This article was first published in June 2024 and updated in March 2025 with new information updated.
In the past, the brakes from Magura despite good performance and many a test victory was repeatedly criticised. In particular, problems with leaks, lengthy braking processes and unstable fittings have repeatedly caused frustration. With the Gustav Pro, Magura wants to reverse this trend and usher in a new era of braking power, user-friendliness and reliability.
As a new heavy-duty brake, the Gustav Pro does not replace the existing MT line, but is intended to open up a new product family as a top-of-the-range brake. In future, more affordable brakes with a similar approach are also conceivable. The Gustav Pro ties in with reminiscent of the legendary Gustav M brake from the 90s and, as in the past, adorns itself with the first name of the company founder Gustav Magenwirth.
However, if you're expecting a floating saddle or a bright, highlighter-coloured look, we're sorry to disappoint you. The saddle is mounted conventionally, with colourful accents at most in the form of coloured rings on the outside of the pistons.
The Magura Gustav Pro MTB brake at a glance
- Design: Hydraulic four-piston brake
- Brake fluid: Mineral oil (Blue-Blood)
- Brake lever: Aluminium, Carbotecture
- Brake disc: Aluminium, one-piece, 200 / 180 mm
- Field of application: E-MTB, Gravity
- For E-MTBs also with Bosch E-Bike ABS
- Weight: 352 grams (without disc, EMTB measurement)
- Price: 699.90 Euro First Edition Set (two brakes plus discs and adapter)
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More material for more power and stability for the new Magura brake
From a technical point of view, the new Magura brake is all the more interesting. Like the new heavy-duty Maven brakes from Sram, Magura also throws a little more into the mix to increase performance. The Swabians are particularly consistent in their approach. The brake caliper has been significantly enlarged compared to the familiar MT brakes, as have the four brake pistons. At seven millilitres compared to four, the oil volume is almost twice as high as with the previous four-piston brakes. Thicker pads and the new MDR-S disc with a thickness of 2.5 millimetres provide more material, also on the wear parts.
In combination with the robust caliper, this should provide plenty of power and stability. The lever and caliper together weigh around 350 grams - 70 grams more than the well-known MT7 and almost as much as the Maven from Sram. The new MDR-S brake disc weighs 266 grams due to its greater thickness of 2.5 millimetres. This makes it about as heavy as one of the well-known MDR-P discs with a diameter of 220 millimetres. By the way: If you are interested in retrofitting, you can also combine the familiar two-millimetre discs (e.g. Storm, MDR-P) with the Gustav Pro. A new MDR-S disc with 220 millimetres will not be available for the time being, with reference to the already high performance and stability of the Gustav Pro.
Ease of use: brake hose with quick-release fastener, smooth-running pistons
In addition to pure performance, a lot of thought has also gone into the user-friendliness of the Gustav Pro. A new quick-release system makes it easy to disconnect and reconnect the master cylinder and hose without having to bleed them afterwards. To do this, simply remove the two cover plates from the brake lever without tools and remove the safety clip. The lever and hose can then be separated, for example to make it easier to thread the hose through the frame for installation.
The magnetically clipped-in pads can be easily removed as usual after removing the locking pin upwards. Due to the high oil volume in the system, the Magura should work with particularly low oil pressure. The pistons should therefore run particularly smoothly. If the pistons are intentionally or accidentally levered far out without a disc, they can be easily returned to their original position by applying light pressure to the pads from the outside. If you do need to bleed the system, you will be pleased with the easy-to-operate bleed screw, which can be opened and closed again with a half-turn of an open-end spanner.
ABS, brake levers, pads, shift mix: the details
In addition to the conventional version, the Gustav Pro will also be available in a combination of with the Bosch E-Bike ABS. The inner workings of the Gustav lever are still made from Magura's in-house Carbotecture injection moulding material. With an aluminium clamp, however, the engineers from the Alb responded to the criticism of tear-out threads in the Carbotecture body of the MT line. With the new fitting, aluminium is now screwed into aluminium, and with a modified mechanism, only one screw instead of two needs to be tightened during assembly. Various adapters are screwed onto the aluminium clamp, which should enable a tidy cockpit with both Sram and Shimano fittings.
The brake lever itself is also made of aluminium, the grip width can be adjusted using a knurled wheel, but there is no pressure point adjustment. The lever can be easily replaced by loosening a screw. It seems likely that Magura will also offer retrofit levers for the Gustav Pro in the future to cater for different personal preferences. The brake pad compound for the Gustav Pro is called 13 S and is labelled as an all-round solution. It is possible that there will be other, more aggressive options in the future. Cost per set of pads: 24.90 euros.
First impression: How the Gustav Pro brake rides
Despite its massive appearance, the Gustav Pro brake is surprisingly tame in our initial tests. It feels like you get a little more power during full braking than with a well-running MT7. However, this is only the case when the lever is gripped firmly. The response behaviour, on the other hand, is emphatically soft and controllable, and not nearly as bold as that of some competitors. We even get the impression that the initial bite is less pronounced on the Gustav M than on the MT5 and MT7; the Gustav Pro only flexes its muscles under real hard braking.
This characteristic was a little unusual for us on our first few rides. If you only gently pull the lever, you often decelerate less than expected. If you apply a lot of pressure to compensate, you get a lot of power. This is a little surprising, as many other brakes tend to work the other way round. On long descents, the massive Gustav Pro should also clearly set itself apart from its smaller siblings when it comes to fading. However, we have not yet been able to test this sufficiently. The lever of the Gustav Pro is flat and appears more massive than those of Sram and Shimano. The width adjustment via knurled screw is tried and tested, but riders with small hands would still like a little more adjustment travel.
In the test: bikes with the new Gustav Pro:
Update: First Edition Set now available
Until now, the brake was only available in complete bikes, but now you can also buy the Gustav Pro as a retrofit. For the time being, Magura is only offering the brake as a complete set with two brakes, discs and adapters. However, the sale of individual brakes is to follow soon.
At €699.90 for the complete set, the Gustav Pro is, as expected, not a bargain, but the RRP is slightly below that of the Gustav Pro. Sram Maven Silver and at a similar level with a TRP DH-R Evo. Hayes top anchor Dominion A4 and especially the Shimano XT with four pistons are significantly cheaper.
BIKE verdict on the MTB brake Magura Gustav Pro
With the Gustav Pro MTB brake, Magura promises not only more power, but also more durability and reliability. This is the right approach, especially for E-MTBs, where the additional weight is bearable. But the Gustav Pro is also interesting for other downhill-oriented bikers who often cover many metres of altitude in one go. The Gustav Pro did a good job on our first bikes. We are looking forward to further tests. - Adrian Kaether, Test and Technology Editor
Adrian Kaether
Editor
