix” clamps. Filling the brakes is a clean procedure using a T25 EBT bolt. All the other bolts have likewise been standardised to T25 which in turn allows the brakes to be fully fitted and adjusted using just one tool.

The top of the line MT8. With its comprehensive use of the finest materials and the substantial application of FE analysis, MAGURA's top of the range model pulls off the absolute optimum balance between weight and stability. The newly developed Carbotecture SL is used for the brake lever, together with carbon on the brake lever and the clamp which now weighs just 2 grams. Both the carbon clamp and carbon lever are the products of a new type of Carbolay process and thus provide top strength combined with the lowest possible weight. aluminum bolts reduce the overall weight still further. Excellent heat release is achieved with the brake caliper due to its open design and large surface area. Weight MT8: 278g including the 160 Storm SL rotor.

The one-piece brake caliper forged from a high performance aluminum alloy also delivers the ultimate in performance and safety on long downhill stretches with its superb heat release facility provided by the large surface area and open double arch design. Brake pads can be checked for wear and replaced as and when necessary from above without having to remove the wheel. The new MAGURA brakes (MT8, MT6, MT4) are supplied from the factory complete with a rotating hose fitting on the spoke side to prevent damage and to allow for a neat routing of the hose on a diverse range of frame designs.

Brake lever:

MAGURA consulted with ergonomists and universities to develop a broader and more ergonomic brake lever that sits well in both large and small hands. The carbon version is manufactured from Carbolay which allows the fibers to be orientated according to the directional stress within the lever. The result is an extremely light, rigid and safe carbon lever.

Brake disks:

All models are supplied with the high-stability Storm SL or Storm disks in 200mm, 180mm and 160mm sizes. The Storm SL is also available in 140mm as an option.

The MT6. The structure of the brake lever is identical to that of the MT8, except for the use of an aluminum brake lever and aluminum clamp. Not quite so much weight is saved with the brake caliper as on the MT8 but the additional cooling fins compensate for this. Weight MT6: 310g including the 160 Storm SL rotor

MAGURA Evolutionary Features:

• Anti-Squeal
A combination of coordinated brake pads and brake disk design counteracts the development of brake noise.
• Anti-Drag
Newly developed sealing rings and a modified piston design ensure that even when operated in temperatures below zero or extremely muddy conditions the pistons always return to their original position and do not grind on the disk.
• Anti-Heat
The entire system of the MT brake calipers is designed to release heat quickly into the atmosphere and prevent a reduction in performance.
• Royal Blood
MAGURA continues to rely on high-performance mineral oil as a brake fluid. With respect to health concerns it is completely harmless on contact with the skin and, unlike DOT, it does not absorb water over time and so no annual bleeding is necessary.
• Warranty
Of course, the famous MAGURA five-year leak-proof warranty applies to the new brakes as well.

The brake lever of the MT4 is manufactured from Carbotecture. As with the models toward the top end of the range, stability and rigidity are retained by using a greater capacity and wall thickness. Tool-free centre-of-pressure adjustment is also incorporated into the brake lever. The brake caliper is identical to that of the MT6. Weight MT4: 320g including the 160 Storm SL rotor

The MT2.As with the MT4, the brake lever supplied on the basic model in the MT range is made from Carbotecture. The lever and clamp are manufactured from aluminum. The two piece brake caliper provides for a more economic production process, and Magura passes on this price advantage directly to the end customer. As a basic model, the MT2 is only behind its bigger sisters in tipping the scales, as it delivers the same braking power and optimum lever geometry as the models toward the top end of the range. Value for money even for the thrifty - and for all those who aspire to thrift. Weight MT2: 335g including the 160 Storm SL rotor.

Check out the Magura website to see their entire lineup.

There is no doubt that Magura is looking good for 2012, especially the top tier MT8 - is this the first mountain bike brake that uses a carbon master cylinder? None of us have had time on the new stoppers yet, but let's hear what you think about Magura using these materials in new places.

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80 Comments

Score Time

+ 14

oceen246 (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:12)

Magura rocks. What pains me is the pads availability. I have to order them online as most of the shop do not carry them in stock. Everyine that have tried my Magura Louise bat with the bullet proof venti rotors had nothing bad to say about them save for a girl complaining about the super long levers.
Knowing how people like to complain, this is a achievement of biblical proportion. Magura makes brakes you can be comfortable with on your FIRST run. No unpredicted lockup and excellent level feedback! The only downside is when switching to some other brakes, you are all over the place skidding. I honestly think they have successfully integrated some anti lock system in their brakes. This is some witchcraft sorcery magic! And now they are made out of technology and material similar to an extraterrestrial spaceship.

This is madness! This is MAGURA!!!

tburtniak Plus (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:58) (Below Threshold) show comment

Haha, at our jumps, my friend was riding out from a whip, and the pads in his magura ejected, and he flipped over the bars into a fence, i dont trust them anymore.

+ 11

oceen246 (Mar 10, 2011 at 10:00)

ALL the magura brake pads and calipers i know off have a screw securing the pads. It is impossible to have the pads ejected from the caliper without unscrewing that screw,
Please give us more info on the story because it bothers me to see a product get trolled due to the operator mistakes. I might be wrong so do tell me which magura caliper he was using.

GabrielDugas (Mar 10, 2011 at 10:04)

i'm with oceen246 for this comment. it's like saying "i lost a brand new I9 wheel while rolling. they suck" they won't fall of your bike if maintenance and screw verification are done properly

tburtniak Plus (Mar 10, 2011 at 12:04)

Well, he landed, went to pull the brake, the the pads came out of place, in the back of the calliper.

Rasterman Plus (Mar 10, 2011 at 13:42)

The marketing sounds awesome, and the brakes look awesome. Moving to new technologies though, especially on such a key component (the master cylinder) is usually plagued with problems. I'm excited to see how these test in the real world, and if they are good I think Magura has a solid winner. The weights on the eights are nuts lol Big Grin

mgrider19 (Mar 10, 2011 at 16:50)

anybody know how much they cost?

borocks (Mar 10, 2011 at 23:25)

yeah, i do

Qwertyopolis (Mar 12, 2011 at 10:54)

Avid Elixir... end of story

saso (Mar 13, 2011 at 5:53)

Avid Elixir? and bleed them evry 2 months? no thanks... the maguras look nice and if the price is fair then i have a dilema shimano or magura.

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brit-100 (Mar 10, 2011 at 1:58)

Probably great, but you better hope and pray that you never need any service parts, or to make a warrenty claim, because Magura will happily leave you high and dry!

The 'famous 5 year warrenty' isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Drea (Mar 10, 2011 at 6:41)

On what do you base this?

wheel-addict (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:34)

I will second brit-100 about the service thing. Last year I briefly owned a bike with a Magura Wotan fork. The manual said to contact a Magura service center for servicing. Guess what, in the US there is no authorized service center! In Arizona, I couldn't even find a Magura dealer that wanted to work on the fork (one "authorized dealer" didn't even know they made forks). It seems like they make great products, and perhaps you will get better support with their brakes, but I think you are on your own if you live in North America.

liveless (Mar 10, 2011 at 11:49)

Lets turn this into euro vs usa again?

brit-100 (Mar 10, 2011 at 12:40)

Liveless: Hardly Euro Vs USA from me, seen as how I live and work in.... Europe.

Drea: I base it on my time working in the bike industry, mostly as a shop mechanic. Every time I'd had contact with Magura UK regarding problems with brakes or forks, it's been like banging my head against a brick wall. It's got to the point where I won't touch the forks at all now, and if a customer brings in a Magura brake, I won't go any further than pads/bleed. Just not worth the hassle. I've actually been told by (some on the phone at) Magura UK that they consider their own brakes ready for the bin inside of 3 years.

On the other hand, Hope recently apologised for no longer holding stock of service parts for a brake they stopped producing 12 years ago. Also, Avid/Fishers and Shimano/Madison seem to have a 'send out a warrenty replacement first, ask questions later' policy. Why anyone would deviate from those 3, I don't know. If Silverfish can turn around the supply and service problems with Formula, then maybe they too could become a good option?

But Magura? NEVER!

liveless (Mar 10, 2011 at 22:37)

Magura, now and to the point when they become bad in my opinion.

Drea (Mar 10, 2011 at 23:09)

brit-100
Okay, thanks for your reply. I'm not attackting you by any meens. I were just looking for a more detailed answer.
I haven't heard any bad things about Magura service here in Denmark. But then again, I rarely see their products IRL here.

[Reply]

Cybercorreio (Mar 10, 2011 at 14:51)

Hi there.
Looks like in the US you face the same problems I face in Europe with some US brands!
When I got my Scratch with the rear shok assembled upside down and the rear triangle twisted I got to use a lawyer to get my problems solved.
With forks fox the problem is very similar, the same happened to Crank Brothers wheels and on and on....
If you go to a company web site and look for the distributor at your country, many times the stated one do not exist anymore.
So really international companies are less than the claimed ones?
By the way- I will buy it since is a masterpiece of engeniering.

Cheers

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dirtydroog (Mar 10, 2011 at 5:10)

Wow, it's only March, 2011. I don't get why companies release their future product specs so early. All it says is that there areflaws with the 2011 product so you'd better wait until 2012.

Ganbei (Mar 10, 2011 at 5:44)

Most companies are in MY12 development now. Taipei show (next week in Taiwan) is where most of the components are spec’d for the coming production year, if not done already. Parts and bike go to manufacture during the summer months and they hit your local deal at the end of the year or January 2012…

dirtydroog (Mar 10, 2011 at 9:45)

Sure, develop them but it's risky to announce them so early

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect

[Reply]

drstepi (Mar 11, 2011 at 12:36)

I'll add my 5 C to this one- I haven't had too many Magura brales , but have been using them for quite long - from 1999 HS 33 rim brake, 99 louise and now the 2007 luoise. Except for the 99 louise which sucked due to early construction pains, these brales have and are performing great - low maintainnce, enough power for me (almost 78kg w/o gear) great modulation. The 2007 louise was bled only once and I do nothing except pad change and some cleaning.
I dodn't think I'm ever gonna change brakes - if magura consistently keeps making product like today I'll be in the brake people clan.
As for Avid and Shimano- I dodn't know these product, but I guess it's just good sales policy-I spot these on 90% of bikes in stock, but that doesn't make them better or worse.
It's just policy.

[Reply]

ZMC888 (Mar 11, 2011 at 8:46)

Simple, Magura make some reasonable priced $100-150 per wheel brakes that work flawlessly and get them on loads of medium-high priced popular bikes like Giant, Trek, Specialized even Santa Cruz, then if the pads, brake bleed kits and so on are easy to find...goodbye Avid, and a few others manufacturers' mediocre offerings, then cool.

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funkymonkey144 (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:08)

Looks tasty, shall have to try them out when they are availible. Liking the use of ''Carbotecture SL'', the weight of the lever blade and clamp is very impressive! tup

mikeyb4cross (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:14)

looks impressive , light design theres like nothing to the caliper witch is great , personal fav is the mt8 , good color scheme as well . definitely look worth trying

bunkey (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:27)

I find myself ranting on anything Magura-related about how up their own arses they are when contacting them in person about any problems; Despite this I find myself wanted some MT8's. They look lush! 278g incl. rotor is a massive achievement.

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Chris-GER (Mar 13, 2011 at 10:05)

i already had the possibility to ride them,still in 2 different proto stages. last weekend i was in cyprus, where i could check the first out-of-production parts, but they have still been put together by hand. the brake is an ultimate challenge regarding design and lightness. the performance is, regarding the weight, really really awesome. The lever and the master are built by carbon (carbotecture and carboflow method). the caliper (guess thats the word for it in english?!) or brake saddle, i don't know the correct word, is built from aluminium because of cooling possibilities. carbon at this point, can't cool down from high temperatures as fast as aluminium. i will post a few pics within the next minutes.
cheers

[Reply]

drstepi (Mar 11, 2011 at 12:36)

[Reply]

mbjz (Mar 10, 2011 at 11:59)

I would like to see how powerful they are and how well the modulation is. I think they went the right route with designing these from the ground up and I am intrigued to see how they feel

[Reply]

Myfianceemademedoit (Mar 10, 2011 at 16:34)

These look interesting. I hope they work as well as they claim. Not all that innovative looking other then the composite molding, since they look a lot like the formula R1 brakes to me.

[Reply]

jeffreyelias8 (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:14)

Magura makes some killer brakes... I'm sure they've got this new line dialed too. I would love a set of the MT8's on my XC bike. Any pics of the new rotor? How about pricing?

[Reply]

kootenaybikes (Mar 10, 2011 at 19:26)

They don't seem to mention it but I know Magura has just moved a lot of production to Taiwan. I wonder if these brakes are from there and if so, if the price will be more competitive than in the past.

[Reply]

mountguitars (Mar 10, 2011 at 10:05)

pads availability and price is what concerns me with magura but i like how they're looking good right now.

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denis80 (Mar 10, 2011 at 15:02)

The MT will be super expensive.

http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p27260_MT8-Carbotecture--v-h-Set-Scheibenbremse-.html

[Reply]

LukeCowley77 (Mar 10, 2011 at 13:22)

AWERSOME super sick colour scheme for this brake and the carbon pattern on the lever itself justs tops it!!!

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Dirt-Gash (Mar 10, 2011 at 19:10)

Maguras are the shit and there new line looks f*cking amazing! Can't wait to upgrade the martas! f*ck yeah bicthes!

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devonbalet Plus (Mar 10, 2011 at 23:55)

win a pair here!

http://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/win-cool-stuff-from-magura-worth-780.html

[Reply]

k2dan (Mar 10, 2011 at 7:39)

looking good for magura

[Reply]

connen31 (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:30)

never really put much thought into it, but how would water get into a sealed brake unit to contaminate the fluid?

oceen246 (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:34)

brakes are not a perfect seal.

connen31 (Mar 10, 2011 at 1:59)

Aye? How so?

PHRANQUY (Mar 10, 2011 at 5:51)

The pistons move in and out, and there are seals around them, which could allow water or other contaminants in. Water is sneaky like that.

JonwithoutaH (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:17)

Brake fluid absorbs water over times as well Wink

hydroscopic i think the words called Wink

baca262 (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:23)

not in shimano/magura case. mineral oil isn't hygroscopic, DOT fluids are.

JonwithoutaH (Mar 10, 2011 at 13:02)

I didnt know they used different tbh just though all hydro's used dot 5.1 ... Ya learn somethin everyday ahaa cheers man Big Grin

[Reply]

neilmx (Mar 10, 2011 at 9:09)

Caliper looks like a knock off of the Hope V2 Caliper..

seraph (Mar 10, 2011 at 10:43)

The brake looks like a knock off of a brake.

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chaseman167 (Mar 11, 2011 at 15:48)

that's some nice looking expensive plastic

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Duck-On-Quack (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:10)

They look impressive, probably cost an arm and a leg though!

sakucee (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:24)

And a kidney when buying the mt8

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timmy00 (Mar 12, 2011 at 12:26)

plastic? hmm, this reminds me a Trabant... Wink

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joesmkns24 (Mar 10, 2011 at 11:01)

looking good!

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pokalface (Mar 10, 2011 at 5:42)

dirtydroog your right! maybe i should build a new bike when it is 2015...

dirtydroog (Mar 10, 2011 at 9:47)

Why? It'll be out-of-date within a month

[Reply]

IronHyde (Mar 10, 2011 at 0:21)

Nice! Would love to try a set.

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gastonbx (Mar 10, 2011 at 16:16)

I love maguras, I want this new ones now!!

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acosta (Mar 10, 2011 at 6:54)

So, the MT8-MT6 are becoming the new Marta's?, MT4 the new Louise?

[Reply]

Wannabe2 (Mar 10, 2011 at 7:53)

does anyone know how much do the MT8's cost?

z-man (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:33)

word on the street is a f*ck load of cash. like 1200 a set. Just what i hear though

mtbnozpikr (Mar 11, 2011 at 18:17)

I think it's actually around $600 a set. It seems strange but I have read that they come in a set rather than separately.

Wannabe2 (Mar 13, 2011 at 13:16)

thanks!

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derekvineyard (Mar 10, 2011 at 7:42)

Maybe its just me, but these looks very similar to the Hayes stroker? I hope the performance is different

z-man (Mar 10, 2011 at 8:34)

it's magura, thats like comparing a Ferrari 599 to a ford mustang

seraph (Mar 10, 2011 at 10:44)

Yes, in the sense that a Ferarri is much more expensive to purchase and maintain and a Mustang will still get you from point A to point B.

z-man (Mar 10, 2011 at 11:12)

You forget to include the performance increase the ferrari would give you, for the cost of spare parts, and expendables.

seraph (Mar 10, 2011 at 11:34)

No, I didn't.

z-man (Mar 10, 2011 at 19:20)

You obviously have no clue about what you're talking about. Magura has had that leverdesign since 2003. Not to mention how a hayes and magura are two complete opposits of the spectrum. Have ridden both brands and they're not even compriable. Smarten up, stop pretending you know what you're talking about.

seraph (Mar 10, 2011 at 20:17)

How are Hayes and Magura on opposite ends of the spectrum? Pretty much every brake company has a full range of hydros in their line up, from budget systems to those costing several hundred dollars and utilizing a lot of carbon fiber and other weight-saving materials. Magura had the Marta SL, Hayes had the Stroker Gram. Magura had the Louise, Hayes had the Stroker Ryde. In my opinion, Hayes has the better legacy and a far better reputation.

z-man (Mar 10, 2011 at 23:13) (Below Threshold) show comment

Dude, i told you, stop talking about something you know NOTHING of. Hayes, are made very cheaply, Over seas, by some underpaid employee, who doesn't care about anything he's doing, Not progressing in any form of technology. Not adding anything unique to the industry. Just making mediocre products. Not to mention, the most expensive brake hayes makes is 600$ a set.
Now, lets compare them to a very high end company, that has been making top of the line performance braking products for motocross and MTB for decades. All hand made, in a country that is extremely famous for their engineering revolutions and quality. Magura developed an entire new way of laying up carbon, no other company has even thought of trying. They have a warranty that blows hayes out of the water, and i know for a fact, work 10 times better then hayes, as i have tried both company's top of the line brake for more then one season. Sure, in north America, hayes is more popular, but if you go to Europe, Magura and their immaculate legacy take over. Magura make the best brakes in the world, period. Not to mention the pieces of shit hayes have made in the past. Also, the MT8 is selling for 1200$ a set, and that's without many extra's magura offer.
Stop pretending you know anything about Magura, cause you don't.

seraph (Mar 10, 2011 at 23:33)

I know they feel like shit, are a pain in the ass to bleed, and lack substantial power when compared to other brakes on the market. I'm not saying that Hayes is better, I'm just saying that Magura isn't the bronze Adonis you make it out to be.

I will say that Formula is better than Magura, though. WAY nicer brakes, and way more powerful too!

Also as you seem to want to use price as a basis for quality, the Formula R1s are $288 each, plus $120 each brake for the carbon lever blade upgrade. So a full set would be over $800. Does that make them good? Not to me, but it does make them fancy.

oceen246 (Mar 11, 2011 at 7:40)

Got creative on that one but can't post it as a single post because it gives me a spamming error message too long...

I'm not trying to piss on anyone's glory but form personal experience:

The magura forum is really helpful here in the US. I order my brakes directly from magura and talk to somebody on the phone to do so. I like the car analogy you guy used as it really reflect my personal experience with different brands.
Magura are like the Mercedes, you can drive them in the sand, snow, mud, and grime. They will keep on working consistently no matter what abuse you give them for years.
Formula are like Ferraries. They are light powerful and good looking but to ME are a pain to service and adjust. They might be the best brakes out there but are unreliable. Also why is the pad adjust knob so bloody hard to turn?
The new hayes are like Chevrolet. They make nice products as of late. They work properly but there is something about them that need a bit more polishing and heritage.
Avid are the Japanese performance cars (evo, sti?) They perform good but are a bit rough. For the price/performance stand, they are a clear winner.
Shimano Saints were on par with magura with the single piston model. The new 4 pistons model is just like driving a top fuel car on the street. It requires a lot of delicateness or they will kill you. Bleeding 4 pistons calipers is never fun as well.
Hopes are like kit cars. You can do whatever you want form the factory and not bond to buy what you do not want which is excellent to fulfill a specific need.. The problem with custom is the you only have bragging right for it. The brakes you have just put together will very likely be on par in term of performance with any of the brakes above put cost a pretty penny.

oceen246 (Mar 11, 2011 at 7:40)

There is something out there to please everybody and every wallet. There is always some that will not be pleased and make a lot of noise about it and other who've never tried a product blindly repeating what they may or may not have heard. I rarely diss a product because most of the time, it is my fault for: crashing, bad instal, bad maintenance, and unnecessary abuse. Some on forums are using the broken parts are trophies to prove their worth (yeah we know you are hardcore world cup level for snapping your frame) but they really just misguide any newer rider. I've broke a lot of shits, like every single component on a bike but did not run here screaming a product is poo as the nature of DH is not kind to components. The ones i listen too are the ones (same unlucky individual) that have had the same product fail and fail again after replacement and proper instal.

Oh and remember, when calling support, the voice at the end of the line is another human being. Being truthful about what REALLY happened to your part will most likely guarantee you savings in the long run. Contacts that can be gained not being a douche have rewards. I do not know about the magura forks and never seen one in real life so it is not really a surprise most shop do not know how to fornicate with them. Not doubting the guy with the horror story with the forks but when you have a problem that is not getting solved, you want to talk to eagles, the top of the food chain. All the ducks do not have the same view as the one of an eagle. Most duck when in doubt will send the superior duck whom has a bit more power and knowledge than the common duck but at the end of the day a duck is a duck! Call the bloody eagle!!!

z-man (Mar 11, 2011 at 8:48)

@seraph
Magura's bleed the exact same way shimano's do, which is very easy, they have the best modulation around, and the gustav is probably one of the most powerful brakes EVER made, Everything that you have said has been some of the most ill informed GARBAGE i have ever heard. I'm gonna top arguing with some head strong twat who thinks he's right about components he's never even tried. I had Louise BAT carbons for 2 season, they never needed a bleed, and i rode over 60 days in the whistler bike park on them, for both seasons. not to mention the plethora of other riding i do. Your Opinion is so invalid, it's not even funny.
Have fun being an ignorant, it truly is bliss.

seraph (Mar 11, 2011 at 10:28)

I've tried every Magura brake from the original Gustav with the floating caliper to the "custom" Marta SLs that came on the 2008 S-Works Epic. How, you may ask? Because I'm a bike mechanic, and I have been for 11 years. Over those years it has been my job to fix the horrible pieces of machinery Magura produces and masquerades as brakes.

I can only speak based on my personal experiences, but for me every single Magura brake I've seen or had to work on has been crap. The only good part about them is that they're so bad that it's easy to convince a customer to upgrade his or her brakes to something that works consistently like a Shimano or Avid brake.

You may not agree with my opinion, but that doesn't make it wrong. Go back to charm school and learn some manners, child.

oceen246 (Mar 11, 2011 at 11:15)

Yikes seraph, you've had it hard.
I own 2004 louise and 2010 louise BAT.

Never bled the BAT, cut the line to my liking, plug it back without bleeding the system. Changed the pads twice and still never bled the system. That sucks you've had a poor experience with magura but try to keep an open mind.
I've had terrible luck with formula brakes, they are like divas and are a pain to bleed. they sometime worked fined but out of blue they would start acting up. It doesn't mean i hate formula and i will not go around saying they are crap because i'm the only one who has bad experiences with them.
Today i would recommend formulas to peoples with small hands because the lever is more comfortable to them (yes they are a pain to me but i'd rather spend my sweet time figuring them out and have the customer happy). For amateurs and open minded peoples, i would still recommend Louise BAT for consistency. For adult on the heavier side of the scale, saints. But in general the most popular brakes are the elixirs because they are on most build kit so shops carry pads in their inventory.

seraph (Mar 11, 2011 at 11:29)

The most economic and utilitarian brake in my opinion is the Shimano XT. Easy to bleed, easy to service, easy on the wallet, and plenty of power.

I am keeping an open mind, but every Magura I've come across has been utter crap; there wasn't a good Magura brake in there that I could gain any positive insight or opinion from. I'm not the only person with this opinion, all of my friends who are mechanics feel the same way. We wouldn't run Magura brakes on our bikes if someone paid us. Might as well dig our own graves if we did that.

Qwertyopolis (Mar 12, 2011 at 11:13)

I found that my Shimano brakes didn't have nearly the power or the control that i wanted. Switched over to Avid Elixir CR's and was blown away.

seraph (Mar 12, 2011 at 11:25)

Well you switched from Deores to CRs so that makes sense. XTs are on par with the CRs in price and quality, though personally I feel that they feel a bit more solid when bled properly. I usually re-bleed all my brakes when I first get them.

[Reply]

acosta (Aug 25, 2011 at 23:04)

Any review yet?

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INS4N3 (Mar 10, 2011 at 3:37)

The pricing is about 509$ for the MT8, which is the RRP.

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