BIKE Four Peaks 2016, finale of the second stage: In the gravel bends below the Asitz mountain station, the pressure point becomes spongier with every braking manoeuvre. Just in time for the start of the Hangman trail, the rear brake then stops working completely. The carbon lever of the Magura stopper can be pulled up to the handle without any resistance. 500 metres in altitude without a rear brake through the Leogang bike park await until the finish. Give up? No! I have the front four-piston anchor to thank for the fact that I roll through the finish arch a little later without crashing. Although it glows like a sparkler at the finish, it has brought my 75 kilos safely down into the valley. An involuntary brake test under racing conditions, so to speak, which the Swabians' new combi-stoppers passed. Incidentally, the reason for the failure of the rear brake was air in the system, it was poorly vented. But the incident also shows how tough the latest generation of lightweight hydraulic disc brakes is. We put the Magura creation and two new lightweight stoppers from Sram and Trickstuff on our laboratory test bench and then put them head-to-head in an off-road test.
In the first test of strength in the BIKE lab, Trickstuff and Sram are no match for the four-piston caliper of the Magura front brake. No wonder, as it already helped the MT7 win the brake test in 2015. But even the "little one" from Trickstuff - currently the lightest brake in the world - is more powerful than a Shimano XT or Sram Guide RSC Ultimate with four pistons. Only the Level Ultimate lags behind in terms of braking power and is likely to give heavy riders cramped forearms on long descents. The concentrated power of the Magura can also be felt off-road. Short descents, as are common in low mountain ranges, do not lure the powerful Magura stoppers out of their reserve.
The three-stage fading test on the drum test bench is completely different, in which we deliberately push the brakes to the limit to simulate extreme situations. Here too, only the Magura made it to the third stage. Fading weaknesses at the beginning of the test (initial fading) and a deformed disc cost the four-piston front brake two points in the stability rating this time. However, with four out of six points in the fading test, the lightweight brake trio leaves a solid impression and even distances itself from competitor models such as the BFO H20 or a Shimano XT. However, the powerful front brake of the Magura takes some getting used to off-road. Especially on race bikes with narrow tyres or on loose surfaces, you should think twice about going all out. However, the new Magura stoppers can also be used on trail bikes and light all-mountain bikes without hesitation. If you're looking for the best compromise between ergonomics, braking power and workmanship, you can't beat the high-quality Trickstuff in this three-way battle - we give it the BIKE tip ahead of the Magura by a wafer-thin margin.
LABORATORY TEST AND EVALUATION OF THE TESTERS
600 degrees Towards the end of the third stage of our fading test, the glowing disc of the Magura four-piston brake comes to its knees at a pad temperature of over 600 degrees and deforms permanently. The other two brakes stopped fading much earlier.
254 grammes is the weight of the Piccola in the lightweight setup with Dächle disc (160 mm), titanium bolts and pads with aluminium backing plate.
Stefan Loibl, BIKE test editor:
"With a little familiarisation, the powerful Magura is easy to get to grips with. However, the Piccola is consistently trimmed for lightweight construction. Ergonomics and braking power are first class."
Magura 5 out of 6 points
Sram 4 out of 6 points
Trickstuff 6 out of 6 points
Peter Nilges, BIKE Test Manager:
"The Level has worked very well for me in the long-term test so far. It is sufficient for light riders in the low mountain range. Nevertheless, a little more power would be good."
Magura 6 out of 6 points
Sram 5 out of 6 points
Trickstuff 5 out of 6 points
Sebastian Brust, graduate engineer & BIKE tester:
"I like the power of Magura. It's there when you need it. The reserves of the four pistons at the front are reassuring. Braking with it is not work. More like a holiday."
Magura 5 out of 6 points
Sram 3 out of 6 points
Trickstuff 4 out of 6 points
Magura MT Trail Carbon
Price 579 Euro (set)
Weight* / size 420 (vo.)/407 (hi.) grams / 180 mm
Info www.magura.com
details Combination of four-piston brake at the front and two-piston caliper at the rear, organic pads, Storm HC discs, mineral oil, adjustable lever width
Dosing capability 5 out of 6 points
Stability 4 out of 6 points
Braking force 5 out of 6 points
Ergonomics 5 out of 6 points
CONCLUSION An anchor at the front, easy to modulate at the rear: The powerful stopper combination from the Swabians takes a little getting used to, but is then bursting with power. The pressure point when stationary is not too hard, yet the braking force can be well controlled via the angular, long carbon lever. Difficult to adjust when new, but maintenance and bleeding are very simple. Suitable for heavy riders.
Sram Level Ultimate
Price 324 Euro/piece
Weight* / size 370 gram / 180 mm
Info www.sram.com
details Two-piston brake with two-piece caliper, organic pads, two centreline discs, DOT 5.1 fluid. Centreline discs, DOT 5.1 fluid, lever width adjustable with tool
Dosing capability 4 out of 6 points
Stability 4 out of 6 points
Braking force 2 out of 6 points
Ergonomics 5 out of 6 points
CONCLUSION The Ultimate is the lightweight in the Sram range. It required the longest braking time in the test field. It only really gets to work at high temperatures. The pressure point on the ergonomic carbon lever is very hard and stable, but requires a lot of manual force. Heavier riders should definitely opt for larger discs for more power. The lever width adjustment is difficult to reach.
Trickstuff Piccola (BIKE Tip)
Price 345 Euro/piece
Weight* / size 341 gram / 180 mm
Info www.trickstuff.de
details Two-piston brake with two-piece caliper, organic NG pads, Dächle Disc HD discs, bio-mineral oil, lever width adjustable with tool
Dosing capability 5 out of 6 points
Stability 4 out of 6 points
Braking force 5 out of 6 points
Ergonomics 6 out of 6 points
CONCLUSION With this compact CNC-milled work of art, the Freiburg-based company builds the lightest brake in the world. Our 180 mm set-up was snappy and powerful in every situation. The quadruple ball-bearing, flat lever is very comfortable to grip and offers the finger good guidance on the outside. The pressure point is less hard than on the Trickstuffs Cleg or Direttissima. Relatively long free travel, but easy to adjust.
¹Weight of a front wheel brake in grams including disc, screws and adapter, ² Average braking force from wet and dry braking at 80 Newton hand force
