Words & Photos by Drew Rohde
Usually we wait ‘til the end of the review to make our proclamation, but Magura’s MT7 Pro brakes aren’t usual. These 4-piston stoppers pack a serious punch in a uniquely German-looking package. Features, technologies, unique materials, blah, blah, blah – rather than spout off a million things that probably don’t matter, we’ll keep in tune with Magura’s bare bones website and just point out the key factors of what we do and don’t like about these brakes.
The Lab
Let’s start with construction. The MT7 Pro caliper is a beautifully forged 4-piston affair and yields smooth, even movement. Each caliper houses two sets of brake pads to further improve even pressure on the rotors. Four small pads move smoothly and offer better heat dissipation and rotor contact.
Speaking of rotors, Magura recommends their 2mm thick Storm HC rotor. Most rotors are 1.8mm thick and the thicker material here falls in line with Magura’s belief that heat management is of the utmost importance in brake performance.
Moving up to the master cylinder, Magura’s CarboTecture helps reduce the weight offset by the thicker rotor and large caliper. The master cylinder and reservoir is made of a custom blend of thermo plastic and carbon fibers. It is a unique part and looks great, however extra care should be taken to not over-torque any of the hardware. We did this during our first install bleed. We’ll discuss the bleeding process shortly.
Our MT7 Pro brakes came with Magura’s 1-finger HC lever blade and we loved it. They do offer a more tuneable HC3 lever, however we were more than pleased with the HC. Adjustment is easy and it was really a set and forget kind of brake.
The bleed…Definitely a downside of the brakes. Magura’s bleed process in and of itself isn’t too bad, however the tools to complete the bleed are. I spoke to several Magura techs who all said that the hose/syringe fitment tightens up over time as the hose material shrinks. This may be true, however when a brand new brake set arrives and the syringe continuously falls out of the hose leaking mineral oil everywhere, it’s not a fun experience. With better hose fitment, the process would be much better. Luckily I haven’t had to touch them in over six months and they show no signs of fading so maybe by the time my next bleed is in order, the hose will have shrunk and fit on the syringe properly.
The Dirt
After a somewhat frustrating set up process I was hoping the MT7 Pro’s performance would wipe the sour taste from my mouth. The first ride was like a typical first date; a brief introduction before learning just how far you could push the buttons without things locking up or stalling the flow too abruptly. We had a few patchy turns but I quickly learned the right way to finger these brakes and we’ve been happy ever since.
I noticed that slower speeds and techy moves require a lighter finger as the brakes may feel a bit over-powered for lighter riders. The touchiness was something I quickly adjusted to and was more than happy to do so after seeing just how well they worked on steeper, faster downhills.
It’s almost as if these brakes work better the faster you go. The more power you need, the more power they give. After just two rides they were at the top of my list with Shimano’s XT 4-piston brakes. In some areas I may have even liked these brakes a little better. The MT7 Pros definitely resist heat fade better than Shimano brakes.
The Wolf’s Last Word
Without a doubt one of the best brakes on the market! Luckily the brakes require very little maintenance as the bleeding tools Magura supplies aren’t the best and the Carbotecture master cylinder will most certainly be a painful learning process for most ham-fisted mechanics.
Aside from my gripes related to the one time I needed to bleed these brakes, I would most definitely recommend them. In fact, they are a top-performing brake I hope to ride on more test bikes in the future. Magura’s MT7 Pro brakes offer powerful and predictable stopping power, require zero maintenance and manage heat better than most of the brakes I’ve ridden. The thicker, 2mm rotors are durable, resist warping and the oversized 4-piston caliper is ready to stop you no matter how steep it gets.
Price: Brake – $235, Rotor – $32;
Weight: 261g (brake only);
Website: magurausa-shop.com
We Dig
Heat Control
Reliability
Consistency
Power
Ergonomics
Looks
We Don’t
Bleeding Tools
Stripping Carbotecture Bolts
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