Tired of Magura MT5 – Going to test TRP Slate 4, here’s why

Had a lot of problems with rotor rub, sticky pistons and noise. The Magura SL2 rotors warped easily. The flexy levers made me consider trying something else instead of upgrading them further (40 GBP for a pair of HC levers).

Magura MT5 140£ for the pair
+ Good power
+ Modulation
+ Sleek looks
– Plastic bleed screw, very easy to over-torque
– Plastic bar clamp breaks super easily, broke two already
– Noisy (naturally depends on the pads, definitely true for their performance ones)
– Flexy plastic levers
– Fiddly bleeding, easy to spill oil on caliper
– Minimal rotor to pad clearance
– Sticky pistons (may be a universal problem)
– Not possible to rebuild

TRP Slate 4 80£ for the pair (found a deal)
+ Long motocross like levers
+ Modulation
+ Easy to bleed
+ Cheap as chips
+ Single bolt brake pads (vs two for Magura)
+ Good rotor clearance
+ Metal clamps and bleed screws
+ Best in class pad availability (takes Shimano pads)
+ Better rotor compatibility (takes normal thickness rotors, but you can use up to 2.3 mm ones I believe)
– Lower braking power (not an issue for me, it’s flat here)
– Not the prettiest, not Hope.

Hopefully the TRPs are fairly quit (depends on pad material naturally).

Where did you find SLate 4 for £80 for both ends?!

I received my mt5 last week but not used them yet, wheres the link to the trp?

+ Long motocross like levers

Is that really a + in the world of single digit braking?

+ Modulation
+ Easy to bleed

Thought you were saying you hadn’t tried them yet? Assume some of your list is assumptions

Deal is over now, usually they’re about the same prices as the Maguras for the pair.

I like long levers I think, esp for winter biking w gloves. Might change my mind about this.

The list is based on what people/reviewers have repeatedly said for now until I get my hands on em.

Can’t say I have had any of them experiences with my mt7’s. Apart from the levers. Fitting xt levers resolved any complaints I had.

XT levers w MT7 calipers? Madlad!

XT levers w MT7 calipers? Madlad!

Its a thing. Google shigura.

I got tired of mt5 levers leaking seemed to happen during any long alpine descents. I now have deore levers on the mt5 caliper working well so far but not tested on any alpine riding yet

I have Magura MT5s on my Radon Swoop 170. I upgraded the pads to the two part 8.1 pads from the MT7 which made a world of difference to the stopping power and modulation.

Then about 6 months later I had a crash and snapped a lever, so took the opportunity to upgrade to the single finger levers and WOW, it was like they were different brakes!

Mt5’s here. I find them super easy to bleed especially after sram brakes. I had no problems in the Alps either using ubers race matrix pads. Worst thinking is the bolts that hold them to the bars are very easy to over tighten and damage the threads in the lever body.

As above I’ve really likes the MT5s after SRAM brakes. I’ve left my Centreline rotors on and had no issues with squeal.
Think brakes are so suited to one rider but not the next more than any other component thoughts be honest.

Centreline rotors are thinner than Magura ones.

Centreline rotors are thinner than Magura ones

This may be true but I also run my MT5’s with Shimano discs which are also thinner than Magura discs.

It won’t really be a problem unless/until I wear the pads down to the back plate and the disc down to minimum thickness! So long as I keep an eye on the wear and change my pads or discs early I’ll be fine 😀

Here’s the cheap TRP rear end https://www.ebay.de/itm/TRP-Slate-T4-1800-mm-Scheibenbremse-NEU-DH-FR-Dirt-4-Kolben-Bremse-hinten/123814565366?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170511121231%26meid%3Dcbe1a82b240946e49b87110c1ddbef6f%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D123814565366%26itm%3D123814565366%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2481888&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Af44bcdb2-c5bd-11e9-b049-74dbd18045a0%7Cparentrq%3Abf2d7c1816c0a4e92297e0adfff00df9%7Ciid%3A1

Installed it without a hitch, not cut down the hose yet so no bleed needed. Smoother feel than magura (maybe because it’s one and not two pads), good power and modulation, no noise. The real test will be the front brake. Seems to work fine with 2 mm magura hc rotors.

So far, TRPs have been THE DREAM.

Smoother feel with same rotors (Magura HC) which could be due to the 1 pad design, nicer lever, no noise, at least equal power, no need to bleed during install, takes tektro bleed kits (7 pounds, cheap!).

Been running MT5’s for two years now after a long running love affair with Shimano brakes – wouldn’t go back now.

The standard levers aren’t great but found i got in with them well. Although i have just upgraded to the HC levers

Bleeding is easy although you need some isopropyl as you do get leaks when taking the syringes out – but its as quick as a Shimano bleed.

The issue with the bleed screw and bar clamp sound like over torquing them.

Quite narrow band of torque on the clamps, a little too much, break the clamp, a bit too little, lever moves on handlebars. Unless you have a torque wrench easy to mess up. You can get metal clamps tho.

The bleed bolt on shimano and trp calipers near eliminates most of the risk of getting oil on your calipers.

Magura brakes might be strong (with HC levers at least), but they’re also finicky and noisy compared to shimanos and trps, more for the pros imo.

If anyone wants a set of TRP Slate T4’s I have a pair just maybe one or rides old up for sale. PM me if interested.

Deore 4 pot are really good, moved to them after suffering the XT pumping issues, and haven’t had a problem since.

The Deore MT520 4 pot and TRP Slate 4 seem almost identical, but to me the TRPs edges them out:
+ Linear action instead of servo wave (boils down to preference)
+ Bolt instead of clip pad retainer
+ Adjustable angle caliper hose connector
– Deore doesn’t have directional olives, better for dumdums.
= Price is about the same

Are you sure Deores have servowave? I thought that was the cause for the wandering bite point and that Deores didn’t have it

Yes pretty sure, it’s Acera that do not have it I believe. But 4 pots could have better modulation than 2 pots with servo wave as more liquid needs to be moved. If I did more downhill riding I might prefer it.

Review: Shimano MT520 Brakes are an Affordable 4-Piston Option for Enduro