Magura Brakes are a staple name in mountain biking, known for their lightweight and great performance. While their brakes do pack a punch with some serious power, their naming leaves a bit to be desired, with just a flurry of random seeming initials and numbers that don’t do much for describing the brake's intentions, so let’s set the record straight. All of their brakes put an emphasis on keeping the grams down and power up, and we’re going to help you figure out which brake is the best fit for your mountain bike.
Magura’s catalog of brakes can be a bit overwhelming, with seemingly endless options of eMTB models and different combinations of 2 and 4 piston brakes. Before we get into what’s different, let’s look at what’s shared between their entire lineup.
First is that all Magura brakes have their proprietary Royal Blood mineral oil coursing through their hoses to supply that power from the lever from the caliper. With a higher boiling point than standard mineral oil, this fluid is going to keep your brakes from heating up and acting up on those extended descents for a bit longer than other brakes on the market. All of Magura’s calipers are made of a single piece of forged aluminum, which makes them stiffer than a standard caliper that is two pieces bolted together. Another final shared feature of Magura brakes is the flip flop levers that work on either side. No more shopping around for a specific left or right replacement, all of these levers do both jobs perfectly well.
While two piston brakes aren’t our forte here at The Lost Co, let’s super quickly go over Magura’s cross country brake options! Their MT4 is a great value option that offers plenty of power for a two piston brake without breaking the bank. Next up is the MT8, which comes in both the PRO and SL configurations. The MT8 Pro bumps up the power that we saw in the MT4 and adds in a toolless reach adjust lever for more ergonomics. When lining up at the start of a race and only the best will do, the MT8 SL is exactly what you need. With a carbon fiber lever blade and Carbotexture SL material making up the lever body, these brakes save 35 grams over the MT8 Pros per end without sacrificing any power. They also come in the classic Magura neon yellow colorway that’s instantly recognizable.
Just like mullet wheelsizes, Magura is bringing the mullet look to their brake lineup too, with the MT Trail lineup using a 4 piston caliper in the front and a 2 piston caliper in the rear. The idea is that you can use the power of the 4 piston brake in the front to get your maximum braking power while the 2 piston caliper in the rear is perfect for getting all the modulation you could ever want while saving those precious grams. Coming in two different configurations, the MT Trail brake lineup has perfect options for both the gram counters and those looking for maximum value.
Magura’s MT Trail Sport is their budget yet performance oriented 4 piston front and 2 piston rear brake system. With a lever blade built for 1 finger braking and reach adjust using a 3mm allen key, riders can get plenty of power incredibly comfortably by adjusting where the lever sits. You’d be hard pressed to find another set of high performing brakes like these for just $309.00, and especially when paired with Magura’s Storm HC rotors, riders have been very impressed with the Magura MT Trail Sport.
Moving up in price and performance, we have Magura’s MT Trail SL brakes. By using a carbon fiber lever blade and a lighter Carbotexture SL material in the lever body, Magura is able to shave weight compared to the MT Trail Sports without compromising performance. Just like the rest of Magura’s brake levers, the MT Trail SL levers take up very little real estate on the handlebars, leaving plenty of room for shifters and dropper post levers. Plus those carbon levers are going to stay warmer on those cold winter rides, so if you’re someone who rides regardless of the temperature, these could be the right brake for you!
Now for our personal favorite offerings from Magura, their 4 piston brakes. Just like the other categories we’ve looked at, their 4 piston brakes come in a few different flavors, with the MT5, MT5 HC, MT7 Pro, and MT7 Raceline. All four of these offer fantastic performance at different price levels with different features, but rest assured, they aren’t going to be short on power. These brakes are going to be right at home on any E-MTB, enduro bike, or downhill bike where strong brakes give unmatched confidence on high speed descents.
Starting with the MT5 and MT5 HC, these two brakes are very similar in terms of power, with the main differences being in the lever material and shape, as well as the colors offered. The MT5 uses a longer lever blade than the MT5 HC, which you can either use one or two fingers to actuate. That longer lever gives riders more leverage if you choose to use just one finger, or if you’re looking for maximum power there’s room for another finger on there. Made from carbon fiber, the MT5 HC lever is a bit shorter and lighter and only has room for the one pointer finger. With that shorter throw, the bite is more pronounced and abrupt than the MT5 which has a bit more modulation.
Anyone looking for maximum power needs to look no further than the Magura MT7s. With either the Pro or the Raceline versions, you’re getting top of the line power without any compromise. Both come with the 1 finger aluminum lever but can be upgraded to the HC3 lever which offers many levels of adjustability for any whose main priority is getting the lever in the absolute perfect location. Aside from the obvious difference in color, the only separation between these two MT7 models is the bite adjustment on the MT7 Raceline lever, and the hose specced on the Raceline is 200mm longer than on the Pro. Besides that, these two brakes are the exact same weight with the same reach adjust and power.
If you’re in the market for enough braking power to stop a bus, then either the Pro or Raceline MT7s should be at the top of your list of Magura brakes.
All of these brakes offer incredible performance and low weight for their intentions, but let's help you figure out which of these dream brakes would be most at home on your personal rig! Weight weenies rejoice, there's only one logical answer for you, and the MT8 SL offers a ridiculous sub 200g weight per brake, a pretty amazing number for a brake as reliable and powerful as the MT8. But if you're looking to save a bit of cash without tipping the scale too much, both the MT4 and MT8 Pro are the brake for your needs.
On the other end of the spectrum, Magura's MT7 Pro and MT7 Raceline offer some of the most power we've ever seen from a mountain bike brake system. While they do add a bit of weight to your bike, that's absolutely worth it when skittering down steep trails where brake performance is the only thing keeping you on the ribbon of dirt you sent yourself down. We have to mention the Magura MT5 again, which offers perhaps the best value of any high performance mountain bike brake, with nearly identical power to its big brother, the MT7.
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