"Oh, it's you again, I thought there was something wrong with my wheel loader!" The stench of our brakes hangs distinctively over the steep track leading down to Bolzano. Cracking and crackling, the discs are recovering from the interval braking over the past hundred metres. The driver of the wheel loader wrinkles his nose and lets us pass in greeting. We open the brakes again and go into the final dive. What comes next is the final, but toughest test: repeated braking from 50-60 km/h to walking speed - on a road that winds its way down towards the valley with an average gradient of 20 per cent. The scenario is tough, but quite realistic, because despite the steepness, there is traffic and local roads, and gravity accelerates man and machine rapidly. It is not advisable to just let it run.
The full article with all the test results for these trail brakes, including measurement tables, technical data and grades, is available as a PDF in the download area below:
- Hayes Dominion
- Hope Tech 3 V4
- Magura MT8 SL
- Magura Trail Sport
- Shimano 501/ 520
- Shimano SLX
- Shimano XT
- Sram G2 Ultimate
- Trickstuff Maxima
- Trickstuff Piccola C41
- TRP G-Spec DH-R
With prices ranging from 135 to 533 euros and weights from 367 to 569 grams, our test samples from Hayes, Hope, Magura, Shimano, Sram, Trickstuff and TRP cover the spectrum of what is possible for deceleration. In addition to the test rides, we also carried out bench tests to test the character of the brakes. Our aim is to cover all possible load cases. In order to do justice to the highly variable human factor, test drivers compete in three weight classes: 75, 85 and 105 kilograms. This allows us to estimate the influence that the rider's weight has on the result. After all, not every biker is a cross-country flea, and in the mountains the system weight is increased by the rucksack.
After completing all the rides, we can make a positive statement: The general standard of the trail brakes is decent. Despite some disc damage, there were no catastrophic brake failures.
You can find the complete comparison test including all data, points tables and the score overview in the PDF from BIKE 5/2019. This is what our subscribers get. Because quality journalism has a price. We guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in BIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them - hundreds of thousands of euros every year.
