Magura 2015 MT Brakes

 

Magura has come at its new MT range of brakes from a whole new angle this year with pretty much revamped everything across the entire range.

Before we get to the detail here’s a quick list of some of the major changes for 2015.

• All calipers are now cast/forged from one piece of metal.
• Braking performance increases as you move up the range
• Entry point for MT2 brake is €79 including adaptor and rotor
• Mt5 and 7 are new, four piston, gravity oriented brakes.

So, in more detail now..

Last year’s brakes came with two piece, bonded calipers and to be honest the performance was not that great. Ours leaked quite a lot and power faded very quickly. All MT calipers are now forged from a single piece of metal although the entry-level MT2 is a cast caliper.

 

That progressive performance point needs some explanation. Previously all MT brake levers came with the same leverage ratios. By that we mean the pivot points of the levers and the positioning of the cylinder contact points were identical no matter if you had the cheapest or most expensive brakes. So, material differences aside, there was no difference in feel of the brakes or the amount of power as you moved up or down through the range. That has changed for 2015 with some fundamental leverage differences being built into the range.

The entry-level MT2 has a cylinder contact point further away from the lever pivot point resulting in a brake that feels softer and has less power than the higher models. This is intended to suit riders who are just switching to disc brakes on budget model bikes. Magura explains that these new riders are often intimidated by the power of disc brakes for the first time.

The MT4 brake moves the pivots and contact points in the lever to give a sharper bite point with more power for a more experienced rider who wants to progress to a higher performing brake. The points move about again with the MT6 and MT8 to give the rider the greatest power in the range.

With the entry-level MT2 being priced at a staggeringly low €79 complete with disc and adaptor, it’s clear that Magura’s plan here is to turn new riders into loyal customers who can then progress up through the range as their experience grows.

Other stuff…

All models have reach adjustment with the MT2 and MT4 requiring a Torx tool to fiddle with. But if you happen to also be running a Magura fork then the chances are you will have exactly the right tool built into the thru axle – very handy!

MT6, 7 and 8 have on the fly adjustment of reach and bite point. The range of reach adjustment on the lower MT2 and 4 and models is greater than it is for the higher MT6 and 8 models oddly, although you can squeeze a bit more reach out by adjusting the bite point.

With the exception of the M5 all pads can be dropped in from the top of the caliper so they can be changed without removing the wheel. The one piece construction of the M5 pad means you still need to insert them from underneath although if you upgrade to the single (x4) pads you can insert them from above without removing wheels.

Materials.

Each brake unit is made from Carbotecture – which is basically very strong, carbon rich, plastic that has been developed by Magura, although the higher models 5,6,7 and 8 are made from Carbotecture SL. This is essentially carbon fibre but with the fibres manipulated into a stronger lattice structure, making them lighter and stronger. Only the MT8 has actual carbon fibre levers. Both the four piston models come with alloy levers where Magura have decided weight is less of a priority over crash resistance. See below for weights and other stuff.

OK, so we’ve talked mainly about the even numbered brake models so far – these are the more XC oriented brakes with two piston calipers. The MT5 and 7 are Magura’s new four piston caliper brakes destined for more gravity oriented riders. Both the MT5 and 7 come with alloy levers for durability reasons but the MT5, like the MT4 does not have on the fly adjustment and only has reach adjust, not bite point adjust. Down in the calipers the MT5 comes with a set of budget one-piece brake pads, despite the four piston setup. All pistons are magnetic across the entire range so there’s no springs needed in the calipers.

The MT7 comes with 4 separate pads – one for each piston. Benefits of the 4 separate pads are listed as better heat dissipation and longevity – the latter down to the fact the individual pads can have a thinner backing plate and so leaves more room for actual braking compound. However, the differences in the calipers is pretty much down to paint and so you can upgrade your MT5 callipers with individual 4 pads.

Other changes…

The retaining bolts on the bar clamps have fattened up and are a lot less ‘delicate’. All models are flip-floppable (if that’s even a word) and all but the MT2 come with a banjo caliper/hose attachment. All brakes come with 2m of hose, which makes things much simpler for stockists as there’s no front or rear brake – there’s just er.. a brake and you need two of them – simple.

We rode the MT4 and the MT8 at Magura’s recent press camp in Mallorca and although our experience was brief the initial feel of both brakes was very good and certainly an improvement on previous years models. We are expecting a test set of brakes from the range soon so we can give them a proper, damp UK based test.

Figures and stuff…

• MT 2 – 370g – 2 piston – 79 Euros
• MT 4 – 340g – 2 piston – 119 Euros
• MT 5 – 380g  – 4 piston – 149 Euros
• MT 6 – 320g – 2 piston – 219 Euros
• MT 7 – 355g – 4 piston – 259 Euros
• MT 8 – 299g – 2 piston – 319 Euros

We have no UK prices yet but will update when we do. All brakes come with rotor and adaptors and remember there’s no front or rear options now. Just one brake with a 2m hose that you cut to fit. The ‘on-the-fly’ barrel adjusters on the M6,7&8 are interchangeable with either side of the brake body.

If all that seems confusing then just remember.. even numbers = 2 piston. Odd numbers = 4 piston.

 

 

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